permitted work and work related old style ESA

bsg

HI

I'm currently in old style work related group after being moved from the support group last year. I have been on esa for about 5 years through severe depression, anxiety, brought on by a nervous breakdown through personal problems where my children went to live with their dad full time because i was self medicating with alcohol which eventually consumed my life, after we were sharing joint custody which i accepted as i was just to mentally to ill to cope. which then resulted in me having to move to a smaller house due to bedroom tax, I wouldn't go out suffered serious panic attacks, mentally was just very poorly. Fast forward 2 the last 2 years and I had a sink or swim moment as i was drowning fast and somehow a switch went on in my brain and i started to swim. The last year and a half got my relationship back with my children all now 15,16,21 with the help of my oldest son. gave up alcohol completely and my mental health has improved immensely, to the point now that I want to go back to work and it will show my children that I am improving all the time. I applied and got a job in my local garden centre which is a 15min walk from my home, which I think i would enjoy as I really got into gardening the last 2 years which helped with my mental health greatly. Its 2 days a week so comes under the 15 hours a week and seasonal so I feel I am easing myself back into the workplace without to much pressure on myself . My question I have read all the information on permitted work I have received the form i need to fill in yesterday and wondering how do I go about not contradicting my actual ESA assessment now, as i am on it for anxiety and depression, but I am wanting to improve my own well being now by going back to work at my own pace. I am worried that they will take me off ESA and move me to UC which eventually i know I will have to do but right now couldn't deal with the stress of changing over to them and also being forced to look for a second job to get my hours up,

poppy123456

They won't move you to UC because no one will be automatically moved across. People do permitted work while claiming ESA but you need to be aware that if the work you do contradicts the reasons why you're claiming ESA then it can go against you when you're next reviewed.

I don't think it's possible for anyone to tell you if there's any contradictions, only you will know that because you know exactly how your conditions affect you.

Tori_Scope

It's great that you're feeling so much more positive now, and that your relationship with your children has improved @bsg 🙂 Are you receiving enough ongoing support to help you manage your anxiety and depression?

As poppy123456 has said, it'd be difficult for us to say whether there may be any contradictions, as everyone is affected differently. Many people do work alongside claiming ESA. Did you keep a copy of your forms?