Permitted Work Rules
If you want to try some paid work while getting Employment & Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, National Insurance Credits or Income Support because of illness or disability then this is possible under the Permitted Work Rules.
Permitted Work is purely a benefit arrangement - employers don't offer 'permitted work' - it's still down to looking at part-time job vacancies, applying for them, going for interviews and being offered a job. But these arrangements allow you to try some paid work still remaining on benefits. You can do a job under the Permitted Work Rules without the need for prior approval from a doctor.
With approval from Jobcentre Plus, the Permitted Work Rules enable people claiming sickness-related benefits to work:
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for earnings of up to and including £20.00 a week for an unlimited period, or
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for less than 16 hours a week, on average, with earnings up to and including £97.50 a week for a 52 week period.
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in supported permitted work for earnings of up to and including £97.50 a week for an unlimited period. Supported permitted work is work done with the ongoing support or supervision from a professional caseworker (employed or engaged by a public body or voluntary organisation), for example via Workways. This could be work done in the community or in a sheltered workshop. It also includes work done under medical supervision as part of a hospital treatment programme.
You do not have to undergo a medical test (Work Capability Assessment) just because you are doing permitted work. However, if a medical test is due as part of your regular benefits-related review it will go ahead as planned.
You can carry on getting Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), Incapacity Benefit (IB) or Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) while doing permitted work without it affecting your benefit. If you get Income Support, your benefit may be reduced if your average earnings are more than your earnings disregard.
People who receive ESA, do permitted work and receive housing benefit or council tax benefit will be able to work and earn up to £97.50 before their housing benefit or council tax benefit will be affected. This aligns the rules with those that already apply to people who receive income-related ESA.
Applying for approval from Jobcentre Plus to work under the Permitted Work Rules is done on one of the most simplest and shortest forms you'll ever come across. Contact your local office and ask for a PW1 form.
Social Firms UK have also produced a helpful Online Permitted Work Guide
It is now also possible to get additional support under the Access to Work programme for employment under the Permitted Work rules. Contact the Access to Work Advisor via your local Jobcentre Plus office or Disability Employment Advisers for more information.
