Income from spouse

Good evening! I'm slowly but surely completing my ESA50 form with many additional pages of information, a mammoth and stressful task. But, I've just been going through the guides and notice that no benefit will be paid if your partner works more than 24 hours.

I have all my NI contributions paid up to date, am on half wages at moment which finishes on 18 June. My husband works 40 hours a week with a gross wage of just over £13k a year. Does that mean if I get through the the assessment I won't qualify anyway? I am 59 years old.

Have I misread or misunderstood? I hope so!

Barbara wrote: Good evening! I'm slowly but surely completing my ESA50 form with many additional pages of information, a mammoth and stressful task. But, I've just been going through the guides and notice that no benefit will be paid if your partner works more than 24 hours.

I have all my NI contributions paid up to date, am on half wages at moment which finishes on 18 June. My husband works 40 hours a week with a gross wage of just over £13k a year. Does that mean if I get through the the assessment I won't qualify anyway? I am 59 years old.

Have I misread or misunderstood? I hope so!

Hi B,

The 24 Hours/Week work rule for partners would only be applicable for Income Related (IR) ESA entitlement.

24 hour work rule for ESA(IR)

If you have enough NI Contributions from Tax Years 2012/13 2013/14 you will have entitlement to payment of Contribution Based (CB) ESA.

CB ESA is not means tested, not affected by any savings that you have or any hours worked by a partner.

The only thing that can reduce payment of your CB ESA is if you receive a Works Pension in excess of £85/Week.

bro58