Getting job ready

Whether you have a disability or health condition, or you are a carer, this section tells you more about the opportunities available and how to make the most of them.

Support is available if you want to return to work, stay in your current job, or find paid work for the first time. At Jobcentre Plus, we are committed to helping you achieve your goals. In some cases, this will mean looking at what is preventing you from working. If you are thinking about working in the future, but are not ready yet, we can also help you move in the right direction.

Many of the programmes and services described in this section are open to carers and others, but some are specific to disabled people and those with health conditions.

Your work options

If a full-time job is not suitable for you, there are other options available. Here are some examples.

• Part-time work
  This is a good way to fit work around your other responsibilities or commitments. If your part-time work is less than 16 hours a week, you may still be able to get Incapacity Benefit, Income Support, or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. You can still be entitled to Carer's Allowance if you do not earn more than a set amount (after we take account of certain expenses).
• Job-sharing
  Sometimes two people can share a full-time job. Look out for jobs advertised as job share. If you want to share a job with someone you know, you could always suggest the idea to your employer.
• Flexible working
  Employers sometimes agree to flexible working arrangements. This might mean choosing your start and finish times or working longer hours on some days or at some times of the year so you can take more time off on the other days or at other times of the year.
• Self-employment
  Working for yourself offers flexibility and the right type of challenge for some people, but you will take on extra responsibility (for example, paying your own income tax).
• Voluntary work
  Working without pay is one way to get work experience and find out more about an area that interests you. It's good for your CV (curriculum vitae) too.
• Agency work
  You could work in a job for a set length of time (usually for the length of a project or to fill in for a permanent member of staff).
• Term-time working
  Being off during the school holidays could be ideal if you have children and they are at school.
• Holiday working
  A practical option if you're still studying.

Permitted Work

If you are on Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance, you might be able to do certain work, known as 'permitted work', without affecting your payments. This could help you move into work of 16 hours or more a week.

There are strict rules on what work is permitted work. You will need to contact Jobcentre Plus for information and permission to do the work. You can do permitted work if you are getting Income Support because you are ill, but it will affect the amount you get.

 Permitted Work (174.39kb)

 Permitted Work Claim Form (153 kb)