ESA Claim - Help

[Steve30]

Hello,

So last week I was signed off by my GP allowing me to claim ESA. I haven't put the claim in yet because I don't understand a few things.

You must have all heard of online incentives such as being paid some money for doing online surveys. This year I have been doing quite a few of them and earn around £8 per week (paid into my PayPal account).

After the death of a family member, I declared my inheritance to the council and was still allowed to claim full housing benefit.

Since then I lived entirely off my inheritance (even paid full council tax minus a 25% single person discount). Also I continued doing the online surveys as I enjoy doing them. As said, I earn about £8 per week doing them.

I asked someone ages ago if the survey earnings had to be declared and they said no as it's not enough to be declared as self employed. So I carried on doing them as normal.

Very recently after I was signed off by a GP, I looked into it a bit more online and found out that I did have to and should have declared these survey earnings. So what do I do? What do I say on the phone when I put my claim in for ESA?

If I dont tell them, they will probably find out and say I have not declared income. If I do tell them though, they will question why over the last 6 months I didn't declare it as income.

I just cant deal with it anymore

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Steve

I just wanted to answer you so that you don't think you're being ignored, that's a horrible feeling!!

I think you should go to the cab because there are so many things here that don't seem right to me, and they will be able to help you.

Unfortunately you're going to have to deal with it because who else will if you don't? And it needs to be sorted as you don't want to be worrying about money on top of everything else.

Sorry I can't be of help but CAB have the best resources.

[KeeKee]

I do online surveys and get around £10 every 6 weeks. I didn't know we needed to mention this.

Even if you do declare them though the first £20 a week of your earnings doesn't count (or doesn't up here in the North East at least), so you shouldn't lose any of your benefits

[Steve30]

Thanks both.

It is a very grey area that the government does not understand or explain properly.

What I read today is quite interesting. As you say KeeKee For people on ESA, lower tier earnings are £20 per week for someone on ESA.


"The ESA legislation terms it as 'Exempt Work' and specifies what constitutes 'Exempt Work'.
Any work done should be notified to the DWP, so that they can check that it is 'Exempt Work' and does not affect your right to claim ESA.
However there is no requirement in legislation to get permission to do this work. If it is within the legislated rules the DWP cannot refuse it."

So it seems that with it undeclared, there is nothing they can do as it's under £20 earnings per week and would be classed as permitted anyway (Being able to sit at a computer at home for a few hours a week doing a few surveys is different to travelling to a workplace and taking part in work).

The DWP's systems in general are very old fashioned which makes it hard to declare things, but I suppose as long as someone isn't knowingly doing something which could be considered as benefit fraud, even if it was to be investigated, everything would be fine.

[bertha]

I think you are allowed to earn a certain amount of money but if it worries you then declare it the problem is that you cannot always be certain of how many surveys you will do as it is not a regular job,

I think going to cab is a good idea as someone said they have all the advice and will be able to sort it out for you

[Steve30]

Just to update this. I did get in touch with CAB who told me I should have declared it on my application. As it stands now, I am stopping with the survey earnings until my ESA claim is fully processed, then I will request a permitted work form to fill in and declare that I will be earning less than £20 per week

[Bigboyuk]

Just to update this. I did get in touch with CAB who told me I should have declared it on my application. As it stands now, I am stopping with the survey earnings until my ESA claim is fully processed, then I will request a permitted work form to fill in and declare that I will be earning less than £20 per week

Steve unfortunatley the DSS wants to know everything so your course of action is the only way to go Hey good luck and hopes it works out for you!!