Working and PIP

[Orangeblossom78]

I'm on long term PIP and ESA due to a combination of health problems. I would love to be able to work part time though.

My situation is, PIP is not due for reassessment for another 5 years. But ESA is due this Autumn 2020. I'm in the support group- the last time it said little chance of work in future, but even so, the DWP chose to reassess it in 3 years. Hence the reassessment.

I find it difficult going through these assessments even though ESA have been pretty good in the past contacting my doctors (I hear they sometimes don't do this) and was wondering if I could maybe by then start a part time job.

AIBU in thinking although I would lose my ESA at that stage I could continue to claim PIP?

I’m in the ESA support group, and get PIP, due to mobility / pain issues. I don’t see a way I could go out to work, but would like one day to start a small business working from home. It’s all the conflicting information that puts me off.

DW gets PIP and works. She uses a wheelchair most of the time but her job doesn't require standing.

You can work on PIP however it might trigger a review.. and that can cause you to loose points.

Like if previously you have points for being unable to prepare food and you now work in a cafe they’ll likely be lost, following a journey might change as they’ll ask how you get to work, Communication and working customer facing etc.

Obviously it depends on the job and the points awarded for what if it’d matter at all. I’d also be aware of what might happen if a change of circumstances put you over to UC, I know it’s changed but that’d be another capability for work assessment anyway.

It's all very complicated, I sigh there was a good advice agency to help with these, I mean there are some such as CAB and Benefits and work site but even they can be a bit non specific at times. Contradictory even.

I wouldn't qualify for UC probably, my ESA is cont based (non mens tested) but I think this means it stays outside the change to UC. And again makes me want to hold onto it due to that. A bit like Coldtatty says - feel similar. I guess maybe wait and see the result of the ESA review next year and go from there.

You can continue to claim PIP as long as the reasons you claim it are not contradicted by the type of work you do. For example if you were awarded points for saying you struggle to communicate/ interact with people and then take a customer facing role dealing with people all day that is going to cause problems. I work with people in wheelchairs that claim PIP.

OK bit say doing a small internet based business in your own time from home maybe different

say doing a small internet based business in your own time from home maybe different

It's so hard to tell, I think you'll need to look long and hard at your PIP descriptors where you scored points, then compare that to tasks you would have to do on your own whilst setting up and running your online business.

If you needed assistance with setting up or any of the day to day running of it, then that should be documented and verified, otherwise at some point you'll have to prove how you can suddenly appear to be able to do things for your own business which you said you weren't able to when you were awarded PIP.

My DH would help me, he is mentioned in PIP and care plan etc as well so it is consistent but they might make assumptions and think it was dodgy, not sure.

I wish there were places to help people keep benefits and work also and look at the criteria etc and help people with this kind of stuff. I only contacted one in the past and they were unhelpful trying to get me onto the work focused ESA group I wouldn't qualify for anyway due to it not being cont based. The advisor seemed inexperienced

@Orangeblossom78 Incorrect about being ineligible for UC. Mine is contribution based. ALL claims are now being migrated over to UC. ESA is being discontinued completely

@pencils Incorrect. ALL claims are now being migrated over to UC. ESA is being stopped

@pencils I'm not sure where you have got that information from but as I said, I was featured on tv and have had my case discussed in parliament and in court. SDP has been scrapped. There is no transitional payment within UC in my case as I was forced to make a brand new claim.

ESA is slowly being wound down and completely closed. They are not keeping any legacy benefits going for a handful of people! I'm not sure who is daft enough to have told you that!
As I said, any change in circumstances is now triggering a migration over to UC. During which you will have transitional protection. You will not in a case like mine however, as I had to make a new claim.

That's odd I was told my cont based ESA continues , called new style esa

Shesalittlemadam there was a court case in May, the government have been forced to roll back on UC claims where people would lose SDP. Did you read the link I posted?

Orangeblossom, you are correct, contributions based ESA is becoming 'new style' ESA.

Oh that is helpful. Thanks

New style ESA runs alongside UC

I don't get paid anything by new style ESA but I'm technically claiming it. It's paid through my UC

I work full time and have been recommended to apply for PIP due to an executive function disability for which I receive help from support workers.

'New style' ESA is a separate benefit and is generally paid fortnightly.

You can be on both new style ESA and UC, in which case you still get your ESA as a separate fortnightly payment and it's then counted as unearned income on your UC claim and deducted pound for pound.

It doesn't sound like you are on ESA Shesalittlemadam.

The difference between old style and new style contributions based ESA is that if you are on old style you can still, even now, get income related ESA added to your claim if you are on a low income.

If you're on new style ESA you can't and so would have to claim UC if you needed an income related top up.

Back to PIP, so it seems good to have some support in place for work I guess. Some kind of adaption

@squee123 what sort of job do u have ? I have my phone assessment coming up and worried they will turn me down due to working part time xx