What if I try work but it makes my health worse and I have to stop?

You do not need to make a new claim — your award stays in place. Contact Citizens Advice or your work coach so they can support you and make sure your situation is recorded correctly.

Does Right to Try apply if I live in Scotland or Wales?

Yes — Universal Credit and New Style ESA work the same way across England, Scotland, and Wales, so the Right to Try protections apply in all three nations.

How to try work or volunteering without risking your Universal Credit or PIP

If you get Universal Credit with a health element, or New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), you may have avoided picking up any work or volunteering because you were worried it would put your benefits at risk. New rules that came into force on 30 April 2026 are designed to change that.

What Right to Try means for you

From 30 April 2026, trying work — including voluntary work — will not on its own trigger a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) reassessment on Universal Credit, or a review of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award.

Before these rules existed, some people stayed away from any kind of work because they feared that doing a few shifts, or even signing up to help at a charity, might lead the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to look again at their claim. Right to Try removes that worry as a reason to hold back.

Who the protection covers

Right to Try applies to you if you:

claim Universal Credit and have already been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA)
claim New Style ESA and have been placed in the Work Related Activity Group or the Support Group
receive both Universal Credit and New Style ESA with a single assessment outcome

The protection does not apply if you are still waiting for your first Work Capability Assessment. If that is your situation, speak to Citizens Advice before you start any paid work or regular volunteering.

What Right to Try does not change

Right to Try does not change the rules on how much you can earn before your Universal Credit payments reduce. The existing earnings rules still apply, so it is still worth checking those with a work coach or adviser first.

If your health condition changes, or if there is clear evidence that your ability to work has improved, DWP may still carry out a reassessment. The protection only covers cases where trying work is the sole reason for reviewing your award.

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Giving it a go safely

Before you start, let your work coach know what you are planning. Keep a note of any work or volunteering you take on — dates, hours, and what the role involves.

If you also claim PIP, it is worth checking with Citizens Advice that your situation is covered before you begin. PIP is a separate benefit from Universal Credit, and while Right to Try protects your PIP award from a review triggered purely by working, it is sensible to have a clear picture of where you stand.

If you give work a try and it does not work out, you do not need to claim again from scratch. Your Universal Credit or New Style ESA award stays in place.

Getting support

Citizens Advice can help you work out how earnings affect your Universal Credit and whether Right to Try applies to your specific situation. If you have concerns about your housing while you are trying work, Shelter offers free advice on benefits and renting.