My partner is on PIP and ESA-IR. Is it worth me working?

Dinah2021

Hi guys..am new here and so glad I found this site.
My partner is on pip and ESA- IR
I have been thinking of working...but after googling about how it affects his esa, am not so sure anymore. Is it worth it? 
Ta

poppy123456

HI,

You working will only affect your partners ESA if you're living together as a couple. If you are and all your partners ESA is Income Related then you will be able to earn £20 per week, without it affecting your partners ESA, anything more than this  the ESA is reduced £1 for £1.

If any part of the ESA is Contributions based then this won't be affected by your earnings. If your partner is unsure what their ESA is made up of then they will need to ring DWP to ask.

If you're claiming any other benefits such as housing benefit and council tax reduction you will need to report the changes to your local council.

It would be worth while you both getting a full benefits check from a local advice agency near you. For this start here.  https://advicelocal.uk/

Dinah2021

Thank you. 
It's not easy...esp when you want to try and get more pennies but partner loses in equal measure. Not easy at all.

calcotti

Dinah2021 said:..when you want to try and get more pennies ..

If your partner gets the Daily Living part of PIP and you look after them for 35 hours per week you could claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after them. Your partner would then have a Carer Premium added to their ESA award but your Carer’s Allowance would be deducted. Overall their ESA would go down but taken together with the CA paid to you your joint income would increase by £37.30/week.

The above assumes you are living together. If not then situation is different.

As suggested by poppy a full benefits check may be helpful.

poppy123456

Assuming you live together, In this situation you maybe better off on Universal Credit because yoiu will have the work allowance. BUT you will need to get a full benefits check before applying because once you apply for UC you can't go back.

If your partner is in the Support Group for ESA then they will be entitled to the LCWRA element of UC from the start of your claim. You will also be entitled to the Carers element, standard couples element. As well as other elements, depending on your circumstances.

If any part of your partners ESA ic contirbutions based then this will continue to be paid fortnightly and be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

Dinah2021

calcotti said:

Dinah2021 said:..when you want to try and get more pennies ..

If your partner gets the Daily Living part of PIP and you look after them for 35 hours per week you could claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after them. Your partner would then have a Carer Premium added to their ESA award but your Carer’s Allowance would be deducted. Overall their ESA would go down but taken together with the CA paid to you your joint income would increase by £37.30/week.

The above assumes you are living together. If not then situation is different.

As suggested by poppy a full benefits check may be helpful.

This sounds better. I have no recourse to public funds for the next 2 and a half years as I moved here to get married. That's why I had hoped to work a few hours...but seems income related ESA gets affected too much. 
Would he rather move to universal credit? Thanks 

calcotti

Dinah2021 said:.. I have no recourse to public funds for the next 2 and a half years as I moved here to get married. 

That's a rather crucial piece of information. If you have NRPF then you will have to ignore what I said - you cannot claim Carer's Allowance.

poppy123456

This means that you won't be able to claim Carers Allowance. If your partner is in the Support Group are you 100% sure that all of it is Income Related? If part of it is Contributions based (£114.10 oer week)  then you working will not affect this.If you're not sure then your partner should ring DWP to ask and they will tell you what exactly the ESA is made up of.