If your mortgage is paid off can you claim JSA?

MiserlyMartin

I tried to answer this question by accident on the 'entitled to' website. If you don't have any rent or outstanding mortgage entered in the boxes it says you only get council tax benefit - (no JSA) and that was with savings of less than £6000.

Surely this can't be right?

Sounds like a kick in the teeth for the prudent if you can't claim benefits just because you were sensible and paid off your mortgage!?? How are people supposed to live, in this case if unemployed? You still have to buy food and heat the place etc.

Mozette

Do you mean Job Seekers Allowance? You are entitled to at least 6 months of it. I have a relative who's claimed it for the last 6 months and she has no mortgage (or rent)

MiserlyMartin

Thanks. I don't think that entitled to website is very accurate.

timmmers

You get JSA and CT paid...and you're right, it's still not enough to pay bills and live.

If you don't own a home, you rent digs..all utilities paid as part of the rent for you.

Average annual utility bills are around half annual JSA ...assuming no prepayment meter which would make matters worse.

Amazing how someone prudent enough to work and pay for their home and not rely on the govt to pay anything can end up poorer than people who never worked a day in their lives who have contributed nothing to the communal pot.

t

rinkydinkpanther

Of course people who rent have to pay utilities ! The only situation I can think of where utilities are paid as part of the rent are for lodgers who are renting a room in someone's home, or some University halls of residence.

MiserlyMartin

I think that is what he was talking about. When you rent a room often the bills are included. But I'm not sure if it is easy as that as the council may say your room is too exepnsive- get a cheaper one. Cheaper ones usually don't include bills.

You can't really compare having digs and having your own house though and as I understand it, even if its just you in the house they wouldn't pay your rent for that, they would base it on the cost of renting 'one room'. Correct me if I am wrong but they assume that you do not need a house, just a room!

But anyway it doesn't sound like a lot of money with which to pay thre rent, pay the utilities, buy food. It sounds like one would starve. So how is it that various foreigners who have never paid into the system before seem to have a comfortable house etc paid for by the state? How is it that we have families Brits, who have never worked in their life? The only productive thing they seem to know how to do is to pop out children every few years to top up their benefits. This system is mad isn't it?

newrecruit

Hi guys,
I can only speak from my experience...ie in relation to the Jobcentre in Oxford. But I am assuming it is all the same for DWP nationally.
If you have all the mortgage paid off, it means that you own the house outritght, correct?
This means you may be denied various entitlements.
The amount you received is offset against any savings you have.
I had a house worth 400K in joint name with my-ex.
Jobcentre denied my JSA, housing benefit and council tax benefit because I have access to funds (I can raise funds through re-mortgage I assume)
If you live in a house either which is rented of with mortgage repayment but little or no equity (below 6000) then you may be entitled to benefit payments.
Owning a house is (to them) like sitting on a large saving...which is stupid I think...but that seems to be their rule.