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Job Seekers Allowance
tinkerbellejess
Posts: 3 Newbie
Hi, i was wondering if anyone could help me here, my boyfriend graduated this summer and with the economy being the way it is has really struggled to find a job. He applied for JSA about 3 moths ago, and because we live together they obviously wanted to know about my working info. I'm a fulltime student at University who has been working 36 hours a week since the start of the holidays. This info was given to them right at the start of the application.
Over the last 3 months, we keep getting letters saying that they need more info, which we then call up to confirm that that is all they need and then having been told that that is everything we then send the extra info off (for example my pay slips).
Two weeks ago, my partner received a phone call form JSA asking for another letter of proof of finishing his uni course, and whilst on the phone to them my parter asked if a decision had been made (because this has been going on for so long that I wanted to know that if it was even worth pursuing anymore) and the person on the phone told him that the decision had been made, that he would get the money, plus any back payments when they received and processed his finishing uni letter. He then asked if that was the last thing they need, they said yes.
This letter was then sent but during several phone calls it seemed that it had got lost in the post so my partner arranged for another letter to be sent to us which we'd then forward onto them, and called them to let them know that this was what was happening. They confirmed at this stage that the decision had been made that he is eligible for JSA and he'd receive it when they received the letter. They suggested that that letter is taken in to the job centre and they can fax it across as it would be quicker. While my partner was handing it in at the job centre the staff there called the people who process it to confirm that nothing more was needed and they confirmed this and again told them that it had already been decided that he'd get the money.
So at this point, we thought we could relax knowing that although we're scraping by on my wages that that money would soon be coming in and pay his half of the rent.
So today my partner calls JSA to get an update and they say yeas we've received but no you're not getting any money. And the reasoning they gave is that I work more than 35 hours a week (a student who works 36 hours maximum during the holidays) so because of that he's now not entitled to anything.
The thing about it that really upset us is that 3 months ago they could have told us that, as they had the information then. They've been asking for more and more information that apparently wouldn't make a difference to the claim anyway as I worked too many hours which they've known form the start.
He applied for JSA when we were at the point that I couldn't afford to support both of us anymore, we struggled before applying until we literally couldn't pay our bills/rent. We've had to borrow money off his parents in order to keep up with rent and even then we have arrears on our rent which need to be paid off, on top of the rent this month. So we were really counting on that money, especially since we were told that he is entitled to it.
I just don't know what to do, we've just had a string of bad luck this summer and it's just getting worse. But does he have grounds to make a complaint or anything?
Over the last 3 months, we keep getting letters saying that they need more info, which we then call up to confirm that that is all they need and then having been told that that is everything we then send the extra info off (for example my pay slips).
Two weeks ago, my partner received a phone call form JSA asking for another letter of proof of finishing his uni course, and whilst on the phone to them my parter asked if a decision had been made (because this has been going on for so long that I wanted to know that if it was even worth pursuing anymore) and the person on the phone told him that the decision had been made, that he would get the money, plus any back payments when they received and processed his finishing uni letter. He then asked if that was the last thing they need, they said yes.
This letter was then sent but during several phone calls it seemed that it had got lost in the post so my partner arranged for another letter to be sent to us which we'd then forward onto them, and called them to let them know that this was what was happening. They confirmed at this stage that the decision had been made that he is eligible for JSA and he'd receive it when they received the letter. They suggested that that letter is taken in to the job centre and they can fax it across as it would be quicker. While my partner was handing it in at the job centre the staff there called the people who process it to confirm that nothing more was needed and they confirmed this and again told them that it had already been decided that he'd get the money.
So at this point, we thought we could relax knowing that although we're scraping by on my wages that that money would soon be coming in and pay his half of the rent.
So today my partner calls JSA to get an update and they say yeas we've received but no you're not getting any money. And the reasoning they gave is that I work more than 35 hours a week (a student who works 36 hours maximum during the holidays) so because of that he's now not entitled to anything.
The thing about it that really upset us is that 3 months ago they could have told us that, as they had the information then. They've been asking for more and more information that apparently wouldn't make a difference to the claim anyway as I worked too many hours which they've known form the start.
He applied for JSA when we were at the point that I couldn't afford to support both of us anymore, we struggled before applying until we literally couldn't pay our bills/rent. We've had to borrow money off his parents in order to keep up with rent and even then we have arrears on our rent which need to be paid off, on top of the rent this month. So we were really counting on that money, especially since we were told that he is entitled to it.
I just don't know what to do, we've just had a string of bad luck this summer and it's just getting worse. But does he have grounds to make a complaint or anything?
0
Comments
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have you been to the entitled to website maybe you can get help with your rent and council tax while oh looks for a job0
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have you been to the entitled to website maybe you can get help with your rent and council tax while oh looks for a job
Thankyou for your reply. He's already applied for housing benefit and council tax help and we were told that it takes 6-8 weeks after all the info was in, and that they don't give updates before the end of 8 weeks so hopefully we'll hear back from that soon, it's been around 8 weeks now.
Funnily enough, we got a letter saying we haven't paid out council tax today (which I'm named on, despite being exempt as a student, and they already know that), when they must know that we've put an application in for help with it??0
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