Difficult situation

CazandCo_2

Hi ,

My boyfriend is unemployed (has been for nearly 5 years) and is not on Job Seekers Allowance or income support. He’s 45 years old. When I asked him about getting Job Seekers Allowance he said he was told he didn’t qualify for any money due to not paying enough National Insurance Contributions.

Our relationship has recently hit rocky ground and i have considered asking him to leave. However, he has not friends or relatives that will take him in and he has no money, nor anything to sell to raise funds. If i were to ask him to leave he may become homeless and hence it's a very difficult situation we are in.

If he was signing on at a Job center even if he didnt qualify for Job seekers allowance do you know if he would qualify for housing of some sort?

Thanks for reading.

DX2

So what has he been living on for 5 years?

bestpud

If he was to leave, he could claim Income Based JSA and would receive help with rent and council tax.

However, he would need to find rent and a deposit up front for a private rent.

Do you own the house you are in now? Is it partly his?

If it is rented, it may be easier for you to move out, assuming you work...

As an alternative, have you tried relationship counselling? He seems to be in a rut and may just need a shove to get back out of it.

Caz3121

If you live together then you are treated as a couple so if you work this is likely to stop him receiving any means tested benefits. If he is on his own he would then be entitled to receive JSA (income based) and help with housing costs.

The NI contributions are only relevant for JSA contribution based which is only payable for 26 weeks and then you move onto JSA income based, he should still be signing on as available for work to get his NI stamp even though he does not receive any money as this could affect his pension etc

Bollotom

Hi, Cazanco
What an awful situation you find yourself in. Can only wish you all the best for the future.
I'm afraid your boyfriend won't get any council housing as councils don't house single men (or women) unless there is some vulnerability and/or disability.
I am rather concerned that after some twenty plus years of employment he has no recourse to claiming benefits. I wonder if he was self employed for those years?
Your income could also affect what and how much he could claim but without a lot more detail I doubt an informed solution could be found. As Bestpud has already posted, he would have to go into the private rental market with advance rents and deposit not making his situation any easier. And perhaps a gentle kick up the old proverbial may galvanise him.:cool:

Oldernotwiser

bestpud wrote: »

If it is rented, it may be easier for you to move out, assuming you work...

Only if it's a 1 bedroom place!

bestpud

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Only if it's a 1 bedroom place!

Yes, you're right - good point!

I was thinking of the deposit and the hassle of getting him to move if it is really over for her, but he also needs to consider the ongoing cost...

CazandCo_2

Thank you allfor the fast responses.

DX2 - I have supported him fully.
bestpud - We are in privately rented accomadation. I pay the rent money.

I dont want to move out as i have a daughter and the upheaval may mean a change of school, which i would like to avoid.

As for counselling, well it's not really our own relationship that is the problem. It's his relationship with my daughter (from my broken marriage) that is. They do not get along and it's really got to a point where i am thinking it may be best if we go our seperate ways. We've tried many things over the last few years to help create a bond between the two, but it's not working.

So...from what i have read in your replies he should be signing on because his NIC would be paid?

If he managed to get a deposit for a privately rented place he would get money to survive on?

I dont understand the system and i don't want to turf him out onto the street, but my daughter happiness is also important.

Bollotom - Yes he was self employed

Bollotom

I dont understand the system and i don't want to turf him out onto the street, but my daughter happiness is also important.

And therein lies the most important part. If there is no sign of any improvement in their relationship now it does seem rather pointless to expect an improvement any time soon.
Perhaps you should trawl the accommodation websites to see if there are any landlords in your area who "welcome" housing benefit applicants, then he would at least have a roof over his head. You have a very hard decision ahead of you but one you need to make for all your sakes. All the very best to all three of you.

bestpud

CazandCo wrote: »

Thank you allfor the fast responses.

DX2 - I have supported him fully.
bestpud - We are in privately rented accomadation. I pay the rent money.

I dont want to move out as i have a daughter and the upheaval may mean a change of school, which i would like to avoid.

As for counselling, well it's not really our own relationship that is the problem. It's his relationship with my daughter (from my broken marriage) that is. They do not get along and it's really got to a point where i am thinking it may be best if we go our seperate ways. We've tried many things over the last few years to help create a bond between the two, but it's not working.

So...from what i have read in your replies he should be signing on because his NIC would be paid?

If he managed to get a deposit for a privately rented place he would get money to survive on?

I dont understand the system and i don't want to turf him out onto the street, but my daughter happiness is also important.

Bollotom - Yes he was self employed

Ah, sorry, I didn't realise you had a child. I know where you are coming from with that.

Yes, he needs to get his NI contributions paid or he may regret it when he comes to pension age.

Some councils offer help with finding a private rent, but I have a feeling it is only for those who would otherwise be on the social housing list... Worth asking though.

He won't be considered a priority as a single and able bodied person, so I'm not sure what his options are if he can't fund the deposit and rent in advance.

If you have a look on here, you will get an idea of how much LHA he can claim: https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/Secure/Default.aspx. He would get the maximum amount for a one bedroom property if he receives IB JSA but the actual amount varies by area.

You could try asking Shelter for advice: http://www.shelter.org.uk/

Jowo_2

Some councils operate deposit guarantee schemes and help tenants find LHA/HB friendly landlords. Have a look at their website for info.

Have a look at the Shelter website for their sections on homelessness and relationship breakdowns.

The section on homelessness will explain what happens when you evict your ex-partner and the local authority's statutory obligation to provide assistance - he should visit them and complete a form. They do have an obligation to assist the homeless, including single men without dependents. They prioritise the homeless,therefore if he is kicked out, they must assist. It may be the case that they give him advice or help him find onward private accommodation, offer him a hostel or B&B rather than a council flat, though.

The section on relationship breakdowns will cover if he has occupancy rights in your current accommodation which will be stronger if he's on the tenancy agreement.

To be honest, I'm surprised that his worklessness and failure to contribute to the household wasn't a factor in the breakdown of his relationship. If he's depressed or ill, he should look into whether he is eligible for incapacity benefit or its successor, ESA.