JSA questions

ella86

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Oldernotwiser

When applying for any benefits you should be as open and honest as possible or you may be considered to be committing fraud.

It sounds to me very likely that you'll be considered to be a couple and assessed together, although (from previous threads on the Benefits Board) your mother's contribution may be discounted as a gift rather than income.

Put all the facts on your application and see how it goes; if it's not accepted, remember that you only need to work 10 hours on minimum wage to get more money than you will on JSA.

dmg24

I agree, you need to be honest, and it is very likely that you will be classed as a couple.

I would think that your mother's contribution would be classed as income, because it is a regular payment intended to substitute your lack of income. If it was a one off, or a more sporadic payment, I would agree that it would be a gift.

ella86

I should add that we have a housemate who pays some rent to my OH, and I also pay my OH rent. So on paper it could be seen that I'm a tenant and have the same status in the house as my housemate

real1314

ella86 wrote: »

I should add that we have a housemate who pays some rent to my OH, and I also pay my OH rent. So on paper it could be seen that I'm a tenant and have the same status in the house as my housemate

He is your boyfriend and you live with him.

If you do not honestly declare your circumstances and get investigated, you could end up with a criminal record and would struggle to get any job.

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter

It is irrespective of whether you have separate accounts, he is your partner.

If you declare that you do not have a partner, then I'm afraid that this is fraud.

I would suggest that you don't even think about going down that route.

I fully understand that the system is unfair, but you must operate within the law and provide the information that is requested, both honestly and accurately.

Oldernotwiser

I'm a bit puzzled because I can see that you posted a couple of weeks ago about painting your flat and whether you needed your Landlord's permission.

"I need some advice about how to paint my bedroom wall. I'm living in a rented flat and the walls are a bit grubby. The landlord has said I can re-paint. At the moment there's pale yellow paint on a plastered wall. I'd go for an off-white colour."

blue_ashleigh

I had the same dilemma.

Basically even though you might have, as in my case, completely seperate finances, sleep in different rooms, different tenancy agreements, pay half of everything, buy own food... you're still classed as 'common law', i.e. partners, and therefore (by the government's logic) any finances you have are equally each others (i.e. if he has £6,000 in a bank account then that is your money too, according to the government, and your partner should give you half...). My OH's student loan classes as 'my' money and therefore he should give me half... Quite :rolleyes:.

I think it's a silly system, but there go!

There are similar threads on here - people not actually a couple but still classed as a couple according to JSA etc.

If you don't claim you are partners you could be commiting benefit fraud and then you're going to be in a whole pile of trouble!

ella86

My boyfriend is also my landlord because I pay him rent. There's no formal contract but I still see it as his house so would have to ask permission first.

Looks like I will state him as a partner. Seems like a silly system but I'm not going to get into trouble for £50 a week

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter

ella86 wrote: »

I'm in the process of applying for JSA but am wondering whether to count my boyfriend as a partner. We live together but our finances are completely separate, even down to doing our own food shopping. When I moved in with him 2 years ago it was as a housemate, but we got together nearly a year later. I still have what is supposed to be my separate room, which I keep my things in though don't sleep in anymore. At some point when I get a TEFL qualification I want to go and live abroad so I don't see it as a permanent relationship hence not sharing finances.

Me and my OH have just finished uni and are both looking for jobs though he doesn't need JSA as he gets rental income from our housemate (my OH owns the flat we live in outright). Sould I say yes or no to having a partner on the application? Will it make a difference to me?

Also, my mum worries about me living so far away from the family so she pays £100 a month into my account to help with bills. Is this likely to affect my application for JSA?

Let's see what you're asking:

You get £100 a month from your mum.

Your partner owns the flat outright - and has rental income (I take it enough to cover utility/food bills).

You want to claim income-based JSA? I take it that it's not contribution-based.

Would you be declaring that you are effectively a lodger (having set up and presumably decorated a separate room), and would need to claim rental income, as the other lodger does.

I might be wrong, but if you are thinking along that lines, then I would find this abhorrent.

Tibbs,The_Freebie_Hunter

ella86 wrote: »

My boyfriend is also my landlord because I pay him rent. There's no formal contract but I still see it as his house so would have to ask permission first.

Looks like I will state him as a partner. Seems like a silly system but I'm not going to get into trouble for £50 a week

You are fooling yourself into thinking that your boyfriend is your landlord.

In a relationship, people share - nothing more than that.

I pay my partner money each month, but he's not my landlord. He's my partner.