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ESA (formerly known as Incapacity Benefit) - does anyone know - volunteering.....

4 replies

alwayslookingforanswers · 12/10/2009 00:08

are you allowed to do any volunteering if you're on ESA?

DH has filled in all the forms today - having been signed off for another 2 months (1 month of which he'll be attending sessions up at the hospital where he was discharged from last week).

One of the major triggors for his depression getting so bad was having been for an interview and not got the job - and 2 different pscychatrists have both agreed with him within the last week that until he's better applying for work isn't really a good idea (another failure or two at interview stage could send him flying backwards again).

However, he REALLY doesn't wan to be stuck at home the whole time (another factor for the depression - well actually to be precise Adjustment disorder leading to depression) and has talked about doing some volunteering just to keep him active.

However - it's occured to me that he may not be allowed to do that while on ESA, I'm thinking "you're well enough to volunteer, you're well enough to be working" type of line.

The thing is that somewhere like MIND, who is currently looking for volunteers with IT experience to teach people with mental health issues how to use the internet isn't going to turn him down in a hurry (so risk factor of "not getting it" unlikely to be there..........but obviously if ESA=can't currently work them is it also ESA=not well enough to do any volunteering?

OP posts:
alwayslookingforanswers · 12/10/2009 11:03

anyone know?

OP posts:
HappyMummyOfOne · 12/10/2009 12:56

research.dwp.gov.uk/esa/pdfs/t03-esa-factsheet-current-work.pdf

Hope the above helps.

HappyMummyOfOne · 12/10/2009 12:57

Forgot to add, as long as he follows the rules voluntary work is permitted on ESA.

alwayslookingforanswers · 12/10/2009 13:09

thanks HappyMummy - that's a relief, as I think doing some volunteering while he's recovering to a state where he's fit for work again would benefit him enormously.

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