This is a work in progress, please don't edit. Permitted work is work you are allowed to do, without it affecting certain benefits.

It is available for:

• Employment and Support Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• National Insurance credits

There are four types of permitted work.

• Permitted work - lower level - you can earn up to £20 a week on ESA, or IB.

• Permitted work - higher level - you can work less than 16 hours a week, earning less than £95.00 a week for up to 52 weeks.

• Supported permitted work - unlimited in time, but earning no more than

£95.00, with no time limit, if supported by a professional whose job it is to help people with disabilities work.

for up to 52 weeks earning under £95.00 2 You can work less than 16 hours a week and earn no more than

If you can’t start employment of 16 hours or more a week after doing permitted work for 52 weeks, then you must wait another 52 weeks before you can do this type of permitted work again. During this time, you can still work – but you must not earn more than £20 a week.

3 You can work as many hours as you like, as long as you earn no more than £95.00 a week, if you’re supervised by someone who is employed by a public or local authority, or a voluntary group, and:

• it’s their job to arrange work for sick and disabled people

• they give you regular help for you to do your job, or as part of a hospital treatment programme, and

Permitted work

• the work is part of a treatment programme and done under medical supervision, either as an in­patient or an out­patient of a hospital or similar institution.

For example, you might be working in the community, a sheltered workshop, or as part of a hospital treatment programme.

You should be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for any work you do.

4 Some people with serious medical conditions don’t need to have a medical examination to be assessed as not being fit to work. If this applies to you, you can choose how long you work for, but it must be less than 16 hours a week and you can’t earn more than £95.00.

How permitted work affects your other benefits

Earning more than £5 a week from permitted work could affect the amount of Income Support you get.

If you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, you must tell your local council that you’re thinking of starting permitted work. The amount you get could be affected.

To contact your local council visit: www.direct.gov.uk or see their entry in the phone book

5

What must I do if I want to do permitted work?

If you’re thinking of doing any work, whether paid or unpaid, you must always check with Jobcentre Plus that the work meets the conditions for permitted work. If you do work that doesn’t meet the conditions, you could lose your benefit.

We may also need to change the amount of Income Support you get.