Hi, my name is scopeeve! DWP/self employment/ permitted work?

scopeeve

Hi new here. Q r.e DWP/self employment/ permitted work.

The community was recommended to me by scope helpline, who have been helping me with understanding permitted work. The short version is, I have mental health and neurological conditions that have left me unable to work. The symptoms and side effects of those conditions vary so wildly, that working for myself, is looking like a favourable option, rather than reasonable adjustment as a paid employee. It still wont be easy but bridges the gap for me, between working and not. My experiences with the dwp historically, have caused severe distress in the past (I have anhialation anxiety) and I do not find it easy, to just phone up and ask the basic of questions. 
My question is, for anyone who has gone down the self employment/permitted work route, can you please tell me, what evidence you provide to the dwp to prove your income and how regularly you have to do this? Is there anything else you have to provide to them and are you assigned someone to "check in with" etc who might oversee your case or are you left to get on with it, just submitting your evidence as and when required? My mental health conditions, mean I don't cope with things out of my control or out of the blue, so I need to try and get things as straight in my mind as I can, to minimise the impact that talking with the dwp, might potentially have on me. A structured, baby steps approach, to get things straight in my mind. Thanks in advance and sorry for the essay. 

calcotti

It would help if you told is what benefits you are claiming.

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @scopeeve It's great to have you with us!

Would you be able to tell us a little bit more about the benefits you claim at the moment? This may help us to answer your question the best we can.

We have a page on self-employment and benefits, which you may want to read if you haven't already.

MikeyB2102

 @scopeeve I'm on ESA, the DWP want to see bank statements personal and business accounts. I wrote a covering letter explaining the nature of my business and how many hours I'd be expecting to work each week. I can't remember what else I had to submit. Then every few months they will ask you for a list of hours worked, incomings and outgoings (invoices and bank statements, receipts for postage etc). They average it out over the year. Once your first year is over you have to submit everything once a year rather than the three months.

When I started ur they said I could earn £140 per week and that's profit. So say you sell something for £400, and out of that £400 you have to spend £260 on materials, you still keep the £140. If you don't sell anything for 3 weeks and in your forth you sell something for £560 and it didn't cost you anything to make, then you still keep the full amount as it all averages out over the year

scopeeve

Hi MikeyB2102
That's great thank you. As a start up business, I doubt I'd make that much although I'd like to eventually. My worry is, that they will say if I can work for myself I can work for somebody else. That is not really the case. Working for myself will still present me with challenges but less so than working for myself. Do you mind if I ask whether you went in to detail about the ways that working for yourself will be more beneficial or easier for you? I'm not prying or asking for specifics, just not sure how much information to give. Appreciate your comments thank you. 

scopeeve

Yes apologies that would be helpful. I am on esa, although I'm not sure what type. I've haven't actually had a letter from them for at least 2 years although they confirm by phone that I am in receipt of it. I haven't quite worked up the courage to apply fir pip, having had an awful experience with them but scope gave said they can help with completing the forms, so I am giving that some consideration 

MikeyB2102

I explained in my covering letter what my business is, how I'm just starting up. I explained that my goal is to have a consistent amount of customers and eventually come off benefits. I attached a few photos of my artwork that I sell. I gave them the name of my business, my website, Facebook links etc. I told them I had a business bank account and they asked for I can't remember but it might have been 6 months bank statements for my personal and business accounts. Then a few weeks later they rang me and said I can go ahead with it. Any work you do whether it's building your website or making something all has to get included as hours worked.

I've just gone through the PIP process and eventually won at the tribunal (it only took a year and a half)

scopeeve

Thank you. Congratulations on the pip award. Its so stressful isn't it.  Sorry for the million questions, DWP conversations genuinely terrify me. Did you set up your Facebook page/website/business bank account before you applied to them?
My website took over a year to build, mainly because there were times when I struggled and just couldnt manage it but when I was able, it was a good focus for me. I have some followers on my page. No business hss customers at day 1. I've not traded any money nor set up a business bank account yet. I didnt know whether turning my website into a business, would even become a reality because of my disabilities. I'm now worried they might misconstrue that as my having been working and whether I should have my business bank account set up before approaching them. If I'm asking permission for permitted work, I might do all that and they say no?

MikeyB2102

Well it makes sense to have a business bank account, that way you can keep your business and personal accounts separate. Yeah I knocked up a quick site and built up a following on Instagram first. Facebook have just let me open a shop on my business page (took over a year to get that approved). Don't worry about it affecting your benefits. This suits me as I don't have to speak to people face to face and follow anyone else's rules. If I don't want to do anything then I take a break.  In the middle of building a better website on Wordpress. I'm still keeping the one I've got on Squareup live until I've built the other one. I miss lockdown because everyone was at home online shopping then so I had quite a few orders that year. This year has been absolutely dire. I've had one big order for a restaurant and a few little ones. Haven't sold anything since September 

scopeeve

Thank you. That's a relief. They've made things so difficult for me so I want to make sure I my expectations are managed as much as possible otherwise my mental health is severely affected. I fully understand. I have anxiety, so as you say, there is something to hide behind. I've had counselling and I hope that in time, I can find the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and address it a little more, if the business does work. Also like yourself, I'm not selling things that will be daily or weekly orders. So I'm unlikely to reach the level they set, for a long time to come but I hope I can become financial independent and no longer rely on benefits. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, it's been such a great help. Hang tight with the orders. It's a difficult time for everybody in different ways. Christmas is coming up, cost of living etc, the world is just a mess at the moment. I've got everything crossed that things start to pick up for you soon. Thank you for your kindness toward me and sharing your experiences. It is much appreciated. 

MikeyB2102

You're welcome, good luck with your business!