Unemployed, self employed, benefits

seh567

Hi, I am writing on behalf of my son who is registered as self employed but now has no work. Although he was self employed he worked for a small business in the building trade. He provided an invoice each week and they paid 20% tax under the CIS scheme I believe. He stopped working for them because they did not pay very well and expected him to work long hours away from home at his own expense for travelling & provision of tools etc. He was renting a flat from a private landlord and his earning did not cover his living expenses so consequently go into debt. It was making him ill and depressed. He has since moved into secure 1 bedroom accommodation via housing association. He has now been unemployed for 2 weeks but was hoping to get work either on a permanent or temporary basis just to tide him over and has signed on with several agencies. I have been helping him out with rent etc but I have told him he needs to sign on for benefits whilst he is looking for work but he seems reluctant to do so (I think he sees it as failure as he is nearing 40 years of age and has never been out of work before). My questions are:-

1) Would he be entitled to JSA as he is still registered self employed. He has no savings and no monies coming in.

2) Would he be able to claim housing allowance and council tax benefit. I am retired and can't afford to pay his rent indefinately.

3) He won't be able to pay his outstanding credit card and loan debts. Should he write his creditors and ask he can pay token payments until he gets earning again.

Any assistance would help. Thanks

Horace

With regard to his creditors then yes he should write to them explaining his change in circumstances and offering them token payments until such time as he is back on his feet.

I am not sure how things stand if he is still registered as self employed but is currently unemployed. I would suggest that he actually contacts his local jobcentre and makes an appointment to see them as they may be able to pay him something. I have no actual experience of their way of working although I am also unemployed and have recently become self-employed with their help (I get an extra training benefit of £15.38 a week on top of my JSA) - but I have only done this through one of their New Deal for Disabled programmes.

In fact there is no reason why he cannot look at the jobcentreplus website https://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk to look for jobs.

With regard to housing benefit and council tax benefit he would need to speak to his local council about it.

mcc28_x

With regard to 1) and 2) he should qualify for both. He will be asked some questions regarding his self employment as part of the claim.

He will be assessed for income based JSA so savings need to be less than 6k to get full £60.50 per week.

As HA property should get full rent and CTB.

regards

Mark