To change to work related activity ESA ?

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I'm actually posting for a friend who currently gets support group ESA (where she isn't expected to look for work due to severe depression)

She feels ready to start looking for work but to much pressure too soon or the wrong job will make her depression worse again.

She's scared if she asks to move to work related activity group that they will then pressure her. Does anyone have any experiences of this or offer any advice?

Well the work related group component is less than the support component so she will lose money. It can also affect other benefits like housing benefit and council tax support if she is recieving these.

That's really helpful - she doesn't have additional housing benefit etc but really needs that extra money so seems to make sense just to stay as she is into she finds work

Thanks

Why would she ask to move into the WRAG group OP?

I don't know a soul who would voluntarily move from the support group to the WRAG one.

If she feels she wants to look for work herself, she can still stay in the support group yeah?

She can do permitted work up to 16 hours and keep esa. As long as it's less than a certain amount she earns and isn't incompatible with her illness.

The reasoning was because they claim they offer additional support with WRAG and also get funding for training courses.

Oh the 16 hours work thing would be great for her

Do be aware that if she is in the WRAG she will have to keep going to work-focused interviews as the Jobcentre Plus and their goal will be to get her into work whereas if she stays in the Support group she can still keep her ESA and do up to 16 hours of permitted work as a PP said, worth looking into.

I deal with DWP a lot for work and would never advise anyone to request a move from the ESA support group. It would not be worth the stress.

Thank you it's so frustrating isn't it? If they just actually supported people they may get more people back to work.

Will tell her to stick where she is

Tell her to stay where she is and volunteer.

I have schizophrenia and when I felt ready to return I suddenly jumped into work and muddled through for a few months and had to leave as all my symptoms came back. I felt like I'd failed and felt worse.

After that I started to build up my hours/responsibilities volunteering and if I had an off day it wasn't the end of the world and I could judge if I was well enough to handle a paying job.

It's also a great reference and helps fill in the cv gaps!

I can't say whether work related esa would be a lot of pressure, because I didn't go in that group.

Thanks for that, I'll talk to her about it