JSA questions

Bamber19

ella86 wrote: »

I'm claiming JSA so I can afford to buy food and essentials and to survive.

With the money your mother is giving you? I know you might not think it's much but it's double what some people receive on JSA.

Unlike others I've taken your question completely at face value and you've already been provided with the answers, that you and your boyfriend should be classed as a couple, hiwever it would probably have been nicer to get the answers on their own without the assumption that you are trying to scam anyone being thrown in. To me it just looks like you wanted information because there are varying degrees of being in a relationship and you were unsure where the governments cut off point is.

As an aside, if your boyfriend is also out of work and jobseeking is a joint claim a possibility?

tek-monkey

Ah, hang on, thought you were trying to claim housing benefits not JSA. Sorry, my bad! Not sure JSA gives a damn about who else you live with does it? Its just a set amount? Only ever claimed once, but it was only housing benefit that cared about my living situation.

If it is housing benefit I stand by what I said though. You live in the same room, why should benefits pay for the other room? Thats my tax money, if you live as a couple why should I pay for the unused living space? Can't you rent it out? How does JSA work if you have an income from renting anyway, I thought that's count against it?

Also, why do you pay bills but the other guy only pays £60? Or does he pay bills too, and I missed that part?

ella86

Bamber19 wrote: »

With the money your mother is giving you? I know you might not think it's much but it's double what some people receive on JSA.

Unlike others I've taken your question completely at face value and you've already been provided with the answers, that you and your boyfriend should be classed as a couple, hiwever it would probably have been nicer to get the answers on their own without the assumption that you are trying to scam anyone being thrown in. To me it just looks like you wanted information because there are varying degrees of being in a relationship and you were unsure where the governments cut off point is.

As an aside, if your boyfriend is also out of work and jobseeking is a joint claim a possibility?

Thank you, that's the sort of answer i was looking for. As you say, there are varying degrees of being in a relationship and I wasn't sure if the government made any distinction. I was under the impression that my boyfriend wouldn't be able to claim because he gets the rental money.

Bamber19

tek-monkey wrote: »

Ah, hang on, thought you were trying to claim housing benefits not JSA. Sorry, my bad! Not sure JSA gives a damn about who else you live with does it? Its just a set amount? Only ever claimed once, but it was only housing benefit that cared about my living situation.

JSA does care about living situation. If 2 people are classed as a couple then their entitlement is based on their joint finances and set against the JSA amount for a couple which is more than that for a single person but less than two single people. An example would be a couple renting a flat where one is working and earning say £20,000 per annum, should the other claim JSA they would get a nil payment as they earn £20,000 per annum as part of a couple.

ella86 wrote: »

Thank you, that's the sort of answer i was looking for. As you say, there are varying degrees of being in a relationship and I wasn't sure if the government made any distinction. I was under the impression that my boyfriend wouldn't be able to claim because he gets the rental money.

I'm not sure about that as I don't know if rental income is offset against what he has to pay in mortgage costs etc, I'd suggest maybe calling a local jobcentre or dropping in to ask for clarification on that point.

tek-monkey

Didn't know that, although it makes sense to stop stay at home parents claiming jobseekers with no intention of working. As said I only ever claimed once, I was single and was only for a few months. HB was a different matter entirely, god did they make me jump through hoops! Ended up with just £31 a week and it took 3 months to get, god knows where I was supposed to live on that.

ella86

Thanks for the helpful responses. I don't know anyone in the same situation, or in fact any friends who are living together as couples which is why I was confused about how it worked whether there was a distinction made between couples with joint finances and those without.

I think the best thing for me to do is to go to the Jobcentre and speak to someone about it.

Oldernotwiser

ella86 wrote: »

Thanks for the helpful responses. I don't know anyone in the same situation, or in fact any friends who are living together as couples which is why I was confused about how it worked whether there was a distinction made between couples with joint finances and those without.

I think the best thing for me to do is to go to the Jobcentre and speak to someone about it.

You're getting hung up on this fancy word "partner", which nowadays is generally synonymous with boy/girlfriend. For benefits purposes the expression is "living together as husband and wife" which covers areas like the sexual relationship and how you organise your domestic life. Everything you've said on here implies that you are in this situation so that is why you need to declare it to JCP.

Oldernotwiser

toasterman wrote: »

Also, the benefits system is not worth £50 a week. It's £64 for JSA.
You can also claim housing benefit, council tax, free prescriptions and dental care.

JSA is £50 per week if you're under 25. The OP can certainly not claim any kind of HB in her situation and, to be fair, she doesn't seem to want to do so.

Oldernotwiser

ella86 wrote: »

Thank you, that's the sort of answer i was looking for. As you say, there are varying degrees of being in a relationship and I wasn't sure if the government made any distinction. I was under the impression that my boyfriend wouldn't be able to claim because he gets the rental money.

Your assumption is correct. Unless your boyfriend has paid the right NICs he won't be eligible for contributions based JSA and the rental money will stop him getting the means tested variety. (As it will you!)

blue_ashleigh

Basically if you're boyfriend/ girlfriend you are classed as living as married in the eyes of the government whether you sleep seperately, don't have sex, and have seperate finances.
Stupid blooming system, but there you go!