Impact of work on benefits

It is important to take advice, before starting voluntary or paid work, to find out if this would affect any benefits that you are receiving. It may also be possible to do permitted work, whilst receiving Employment Support Allowance (ESA), but there are complex rules about this, and you need to explore these before undertaking work, to ensure you don’t get into difficulty.

The government’s website has useful guidance about the work you can do while claiming ESA.

Disability Rights UK have a guide for people with a newly acquired health condition or disability about the work, training and educational options and support available to anyone who needs advice and/or signposting. The guide, number F40, called ‘Get back to where we do belong’ was commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and endorsed by Professor Dame Carol Black. It is available here.

You can also read more about ESA and the Working Tax Credit on our website here:

• Employment Support Allowances (ESA)
• Working Tax Credit - Disability Element