If I resign, can I get housing benefit?

WLITC

Okay, I'm really not happy at work and I'm very seriously considering leaving. I know I won't be entittled to JSA if I resign and I'm not too bothered about that, but do the same conditions apply to housing benefit too? I should be able to find something fairly quickly, even if its temping, but I'll feel a bit better if I know I can at least get housing benefit to cover my rent for a few weeks.

bonnie_2

it takes 4=6 weeks to get housing benifit.
how are you going to pay the rest of your bills.

tee_pee_2

if you rsign you should get any holiday pay owing to you which you would have to declare. The amount of holiday pay would be assessed and would determine how long b4 u could calim benefit. ie if you got £400 holiday pay you could now claim benefit and someone correct me if I am wrong but you cannot claim HB unless you are in receipt of some income.

I work in housing and if we have someone on nil income they are charged full rent by HB as they ahve not declared proof of income.

You need to speak to a welare rights advisor I think

cheddar

You can claim HB without an income, you have to fill in a statement to that effect saying you have 'Nil Income'. However the HB dept can use the Random Access Terminal that liases with the DWP to confirm if you are in receipt and any benefits, if not then they class you as Nil Income. Nil Income and No Proof of Income are different.

WLITC

bonnie wrote:

it takes 4=6 weeks to get housing benifit.
how are you going to pay the rest of your bills.

Well I have sufficient money to pay my bills, etc and I will have just paid my rent for this month too by the time I leave (if I do). I think I only have 1 days holiday pay due, so that shouldn't negatively impact my ability to claim.

BTW, thanks for the replies everyone.. don't want to sound ungrateful, but it sort of doesn't answer my question. What I need to know is whether the Housing Benefit people sanction claims (like they do JSA) if you are found to have left your job voluntarily. If I recall rightly, JSA is a 26 weeks sanction. As I’ve mentioned above I'm not too bothered about JSA, but if it takes a few weeks longer than anticipated to find something then I'm almost certainly need the HB, and if I can't get it (because I resigned), I'll be in serious doo doo! so its something I need to find out before I make the big decision.

sarahlouise210

best option seems to be finding a new job first really ! problem solved then !

CIS

Neither HB or CTB sanction claims on the basis of resignation.

november

No HB doesn't sanction.

However you need to take into account that in some areas it can take up to 2 months from date of claim to actually receive HB. If you are entitled you will receive money for the period from date of claim but you may be waiting a while. Sometimes they take even longer in some areas although they shouldn't.

HB should pay at least an interim payment if you are served notice due to late HB processing but you would need to let them know.

If its LA or HA property they should be used to HB. If its a private landlord they may not be. If you can't cover it yourself while waiting for benefit its a good idea to warn the landlord rent will be late but they will get it.

WLITC

november wrote:

No HB doesn't sanction.

However you need to take into account that in some areas it can take up to 2 months from date of claim to actually receive HB. If you are entitled you will receive money for the period from date of claim but you may be waiting a while. Sometimes they take even longer in some areas although they shouldn't.

HB should pay at least an interim payment if you are served notice due to late HB processing but you would need to let them know.

If its LA or HA property they should be used to HB. If its a private landlord they may not be. If you can't cover it yourself while waiting for benefit its a good idea to warn the landlord rent will be late but they will get it.

Thanks, my area is actually one of the worst in the country for processing HB payments and I know it will almost certainly take at least 2 months and quite possibly three. But as long as I know I’m entitled (hence this post) and will eventually get it, then I have resources I can draw on temporarily until the money comes through.

Kimberley

sarahlouise210 wrote:

best option seems to be finding a new job first really ! problem solved then !

I agree, why not look for another job before leaving this one.