Something of a minefield, isn't it?! I can see why people are reluctant to even try to get back into work when simply trying suggests they are 'cured'. I naively thought that Employment Support Allowance was just that, giving support to people trying to get back into employment, not pulling the rug from under them at the first opportunity. In practice, is anybody actually allowed to earn up to £107.50 pw for 52 weeks or less and receive their benefit at the same time? I would imagine that the DWP would regard anyone working up to 16 hours a week for a year as having no, or few limitations and therefore their benefits would be withdrawn.
Anyway, thanks for your help and your frankness. At least we now know where we stand.
People do manage, working from home can make a major difference and we are obliged to paint a very black and white picture. From the JC+ perspective it may be a good thing to have claimants doing PW, but the assessor will not be taking this into account, their brief is to see whether the claimant meets the criteria.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems