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ESA and self employment
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I've had such a struggle at trying to find out this information - I've been to the CAB, asked my support worker and no one seems to know.
Both me and my mother are in the work group for ESA. My mother has been self-employed for 20 years, and I want to become self employed. We're trying to find out what the rules are about how much we can earn, how the benefits get changed once you're working above 16 hours, what help we should be entitled to, how we work out how much money we earn (because for example, before i make any profit I have a large amount of kit I need to buy of myself for the business). I'm not where near the stage of working more than 16 hours but i want to try and do a few hours a week doing photoshoots, but no one has spoken to me since I won my tribunal in May, so i haven't a clue if I'm allowed to or not.
Any ideas?
Both me and my mother are in the work group for ESA. My mother has been self-employed for 20 years, and I want to become self employed. We're trying to find out what the rules are about how much we can earn, how the benefits get changed once you're working above 16 hours, what help we should be entitled to, how we work out how much money we earn (because for example, before i make any profit I have a large amount of kit I need to buy of myself for the business). I'm not where near the stage of working more than 16 hours but i want to try and do a few hours a week doing photoshoots, but no one has spoken to me since I won my tribunal in May, so i haven't a clue if I'm allowed to or not.
Any ideas?
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Comments
I managed to get through to someone after I posted this and they said that there are 2 levels of permited work - earn up to £96 a week doing up to 16 hours but you can only do that for a year or up to £20 but she didn't specify how many hours, but thats indefinately. She suggested I should start on the lower level and see how I go. But I aparently need to go and see the disability specialist at the job centre. I get panicy about just thinking about that place.
I am in the support group but do voluntary work when I am well enough, I have declared this to the dwp my hours and what I do and they haven't said I'm well enough to work although I have been volunteering for about two years now.
Anyway, I think the paid job thing would have been a step too far for me because I have not been consistently well. It was the best decision as I have had periods of very ill health since then.
But they don't make it easy to get off benefits so that's why people get stuck on benefits.
Sorry to hear that you're not getting the answers you need.
It must be frustrating having to go from one place to another and still not finding the answers. *hug*
I was tying to find somewhere that you can go to for advice specifically aimed at disability benefits.
I found this forum > http://www.youreable.com/
You could post your query there and you may get a more specific answer from others who are going through similar things.
I also found this list of different advice agencies on the Advicenow website > http://www.advicenow.org.uk/finding-help-html,314,FP.html
For example the Community Legal Advice website - http://legaladviserfinder.justice.gov.uk/AdviserSearch.do
Here you can search for 'welfare benefit' advisers in your local area by putting your postcode in and selecting 'welfare benefits'.
I'm not sure of any specific answers to your questions but I hope the above helps.