Job seekers allowance and living with partner

Lady_K

Daughter has just qualified as a nurse but will not be starting her new job yet so I suggested that she could apply for job seekers allowance hoping that they might cover her up until she starts the job, we are not sure of her start date yet.

She is presently living at home in Nottingham but as her new job will be in Sheffield she will be moving there with her boyfriend to live in rented accomodation in the next week or so, he already has a job in that area. She made an application for Job seekers by phone on 28th August and they said as there are 3 waiting days her entitlement will start from 1st September, the first day she officially finishes her course.

What I wondered is when she starts the job will they cover her whilst she is working her month in advance before getting paid as I think this means she wont actually get her salary paid for 2 months after starting work. And also will her benefit be effected when she moves to live with her boyfriend? They are supposed to be splitting costs between them when they move in this place but she has to move ready for the start of her job.

Just wanted to add that I was shocked to find out that as she is 24 she will be entitled to around £45 job seekers allowance yet if she was 25 she would get around £59, how can they say that it is cheaper for a 24 yr old to live than a 25 year old? Its awful and just makes life more difficult for younger ones starting out already struggling out of work and having somewhere decent and safe to live. No wonder some get into problems its age discrimination really

phantom9999

If they live together as a couple she will be assessed on whether her bf's income is what they judge "enough" for two people to live on, which is a lot less than what most people would consider enough. Also she will not be entitled when she starts her job as JSA is payable only to those actively seeking and available for work, which she won't be as she is working.

Perhaps she and her bf could look at applying for working tax credit, but this will depend on their income http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/do-you-qualify.htm

also her bf will need to notify the council that he is no longer entitled to the single person's discount for council tax, as there will be two adults working.

I was unemployed on £35 a week about 10 years ago & it was £45 for over 25s, I wasn't impressed either!

Good luck to your daughter in her chosen career

P

cw18

phantom9999 wrote: »

also her bf will need to notify the council that he is no longer entitled to the single person's discount for council tax, as there will be two adults working.

I'm sure it was only 'a slip of the fingers', but it doesn't matter whether or not they both work -- he needs to let them know as soon as she moves in, as there's no reduction for a couple with only one person working. But if his salary is low, they may qualify for Coucil Tax Benefit (another long form to fill in, heaps of paperwork such as payslips and bank statements to produce, and a couple of weeks wait to hear anything back in my experience!)

cw18

Lady_K wrote: »

What I wondered is when she starts the job will they cover her whilst she is working her month in advance before getting paid as I think this means she wont actually get her salary paid for 2 months after starting work.

I've had two jobs where I had to work a month in advance, but this meant not being paid in advance.

So if she starts work any time in October she should get paid at the end of October (assuming normal pay date is the end of the month), but it will only be pro-rata for the number of days she's been employed by them. She'd then get a full month at the end of November. The only way she won't get anything at the end of October is if she starts to late in the month to be put into the payroll system in time -- but some employers will (if you can claim hardship) make a special one-off payment that is basically a salary advance of roughly the amount due.

As previously stated, benefits don't normally continue until the first pay date -- although some may 'at their discrection' continue for a couple of weeks from what I was told. Only draw back is that you have to have been claiming them for 6 mnths before they'll even consider it.

This is one place where I think the benefits system stinks. I was off sick last year, and my last pay cheque was at the end of October. Even though this was only half a month at half pay, it counted as income for November when they calculated benefits. But as soon as I returned to work in February everything stopped immediately even though I had to wait over 2 weeks for the next payroll :mad:

Lady_K

She doesnt know her boyfriends income, I don't think he will be very happy about disclosing it but they will decide on that when it comes. I think he is a fairly low wage earner and would feel quite embarrassed by it.

I really thought that she would get job seekers until she got her first wages because she wouldnt have anything to live on. I wonder if having to be on job seekers for 6 months before they consider it could even put some people off from even starting a job because they would be worried about supporting themselves in between getting paid.

I thought tax credits were for people with children till you mentioned it. Her boyfriend is also having some health problems at the moment that he is having tests for at the hospital to do with heart problems, not sure how this will effect him working too. I'm just a bit concerned that they might move into this rented accom then find he might be laid off work and shes still waiting for a start date. What would happen in those circumstances if they arose?

phantom9999

cw18 wrote: »

I'm sure it was only 'a slip of the fingers', but it doesn't matter whether or not they both work -- he needs to let them know as soon as she moves in, as there's no reduction for a couple with only one person working. But if his salary is low, they may qualify for Coucil Tax Benefit (another long form to fill in, heaps of paperwork such as payslips and bank statements to produce, and a couple of weeks wait to hear anything back in my experience!)

Whoops! thank you for correcting me - I did mean two adults as opposed to two working adults!:o

P

phantom9999

Lady_K wrote: »

She doesnt know her boyfriends income, I don't think he will be very happy about disclosing it but they will decide on that when it comes. I think he is a fairly low wage earner and would feel quite embarrassed by it.

I really thought that she would get job seekers until she got her first wages because she wouldnt have anything to live on. I wonder if having to be on job seekers for 6 months before they consider it could even put some people off from even starting a job because they would be worried about supporting themselves in between getting paid.

I thought tax credits were for people with children till you mentioned it. Her boyfriend is also having some health problems at the moment that he is having tests for at the hospital to do with heart problems, not sure how this will effect him working too. I'm just a bit concerned that they might move into this rented accom then find he might be laid off work and shes still waiting for a start date. What would happen in those circumstances if they arose?

If that were to happen then contact the department for work and pensions to see what benefits etc could be clamed if he becomes unable to work due to illness. Could include sick pay/incapacity benefit etc

Lady_K

Thanx, do you think that would include any help towards the rent as if that were to happen they wouldnt be able to pay it?

misscomickat

under 25s cant get working tax credit unless they have children..yet another form of discrimination against younger people.

Oldernotwiser

Lady_K wrote: »

She doesnt know her boyfriends income, I don't think he will be very happy about disclosing it but they will decide on that when it comes. I think he is a fairly low wage earner and would feel quite embarrassed by it.

Doesn't that start all sorts of alarm bells ringing?

From your questions, I wonder whether you or your daughter fully realise that when these 2 move in together they will be assessed as a couple for any benefits? If he were to lose his job she would be expected to support him, with, perhaps, a small amount of "top up" help. They won't be treated like 2 people sharing, but in the same way as if they were married.

Apologies if this seems obvious but some of your questions made me wonder.

GlasweJen

under 25s can also get tax credits if they are disabled.