IR ESA - what income is taken into account?

Hi, I hope someone can answer my question because I have got myself all confused. I've just done two different benefit calculators online and to my horror neither of them say I am entitled to claim ESA.

However I am currently being paid the single person rate of IR ESA. I am in the assessment phase and am waiting for the medical with ATOS, no idea when this will be. The only income I have coming in is £185/month from my work as a board member for a local housing association. NB I have not attended any meetings etc for/with them since I was signed off sick by my GP two months ago, as I am actually not well enough to cope with them. But they are still paying me the stipend - I guess it's sort of 'company sick pay'. I've been struggling in very part-time extremely low paid work for the last few years because of my illness so I'm not entitled to any contribution based benefits.

When I put this £185/month into the benefit calculators as 'other income' or 'income from work' neither of them showed entitlement to ESA (I know entitlement also depends on the results of the medical). Am I expected to live only on this £185/month and pay back all the ESA I have received so far ? I have told the DWP twice in writing about this stipend but they haven't done anything about it. I thought they would take the £185 into account and pay me the difference in ESA. Have I got this wrong?

Please advise. I am trying not to panic! Thank you.

Thank you Gordon.

It's definitely IR ESA, and they have definitely received my notifications as I wrote the first time on the address sheet they enclose for you to send your sick note in, and I enclosed wage slips. Whwn I had to send in my 2nd sick note I enclosed a separate little letter explaining how anxious the possibiity of overpayment as making me. I've had a standard letter back saying they received the sick note. I guess I ill ave to wait and see.