Entitled to anything at all?

Fly_Baby

Thanks, confusedcustomer! Yes, I am still reading it - I am actually still hoping that someone will be able to very kindly offer some rough estimates as to what sort of CTC and WTC we might be looking at.

My local CAB is not very helpful - they are attentive to your problem but barely tell you anything more than what you can find on their own website.

Thanks for the link, I will have a look.

alwaysonthego_2

Fly_Baby wrote: »

My local CAB is not very helpful - they are attentive to your problem but barely tell you anything more than what you can find on their own website.

The cab do far more then give their clients information. We also negotiate with and contact creditors, benefit agengies etc to find the main root of the problem. The info on the cab website is very good but we have access to far more detailed info and resources that are not available on the website.

It makes me so cross when people criticise the cab, if you have a problem with the advice you should complain so the adviser can have training on the problem. We are volunteers that give our time up for free. Most people are greatful, it's just the small minority that are not.

cw18

You can get an estimate of Tax Credits by using this on-line calculator

It works how much you would get for the rest of this tax year based on a claim being submitted today - so you need to divide the result by the number of days to end of tax year (today that is 68 days) and multiply by 7 to get a weekly figure.

Although it asks for last years income, you can use it by inputting this years (or even next years) to get a pretty accurate estime -- which is what I've been doing due to major changes in my household too.....

pontdugard

"My local CAB is not very helpful"

I have found the same.

In fact some things they have said have actually been unhelpful, possably wrong and certainly misleading.

Are there any other organisations that people would recommend for benefit advice as well as this excellent website

alwaysonthego_2

pontdugard wrote: »

"My local CAB is not very helpful"

I have found the same.

In fact some things they have said have actually been unhelpful, possably wrong and certainly misleading.

Are there any other organisations that people would recommend for benefit advice as well as this excellent website

The thing with the cab is that the adviser (volunteer) you see may need further training to bring up their skills. It is not reflection on the rest of the advisers and you should have complained so it was brought to the superviser's attention.

You can also see the welfare rights adviser at your local council.

cw18

And our Welfare Rights officer is a total waste of space !!!

I took in loads of screen prints and pamphlets, just to double check I was filling in the right forms. She said I was applying for things we wouldn't be entitled to, and I should be applying for things I knew we couldn't get. When she said the rates I had were wrong (she said they were too high) despite the fact I'd got them from DWP sites I decided to ignore her 'advice'.

I carried on applying for what I thought we should get, and everything went through smoothly at the rates I'd expected

Fly_Baby

alwaysonthego wrote: »

The cab do far more then give their clients information. We also negotiate with and contact creditors, benefit agengies etc to find the main root of the problem. The info on the cab website is very good but we have access to far more detailed info and resources that are not available on the website.

It makes me so cross when people criticise the cab, if you have a problem with the advice you should complain so the adviser can have training on the problem. We are volunteers that give our time up for free. Most people are greatful, it's just the small minority that are not.

I did not mean to criticise CAB as a system and I appreciate the huge effort they are making voluntarily in order to help people. I am just saying that my two experiences with my local bureau were pretty much fruitless. They were nice, they listened and sympathised but didn't really say anything new to me.

k1mmie

Would the poster still be eligible for these benefits with that level of savings? I thought you were only allowed £6K and then it was reduced accordingly. After all, is that not what savings are for, carrying you through the bad times!

cw18

Contributions based JSA is not means tested. CTC will want to know interest on capital if the interest is over £300pa (and they only want to know how much over £300 - so if it earns £400 you declare £100).

Over £16k in capital will mean no entitlement to means tested benefits such as means tested JSA (after week 26).

pontdugard

"Over £16k in capital will mean no entitlement to means tested benefits such as means tested JSA (after week 26)."

Do you know if the 16k limit is the same for a single person as a couple or if the limit is reduced if you are on your own ?

Wasn't aware that there was also a 26 week rule.

So does this mean that you could claim means tested JSA for up to 26 weeks maximum with capital over £16k ?

I was under the impression that with over £16k capital you would not be eligible for means test benefits at all.