Could anyone clarify? Under ESA Regs, earnings for permitted work are disregarded for income related ESA up to the Upper Limit of 88.50. So, claimants on income related ESA will still be passported to full HB. But what about claimants of contribution based ESA who are getting some HB? will the permitted work earnings still be disregarded in full?

I can't find this in the amended HB Regs. Any pointers gratefully received.

Many thanks.

As far as we know, anyone claiming contributory ESA who is undertaking permitted work and also claiming HB/CTB will have their earnings taken into account as usual, subject to the standard disregard i.e. £20. Along with colleagues in Disability Benefits Consortium, we have lobbied government on this issue, so far with little success unfortunately.

Income-related ESA claimants doing supported permitted work or permitted work (LCWRA) can do so for an unlimited period. But I'm not clear from the regs whether earnings of up to £88.50 will not affect IRESA for an unlimited period or for a limited 52 week period.
Can anyone clarify for me?

Thu 03-Jul-08 09:47 AM by Paul_Treloar_

52 weeks is the limit for standard permitted work, up to 16 hours and up to £88.50 p/w i.e. for people in WRA group, where the work isn't classed as supported. ESA Regs, reg 45(2)-(4)

Debbie was refering to the support group 'LCWRA' is the one of the fantastic new acronyms we get from ESA. They are not covered by any of the restrictions in reg 45(4) (a), they can come under sub para (b) which has none of the restrictions to 52 weeks, on previous work done etc. Looks like the support group gets cut a lot more slack.

That will be why she said "Income-related ESA claimants doing supported permitted work or permitted work (LCWRA) can do so for an unlimited period."

Don't really understand the question in that case.

Colleagues, have another look at the 46 paths to happiness to enter the Support Group, and then at the exempted groups who will qualify as having LCRWA. How many of these will be able to work at all? Its fairly easy for the legislators to be indefinitely generous with the permitted work rules, when the Support Group audience will only be around 5% of the new client load, and by definition less able to work anyway. But maybe I should be more grateful!