Is it ok to sell things online while in ESA support group?

Granzig

Hi, I’m in ESA support group due to mental an physical health issues. My health goes up and down and sometimes I might have a couple of weeks when I don’t feel too bad. During these times I make thing, do crafts. I know many people with disabilities who also do this. It helps my mental health and takes away some of the boredom. It makes me feel like there’s something I can do for myself. But the materials cost money, I want to try and get some of this money back by selling the things I make on eBay or Etsy or somewhere, because money is something I don’t have a lot of. I don’t want to give up my hobby because it really helps me! 

Am I allowed to sell things online when I’m in the support group? Or not? I could probably sell a lot of things as I make loads but can’t think I would make any profit from it because it it costs me so much to  buy the materials. So I don’t  think I would have any tax to pay or anything. But I don’t know if I would have to tell HMRC or the DWP that I am selling these things or if they’d find out anyway from eBay or what. I really need to find out what the rules are for the ESA support group, it says to be in the group you cant reasonably be expected to look for work and that is true, I am not reliable with my health and most of the time can’t do anything. but I don’t know if they would call this selling online  “work”.

poppy123456

This would be permitted work, which you can do while claiming ESA. You must make sure that you work less than 16 hours per week and earn no more than £143 per week. (after deductions) You must tell DWP that you are working. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-and-support-allowance-permitted-work-form/permitted-work-factsheet

If you're planning on selling things then you will be classed as self employed. I'm unsure how this works with permitted work and what you need to do to report earnings and how often you need to do this. Someone else will hopefully know and advise you further.

Do be aware that if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you're in the Support Group then you could be reassessed early and the decision could go against you.

Granzig

@poppy123456 thank you for your reply. I have heard about permitted work while on ESA but not sure if the same rules applies to people in the Support Group

 I am not sure if you are allowed to do any sort of activity that involves selling things online, if you are in the support group, it is not clear from what I’ve read. and what happens if you do sell things but don’t make money from it. I need to find this out before I do anything so I know what I might be getting myself into.

Let’s  say I sell £150 worth of stuff I’ve made in one week, but the materials have cost me £200. I don’t know if DWP would say well, you’ve done £150 worth of work so you can’t have esa that week. Then I’d be £50 down and have no benefits coming in either.

woodbine

I think the simple answer would be if you aren't going to make any money from it don't bother, that way you would have nothing to declare to DWP or HMRC, perhaps you could just make things for friends and family and save money on present?

poppy123456

Granzig said:

@poppy123456 thank you for your reply. I have heard about permitted work while on ESA but not sure if the same rules applies to people in the Support Group

Permitted work applies to ESA regardless of which group you're in.

When you're self employed you would need to report earnings and expences but how you report this for ESA purposes i have no idea.

Granzig

@woodbine the thing is, I’m very creative and the urge to make these crafts is strong, and it is helping with my mental health and keeps the thoughts from racing and I also have a bit of OCD which means I get really stuck into things and find it difficult to put them down. It’s hard enough when I can’t do anything because I’m feeling too unwell. So when I’m well enough to make things I go at it pretty hard. I don’t know what I’d do without it, I think I’d be w bit lost. But it’s an expensive hobby and I need it to start paying for itself, at least in part, or all my savings will soon be gone 

MarkM88

These may help:

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/work-and-benefits/?gclid=CjwKCAjwn8SLBhAyEiwAHNTJbUHkGEn1jbocWjmSIpd9CCVTFTKH0_XkiADT4kyTpFjf_y9Ngl44WRoCOmYQAvD_BwE

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/self-employment-benefits/

chiarieds

Hi @Granzig - & welcome to the community. There's some info here from the government's website about when you need to set up as a sole trader, which you'd be. Please see: https://www.gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader