Wages gap/shortfall on starting work

clarefurm

Hi all, I've been out of work for five months, and finally found a job last week (w'hoo!).When l signed off JSA, l was given a leaflet about help if l found a problem with a gap between my last JSA and my first lot of wages. I thought l'd be ok, but the other day l found out that l get paid monthly, not weekly as l thought, and also they pay at the end of the month for hours worked from the 19th to the 20th of each month. This means that at the end of October, l'll only be paid for two weeks work. So l phoned the number l'd been given, only to be told that, yes, they can pay out for the type of wage gap l've got, unfortuantly it's only payable if you claim it *before* you start work :mad:.
I've looked at other options, but everything seems geared for people who were out of work for 26 weeks or more - l was 20 weeks. Even housing benefit follow on is for 26 week or more.

I'm at my wits end, l'm looking at the probability of having to go back on JSA and leave work, as l now have no money coming in until the end of the month, then around two weeks of money to last me through the following month. On top of that, the job involves a lot of driving. I get petrol allowance - paid with my wages, so again, no money to buy petrol until the end of the month.
Friends and family tell me to ask work for an advance, but what is the point of that?! If l'm given wages now, it's even less l'll have for next month.

If anyone has any ideas, or has been in a similar situation l'd love to hear, l really don't want to give this job up, as if l can just make it through to the end of November, it will all sort itself out with a full month's wages.
Thanks.

viktory

I am assuming that there is absolutely no way you can borrow any money from friends or family? Not got a credit card you can use? Can you get a small loan? Overdraft at the bank? Is there anything you can sell? Jewellery/PC/TV/DVD player you can pawn? How about a pay day loan or a Provident loan (wouldn't normally advise this, but needs must).

Obviously being on JSA you are used to budgeting so have you worked out the minimum you can live on until you get a full months wages and thought of ways to raise this money. Why not speak to your HR dept. about a small loan?

It would be stupid to give up a job because of this - there are always ways of raising money and it is for such a short period of time.

clarefurm

Hi Viktory, thanks for the reply. I became bankrupt in February of this year, so any form of official borrowing is out, and credit cards, etc are a distant memory.
I had a car boot sale earlier in the year to raise some money to pay the bills, so no, there's nothing left of value to get rid of.
As l said originally, there's no point in a pay day advance, as this will leave me even shorter the following month (when l'm only expecting two weeks wages anyway), and leave me with the same problem.
I don't consider it 'stupid' to consider leaving my job, if l don't have the means to do it, and if there's 'always' ways to raise money l'd be interested to hear them.

MX5huggy

You could apply for a crisis loan.

BARGAINHUNTER!

If you leave a job voluntarily you won't be able to claim anything for 26 weeks

JimmyTheWig

clarefurm wrote: »

I don't consider it 'stupid' to consider leaving my job, if l don't have the means to do it,

I think they mean stupid to have to leave your job.

and if there's 'always' ways to raise money l'd be interested to hear them.

They gave quite a few ideas.
Lets try some more...
Is there any other work you can do, such as evening/weekend pub work, etc?
Have you got family who could feed you to avoid you paying out for meals (it's a lot cheaper to make a meal do another person than it is to buy for one)?
What about cleaning, gardening, washing cars, etc for friends / family?
Babysitting?
How about doing a car boot sale for a friend and splitting the profits?

loulou123

I found this when i started work, as i had to wait for 5 weeks for a payday. I just cut down on absolutely everything possible, tesco value beans for dinner most nights! etc. I didnt go out, i called my credit card company and explained the situation and asked for a payment free month.

I also took on some of the sugestions above, such as babysitting for a little extra money. I understand why you are relucent to get a advance on wages, but might it be worth asking for some of the petrol money you have already used back early, as this can then be spent on more petrol for the coming weeks. Maybe ask friends and family to borrow a small amount of money and then pay them back over the coming couple of months pay, instead of all out of the next one?

I also agree with the other poster, that if you give up a job, you will not be able to claim benefits again for some time, in which case you may find yourself in a even worse position.

Errata

Pesumably your new employer knows you were unemployed for a while ? Ask for a salary advance to buy the petrol (your employer is benfitting from paying your petrol money in arrears in any case) and explain you can't fund a month's petrol.
Ask you family for a loan.
Eat a lot of value oven chips and spaghetti.

karenx

Also go to supermarkets late at night to see if theres any reduced food that is going out of date

clarefurm

Thanks for all the suggestions. You can (or could a couple of years ago) sign back on if you do it within week or so, and if you have good reason.
I'm going to give the crisis loan a go, and as Errata and Lulu123 suggested, ask for the petrol allowance from the company. It's shift work l'm on, so a second job isn't possible, more's the pity, but l'm going to ask my parents if l can do some cleaning etc for them. I've also got a few things l made for a summer craft fair which was cancelled, so l'll get them together and have another scour of the place to see if there's anything else l can sell.
Argh, l hate this, l hate the feeling of going into debt again, it makes me feel panicy and sick. Roll on end of November and my first proper wages!

stokegal

Hey - I just read your thread and didn't want to read and run, I can't offer anymore advice than thats whats been suggested already but just wanted to say congratulations on the job!! :j