JSA (contribution based) or I.B.?

MagsyB

Hi everyone

Otherhalf was working full-time low basic and commision as it was a sales job.
In Feb he was signed off by his GP for work related stress.
He was due to return to work on Monday but couldnt face it so agreed to leave. The reason being that his employers gave him a final warning for not meeting his sales targets and was told he would need to meet his targets within the next month or he would be sacked. This is not likely to happen given the current market and rather then be sacked while increasing his stress he agreed with them that they would 'let him go'.
We made an online application for JSA on Friday BUT
1. We have savings circa £10k
2. I'm working and earn circa £22K
3. He is waiting for an op on his arm and received the op date today of 7th April
4. He is also seeing a hospital consultant on 31st March about an op on his knee which he will be put on a waiting list for an op on too

So should he look at claiming IB instead until he has these ops over with?
Does that take into account savings and my salary?
His employers would have got rid of him in April anyway cos he wouldnt have met the sales targets and he has already put this op off once before because of pressure from them

We've been really lucky that we havent had to make any claims for years so we're a bit lost. I recognise that we're luckier then others cos we have some savings and I'm working but with a big mortgage thats not going to last long.

I've checked entitledtoo and the directgov website but still none the wiser.

Can anyone help?
thanks
Magsy

cabbage

HI
Incapacity benefit doesn't exist now for new claimants. If youe OH is too ill to work then he could claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). There are two types, contribution based and Income based. If your OH has a good NI record (approx last 3 years) he could claim contribution based ESA. This is paid at the same rate as JSA for 13 weeks (£60.50) whilst he is assessed, then he will put into one of two groups, a work related activity group and get an extra £24 per week or a support group and get an extra £29 per week.

It is unlikely that you will be entitled to the income based JSA or ESA.
He could claim contribution based JSA (same as above re NI contribution record) for 28 weeks/6months. The contribution based benefits don't take into account your savings or your partner's income.

The difference between the two contribution based benefits is that you can be on ESA indefinitely as long as you meet the criteria but contribution based JSA is for 28 weeks/six months only. At first you are receiving £60.50 on each benefit but after the initial assessment phase on ESA you will increase either £24 or £29 extra per week.

Therefore, if he is too ill to work, then ESA would pay more for longer after the intial assessment phase.

MagsyB

Thanks Cabbage - thats great
Just a quick thought - he was self employed for the same employers up until two years ago when he when PAYE. When he was self-employed he was paying NI is it part 2 for self employed????
Will this count?
I think that given he will not be able to work following each op we will go down the route of ESA (thanks for the correction )
Also the savings bit - its not a problem on either??? So I dont have to restuff the mattress with fivers???

Thanks agin
Magsy

NASA_2

MagsyB wrote: »

Thanks Cabbage - thats great
Just a quick thought - he was self employed for the same employers up until two years ago when he when PAYE. When he was self-employed he was paying NI is it part 2 for self employed????
Will this count?
I think that given he will not be able to work following each op we will go down the route of ESA (thanks for the correction )
Also the savings bit - its not a problem on either??? So I dont have to restuff the mattress with fivers???

Thanks agin
Magsy

S/E contributions do count for ESA but not for JSA.

earplugs

Hi Magsy

If your OH has suffered from the stress, arm or knee problems (or all three) for more than 3 months then he is entitled to make a claim for Disability Living Allowance. This wouldn't have a detrimental effect on any other benefits either of you may wish to claim.

You can go onto directgov website and look for Disability Living Allowance and see if your OH wants to claim for it. If you want to get a DLA claim pack then the telephone number is Freephone 0800 882 200. If your OH decides to apply for DLA and feels he needs help in completing the DLA claim form then he can go to his local citizens advice bureau and they will help him fill it out.

Good luck for the future.

alwaysonthego_2

earplugs wrote: »

Hi Magsy

If your OH has suffered from the stress, arm or knee problems (or all three) for more than 3 months then he is entitled to make a claim for Disability Living Allowance. This wouldn't have a detrimental effect on any other benefits either of you may wish to claim.


Good luck for the future.

This would only be apply if he had care and/or mobility needs arising from his disability/illness/condition.