Self employed husband has no work - Any benefits available?

rensters

Hi,

My husband has been working self employed for the past 2 1/2 years for a number of companies as a consultant in telecoms. The work has now dried up and he currently has no work at all (and no money!). Before this he was employed by the same company for years and years and has always paid his NI.

We've looked at jobseakers allowance, but because he was self employed I don't think he can claim contribution based (correct me if I'm wrong!), and income based is out of the question as I work full time and earn £15,000.

Not sure what other info you need to know, but we have one child aged 8 and have a mortgage of £90K. We have savings of £5,000 (which won't last very long!). He is 49 and is actively seaking employment.

Just wondering if there is some other kind of benefit for people in our situation, or even if he can somehow pay class 1 NI now for the last two years in a lump sum to allow him to claim JSA?!

If anyone has any advise I'd be really grateful.

herbertthehelper

rensters wrote: »

Hi,

My husband has been working self employed for the past 2 1/2 years for a number of companies as a consultant in telecoms. The work has now dried up and he currently has no work at all (and no money!). Before this he was employed by the same company for years and years and has always paid his NI.

We've looked at jobseakers allowance, but because he was self employed I don't think he can claim contribution based (correct me if I'm wrong!), and income based is out of the question as I work full time and earn £15,000.

Not sure what other info you need to know, but we have one child aged 8 and have a mortgage of £90K. We have savings of £5,000 (which won't last very long!). He is 49 and is actively seaking employment.

Just wondering if there is some other kind of benefit for people in our situation, or even if he can somehow pay class 1 NI now for the last two years in a lump sum to allow him to claim JSA?!

If anyone has any advise I'd be really grateful.

Id imagine that you would be able to pay a lump sum, but im womdering whether you should contact the old company to see if they will give him at the very least part time work up to 16 hours that way you maybe be able to claim tax credits or something

alwaysonthego_2

I do not think that you can backpay his class 1 NI conts so he can get CBJSA.

On your income you should get WTC, CTC. There are no other benefits you would be entitled to.

You should inform your mortgage company and try and change to an interest only morgage or try and get a payment holiday.

rensters

Thanks for all your advice. We will look further into it. His old company do not have any work for him and have recently made some people redundant so that's a non starter.

Thanks for the advice anyway. Hopefully he will get a job soon then we won't have to claim anything!

James123_2

The only possible benefit to you will be Child Tax Credit which, on a household income of £15k, you will be entitled to the full family and child element - this is about £2700. (Child element is about £2235 & family is £545 - from memory) Tax credits are awarded on the basis of your previous year's income, so you might want to ring and inform them of your new circumstances as the award can be changed to reflect your new position. For this to work your gross taxable income for this given tax year would need to be no more than £16040. After this figure then the TC folk claim back 39% of the child element. A small victory, but one worth pursuing.
Hope this helps!