IR ESA as a couple what is partner expected to do?

To be entitled to ESA at the couple rate what would a partner need to do to satisfy the conditions? No expectations were put on me when my wife was on couple rate income support with sickness premium (we have school aged children) but she's going through transfer to ESA. Will this be the same with ESA (income related) or will I also need to undergo WCA as well as my wife, or prove I am in a caring roll? Or would they expect me to go on Job seekers or Work Focused Interviews despite my enormous caring responsibilities? Does anyone here with school aged children claim ESA as a couple and find their partner has not been asked to sign on?

Thanks
Snow

In some circumstances partners of people claiming Jobcentre Plus benefits are required to have a work-focused interview (WFI).

This applies where the claimant gets Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) and which includes an amount for their partner, and they have been continuously entitled for at least 26 weeks. In effect, the rules are identical to those where a partner was included as part of an Income Support claim. Currently carers in receipt of Carer's Allowance are exempt from the requirement to take part in WFIs.

With the introduction of Universal Credit (UC) starting in October 2013, each individual will have their own personal conditionality criteria attached to the claim. However, as it is at the present time, if your partner receives DLA at the higher or middle rate of the care component and either you claim Carer's Allowance or have an underlying entitlement to the allowance, there will be no conditionality criteria attached to the partner as part of the UC claim.

Thank you CrazyDiamond. Your reply has really clarified things.

Thanks again
Snow