We receive £224 contribution based ESA per fortnight between us
£157 Child tax credit per week for 3 children
£44.70 child benefit per week for 3 children
Higher rate care componant of DLA for myself due to being schizophrenic
Lower rate mobility component of DLA for myself
Lower rate care component of DLA for my husband due to depression
£400 per month housing benefit
All council tax paid for (Band B)
Free school meals
Free prescriptions
Free dental care
Free optical care
My question – I am wanting to start working for Ann Summers. This would be on a self employed basis. I would be aiming to work about 15 hours a week and would be looking at earning in the region of £60-£120 per week gross. Please could someone tell me how my benefits would be effected. Would I lose them all completely or would I keep some of them because even if I earned the higher end of my estimate we would only have an anual gross income of £6240. Also would we lose things like housing benefit, council tax benefit, free school meals and free prescriptions and would my husband have to pay for the college course as on ESA his course would be free.
Sorry for the long winded question and hope I have provided all the information you need xxx
Hi there,
Oh my God, I am so sorry for ignoramuses such as "It".
Just to say to this person… Have you ever stayed up a FULL 7 Day, Week with NO sleep because you hear 'The Voices' (as I call them) SCREAMING at you. Do you see Shape-Shifters and Glowing Red Eyes that growl at you in the darkness! Do you have someone else living inside of you, your 'Spirit Guide' who takes complete control of you and makes you commit crime such as Arson and Theft? Do you suffer from Hallucinations upon waking up that you need someone there with you to calm you down or you start to thrash wildly and attack others because you don't know if your on this Earth or Fullers??????
You complete IGNORANT and narrow minded FOOL! The Asker is receiving EVERYTHING she and her Husband are entitled too! Should you not be congratulating her rather than belittling her for wanting to go back to work???
The population of B/Fraud is actually around just a mere 1%! In this new age of freedom, why are people still made to feel like they are bureaucratic crooks by humankind just merely claiming what they are rightfully entitled to. It is unfair of you that your desire to speculate is fueled by coming on here acting like a complete KNOW-NOTHING idiot!!!
You clearly have no idea what it is like to have Schizophrenia do you! BLOCK HEAD! Just because the Asker wishes to work doesn't mean she still doesn't have Hallucinations (Auditory or Visual). Therefore she is STILL entitled to D.L.A. Disablement ISN'T **JUST** Physical you know! It can also be Mental too. So shove that up your back-side and light it my friend!
Anyway, to the Asker.. Your Husband could claim Carer's Allowance for you and although he won't be entitled to it, he will actually have an underlying entitlement to the Carer's Premium which will be an extra £30.00 a week.
And as for you wanting to work for Ann Summers, I think you can earn up to £100 a week before your Benefits are effected. I know myself on Incapacity Benefit (soon to be moved to E.S.A) was allowed to work 15 hours doing 'Permitted Work' (as it's called) and earn up to but no more than £100.00.
As far as I know, this shouldn't effect your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. Were you aware also that you and your Husband should be able to get a Council Tax Exemption for the reason of "Having a Severe Mental Disablement that has impact on your Social Functioning. Therefore if in future you or your Husband wanted to go back to work FULL TIME and come off of Benefits (bar your and his D.L.A) then you wouldn't ever have to pay Council Tax EVER AGAIN in your life! Depression and Schizophrenia are classed as Mental Disablement's that have impact on your Social being so if I were you I'd search your Local Authority (Council) on Google and search for "Council Tax Exemption".
Also, you and your husband would be entitled to a Mobility Bus Pass. As long as you have a Mental Disability (which you both do), a letter from your Doctor or the form stamped by your Local Mental Health Team would suffice. And as you are on High Rate CARE (D.L.A) you'd get a '+1' which is a little Blue 'C' on the top of your pass which means you can get an extra person on with you. Search on Google for your Local Council and 'Mobility Bus Pass Form'
And as for your D.L.A, you should keep this too so long as you still have symptoms of your Schizophrenia which I suspect you will do for life such as I will. I have been diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia with Bi-Polar Tendencies and Psychosis, Social Anxiety Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Uni-Polar Depression, O.C.D, Self-Mutilation Disorder, Inomnia/Hypersomnia and Mobility Issues. I get Incapacity Benefit, Income Support Premiums, D.L.A at High Rate CARE and High Rate MOBILITY, Council Tax Exemption, Housing Benefit, Blue Badge, Mobility Bus Pass and Cinema Card.
As you are on D.LA you could have a cinema card… Google 'The Cinema Exhibitors' Association Card' and it gets the person with you in for free. 
If you have a Car you may also be entitled to a Blue Badge for Mental Health Issues for the reason of: "Needing to access a Hospital fast".
Your best bet would be to phone the Job Centre just to confirm what I have said in-case things have changed. I do know yours and your Husbands D.L.A WON'T be effected through your working though providing you still have all your symptoms of Schizophrenia. If you tell them you are feeling better, however then it is likely to drop or stop all together. If I were you, I'd get a letter from your Psychiatrist stating you are wanting to start work for 'Therapeutic Purposes'.
I hope this has helped.
Take care hun.
Lv from Lin. xXx
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
On that income you would Still qualify for some benefits like council tax benefit and housing benefit, but your case is not straightforward, you will have to see the benefits agency to check for sure, as your income will be taken into account, good luck to you.
I have no words. You're raking in more than most full time employees after they get taxed. I think you should get a job and contribute to society a bit more than you are. I hope your benefits get scaled back so that you HAVE to work. You are clearly capable of working but choosing not to which is why I don't get why you're claiming so much for these disabilities that are intended for people who are so badly disabled they can't sit at a desk or answer a telephone.
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