Permitted and Voluntary Work

As a general rule, you are not allowed to do any work while you are getting Incapacity Benefit.

However, you can do certain types of work without losing your benefit. This is called 'permitted work'.

There are 5 types of permitted work:

1. You can work for any number of hours per week indefinitely provided you do not earn more than £30 per week
2. You can work for any number of hours per week indefinitely provided you do not earn more than 16 x hourly rate of minimum wage* and the work is part of a treatment programme and is under medical supervision done in a hospital or similar institution
3. You can work for any number of hours per week indefinitely provided you do not earn more than 16 x hourly rate of minimum wage* and the work is supervised by a person employed by Government or charity engaged in providing or obtaining work for people with disabilities
4. You can work for less than 16 hours a week provided you do not earn more than 16 x hourly rate of minimum wage* for up to 52 weeks at a time.
5. Further permitted work is allowed if you leave benefit for more than 8 consecutive weeks or there is a break of at least 52 weeks since you last did this type of permitted work.

* The hourly rate of minimum wage referred to is the rate of minimum wage for persons aged 18 or over (current rate).

If you want to do permitted work you must tell us that you are going to do so using form PW1.

You can also do unpaid voluntary work (as long as it is not for close relative), or work as a panel member with a disability qualification on a social security appeal tribunal.