Research demonstrates that having the right job helps to improve mental and physical wellbeing. Working gives people the chance to learn new skills, make friends and have more control over life. People in paid employment find that they're able to live more independently, and can play a valued role in their local community.

Having a job helps their recovery, and can help you too.  Getting this right involves helping someone choose the right job and putting the right support in place to help them stay in work.

Here's a quotation from a carer whose family member has been supported by CNWL Employment Services to find and keep a job:

I am really proud of my brother and how hard he has worked towards his recovery.  He has made huge progress by accessing the support available to him and taking each day as it comes.

And here's what someone said about how CNWL helped them look for a job:

I just wanted to pass on how fantastic my employment specialist has been in her work with me. This has given me a lot of confidence and played an important role in my recovery. My mother remarked that she feels you have played the most important professional role in my improvement and recovery journey. Thanks for all your help!

It's important for people to be supported by family and friends when they are starting something new, especially a new job. How much you do will depend on each person’s individual needs, and what you can do to help.

Providing support and encouragement is probably the most important thing you can do.  You may also have contacts in your work or personal network who may be able to offer paid employment.

It will help you to have time to yourself. If you're not working, this will give you some time to make the most of the support available from the local Carers’ Centre, or you could take up a hobby, or volunteer. If you are working, supporting the person you care for to access this service may mean you worry less during the day.

It shouldn't mean more work for you. It may mean less worry for you, and enable you to have some valuable time to yourself to do the things that you enjoy doing.

It will not affect the benefits you receive in your own right. If you are receiving Carer’s Allowance, this may change depending on whether the Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment for the person you support changes.  You can talk to the employment specialist working with your family member, or to a Benefits Advisor, to get specific advice on this.

 For more information about benefits, see:

Not necessarily. Their employment specialist (ES) will advise the person you care for and help them tell the benefits office about any work they do. People claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA) can do ‘permitted work’, which allows them to earn up to a set amount and work for up to a set number of hours. The details change, so check the Government’s website for up-to-date information.

If the person you care for is thinking about working for more than permitted work allows, their ES will do a Better Off Calculation to make sure they don’t lose out. It is very rare for anyone to be worse off when they come off benefits, and it might be possible to go on receiving some.

Here are some links to support services for carers:

If you are an employer yourself, or are in a position to influence your own employer, we would like to hear from you.

We're always looking for ways to open up more opportunities for people accessing CNWL Employment Services. These could include offering work placement opportunities and letting us know when vacancies arise. 

Contact details

Address:
180 Kilburn Park Road
London
NW6 5FA

Phone:
020 3317 5132

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About benefits and work