What work can I do on ESA (SG) ? I'm confused !

Hi all, I hope you are having the best day possibe.
I wonder if anyone can help clarify something for me.........first, a bit of background - I am on ESA support group as three years ago I became too ill to continue in my career. I was devasted to leave a job I loved so much, but gradually I am coming to terms with it. Initially I tried to set up as a photographer, and was quite busy....alas my illness meant I could not sustain this and I began to let people down ( something I hate doing!). That is when I reluctantly claimed for benefits.
I am now in a better place mentally and am starting to accept and manage my symptoms a bit better. I was bought a proofreading course for my birthday and have really enjoyed it. I am also seeing the loss of my 'old' life as an opportunity to write ( I've always dreamed of writing a bestselling crime novel).
My question is what I am 'allowed' to do whilst in SG. My understanding is that I can earn up to about £100 per week without it affecting my benefits. I want to look at starting a proof reading / editing business ( until my best seller comes good anyway! Ha ha ha!). I am unlikely to be able to do more than 3 hours a week , I want to 'try out' doing this by taking unpaid work initially, until I am sure I can do it and not let people down. I do not envisage earning much, if and when I 'go live', certainly not enough to live on.
So, what should I do? I have had conflicting advice regarding what I can do and when / if / how much I need to tell the DWP.
Hope this makes sense, and that someone out there can clarify the issue of trying to work when in SG. Thanks in advance : )

Hi pg and Welcome to Benefits and Work

The important thing to note is that any 'permitted work' must be agreed by a DWP decision maker before you start. The rules are open to a great degree of interpretation by the DM so it is not possible to say exactly what would, or would not, be acceptable.

Permitted Work

Hi, my experience recently on another forum has led me down the same path. I am still trying to work things out as like yourself I need to pick up on my professional practice. However the job centre and my advisor are not giving me the advice I need and I am unwilling to press them because of usual reasons. Hope you find a satisfactory route for yourself! Best of luck.

Thank you , and therein lies my problem - 'open to a great degree of interpretation'.........I wish the DWP would work on being a bit more specific in their rules, but I guess the 'interpretation' means they can change their minds whenever they wish.......

It's such a Catch 22 situation - I so want to get off benefits but have no way of knowing if I can sustain any work and if I can in fact earn anything from writing. It can take a year from submitting to a publisher until a book is on sale....and then of course it has to sell.

I am surprised to learn doing stuff for free is a no no, but I can see the rationale behind that.

In fact, since writing this post I have come to realise that it is all wishful thinking, I really cannot be reliable due to health conditions but who knows, one day..........Thank you for taking the time to respond, I hope you find THE answer Iamwindsurfer ; )
☀️