writing a book while on income support - allowed by the DWP?
![[Deleted User]](https://w6.vanillicon.com/v2/62b1a422ffa45be4c7be25b601d34abd.svg)
[Deleted User]
Posts: 3,234 Forum Member
✭✭✭
JK Rowling did it - but that was quite some time ago. Is it allowed? Maybe like studying, if you do under a certain hours a week of writing, it's allowed? Anybody done it? Will be back some time to check for any replies.
0
Comments
Don't tell them. It's not as if you are earning money from doing it. Once you are a successful and published author...well, that's different!
You will have to show evidence of 'actively seeking work' and take up a job offer if you get one though.
I thought that people who are on income support are already working, and it is a supplement to their wages.
they'd find out if you successfully sold your book and due to that left benefits, I suppose (maybe) - and then might rightfully say you're a benefit cheat, if it's against the rules.
You were not earning from the book, whilst on income support.
As soon as you would get it accepted for publication, and have made money from it, you would have to notify them. That is how I see it anyway.
this is advice I'm looking for for a friend who is on income support due to illness. They are now somewhat better than they were, (which they have told the DWP about), but still ill, but have some well times a week, and they want to do something to get back into working independence. A book might help them get clients in the future, and is something they can do from home to work around their health problems.
Not if you used someone elses name.
What kind of book are they going to write?
business related - they used to be self employed.
It's probably a good idea then.
There would be no issue with income support- tell them to do it.
And if their book is a best seller and they suddenly become rich enough to live quite comfortably for the rest of their lives from the proceeds, will they then magically find themselves completely better seeing as they wont qualify for or need income support?:)
they are genuinely ill - but - treatments are helping and their prognosis for recovery is probably good
thanks Barbella. I think it's a good idea or at least, could do no harm and to keep busy as possible would be good for their psychological health which could maybe help their physical recovery (if some theories are to be believed).
thanks for replies folks.
What a nasty comment.
But what if they wrote a book and it didn't sell?
I don't see what would be wrong with doing this so long as it's not like writing an article in a newspaper/magazine etc where you are getting paid.
Once you got published (if you were lucky enough) then you would come off income support because your earnings would be above what you can claim.
What a mean spirited and pointless comment. With an added sarcarstic smiley.
It would be great if someone read this thread who had done this, but that's a slim chance I guess.
BTW, I just to make it plain for in the future, I'm not going to get into any arguments with anyone on here about my friend - I know they're a genuine and good person, and that's all that matters to me.
There is no circumstance, ever, in which you can be banned from writing a book. Writing a book is a hobby that might have a very, very, very slim chance of bringing in earnings at some point in the distant future. If it does bring in money at some point, THEN it needs to be declared.
It's no different from reading or going to the library really.
Even then if you were writing it outside of normal working hours I can't see the problem, being unemployed is a 24 hour thing but you only get money for not working the normal 9 to 5.
OP - writing a book is just a hobby until you earn money from it. There's nothing to stop your friend doing that now as it's not considered work until then. It may even be therapeutic for them.