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ESA Support Group and Permitted Work- Has Info

palmk002
palmk002 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
Good Evening, 
So I cant seem to get an answer that fills me with confidence. 
I have been looking into doing a work from home job self employed- but its commission based and therefore where I may earn one week I may not earn another despite marketing and advertising etc. So today I could earn a percentage of a sale- say i did 3 sales today which isnt paid for 4 weeks and could say come in over the weekly threshold at £600 minus expenses but ive earnt nothing else this month. Would this be averaged over the month? 
The commission I earn may not be paid for a few weeks after the sale was made and therefore leave me with a lump sum, depending on the sale. 
Ive been advised that you can do this type of work and that the DWP would give you an assessment period in which they can work out the earnings. 
When I called and waited over an hour yesterday the lady went away and came back and said the work has to be consistent (I couldnt work this week and then not next week), and that they would not average earnings say I made today but didnt receive til the end of the month, and any money over the £131 odd would completely end my claim. 
I have been snooping around the net and can see on a previous post from a few years back that someone referred to the Decision Makers guide for Permitted work. I had a read of this and can see newly set up self employed businesses would get an assessment period which can be extended at the discretion of the DM. 
Can anyone confirm the situation. When your self employed you cant forecast your income, I cant tell if this week ill earn £131 but next week could earn less or more than this. This is no different to any craft makers, or artists that take on commission work, or a self employed beautician, that kind of forecasting is just not possible, your income is not 100% accurate. Whilst i understand I could get employment with an employer for under 16 hours a week I dont feel with all my health conditions its fair on me, or the employer when I am sick. So thought SE would be a better option but cannot risk my ESA being completely stopped if it doesnt work out. 
Ive asked on a few support groups on the likes of Facebook but not really got an answer other than to phone the DWP which I have and havent been filled with confidence in terms of the information I received and its near on impossible to find information for those wanting to do SE to bring in a little extra income and see how it goes and work as and when able to due to health conditions. 
Would be good to hear from anyone that has some positive information/experience of this. 

Comments

  • palmk002
    palmk002 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Good Evening, 
    I have been looking into doing a work from home job self employed- but its commission based and therefore where I may earn one week I may not earn another despite marketing and advertising etc. So today I could earn a percentage of a sale- say i did 3 sales today which isnt paid for 4 weeks and could say come in over the weekly threshold at £600 minus expenses but ive earnt nothing else this month. Would this be averaged over the month? 
    The commission I earn may not be paid for a few weeks after the sale was made and therefore leave me with a lump sum, depending on the sale. 
    Ive been advised that you can do this type of work and that the DWP would give you an assessment period in which they can work out the earnings. 
    When I called and waited over an hour yesterday the lady went away and came back and said the work has to be consistent (I couldnt work this week and then not next week), and that they would not average earnings say I made today but didnt receive til the end of the month, and any money over the £131 odd would completely end my claim. 
    I have been snooping around the net and can see on a previous post from a few years back that someone referred to the Decision Makers guide for Permitted work. I had a read of this and can see newly set up self employed businesses would get an assessment period which can be extended at the discretion of the DM. 
    Can anyone confirm the situation. When your self employed you cant forecast your income, I cant tell if this week ill earn £131 but next week could earn less or more than this. This is no different to any craft makers, or artists that take on commission work, or a self employed beautician, that kind of forecasting is just not possible, your income is not 100% accurate. Whilst i understand I could get employment with an employer for under 16 hours a week I dont feel with all my health conditions its fair on me, or the employer when I am sick. So thought SE would be a better option but cannot risk my ESA being completely stopped if it doesnt work out. 
    Would be good to hear from anyone that has some positive information/experience of this. 

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    I think the only way you're going to get a definite answer to this is by speaking to a decision maker from DWP. There is an assessment period they use but it doesn't matter where i look, i can't find that.

    If it was a DWP adviser that you spoke to when you rang then i honestly wouldn't take their word for anything. They mostly read from a screen and they really do give the most awful advice a lot of the time.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • palmk002
    palmk002 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thank you poppy123456. I am never filled with any confidence of any information I am given by the DWP. I am already being given the run around after a reassessment of PIP due to deterioration in health. Thats been ongoing since April. Formal complaints gone in, as has one from my Assembly Member. Every time i ring i get told something else. Its just trying to find something solid. I suppose I could just fill in the form and see what they come back with and then if its not for me, then I wont do it. 
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community member Posts: 2,586 Disability Gamechanger
    I can't give you an answer but would be interested in the outcome if you do get one!  I also looked into self employed permitted work a couple of years ago and found it impossible to get a solid answer.  In the end I just couldn't risk losing the ESA so didn't do it.  I can't travel far, commit to certain times or work in a customer facing role so I can't do the usual 16hrs of shop or bar type work that permitted work seems to be aimed at.  
  • palmk002
    palmk002 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    OverlyAnxious- that was my complete point when talking to the lady on the phone. 

    She said when you get into SE work with "permitted work" its complex but you can still work for an employer for up to 16 hours per week to which i followed on well thats the problem, this is the reason I am on disability and sickness benefits at the moment. I cannot work for an employer outside of my home. 

    From 2015 to early last year I went from job to job which wasnt fair to me nor my employers having to retrain, and in some cases be treated very badly by the employers regarding my disability and absences. 

    I thought doing something from home would be ideal. If i am having a rough day or week I dont do any work, if i feel alright I could potentially do a little, but it on my terms and me being my own boss. But as I said you can never ever get anything concrete from them, and I just cannot risk loosing ESA altogether to be put in the UC system and have to wait for income. I may as well do nothing. 

    I will let you know if i find anything out. 
  • Alex311
    Alex311 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Just came across your post whilst looking at rules for permitted work for an employer.  I have been working for 2 years doing self employed permitted work and am in the support group.  I can’t answer your question with specifics but what I can say is that esa do not ask for your weekly / monthly / annual income details:  from the minute I applied and was accepted I have never been contacted by esa about my self employed permitted work.  I just submit my tax return, and I’m done.  I have to inform universal credits on a monthly basis ( I only started claiming this 8 months ago) but even they don’t ask for a breakdown or hours or weekly income, just monthly income minus expenses.  So basically the way it is, if you don’t tell them they don’t know, and so long as your annual income is below the earnings threshold then they’ll probably not even ask.  Hope this helps x 
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Alex311 and a very warm welcome to the community!
    Scope

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