Entitled to NOTHING?

Westfield_2

Hi there, sorry to make another topic without contributing to anything else, but I am pretty confused and/or screwed.

Basically on the 8th of November my partner and I signed on to Jobseekers Allowance, income based since we're both 21 and don't have enough NI contribution for anything else. When I was there we were told if my partner got the 16-hour a week part-time job she was applying for then I could continue to claim.

Long story short for two months nothing happened. We received no entitlement at all, despite getting letters claiming we could jointly received 100£ a week, and after my partner informed them she got a job my half of the claim became inactive.

After talking to people it was vaguely decided (but not on paper) I could probably still get income-based JSA for myself. It's now the 12th of January and despite filling out JSA 1, JSA 2 and JSA 3 forms nothing has happened.

To make things worse I just rang up today (since my JSA 3 form to remove my partner from the claim wasn't processed within 15 days) and get told I am entitled to absolutely nothing, not one penny.

Does anyone know if this is right? I have been singing on and my parner works 16 hours a week. We are already in our overdraft and have no money left for rent or bills, the backdated Jobseekers Allowance was something we were relying on to survive.

I've been told we can't claim working family tax credit either, since we're both under 25.

Advice would be GREATLY appreciated -- I am at the end of my tether!

karenx

You both under 25 and also dont work more than 30hours per week so no you wouldnt be entitled to WTC unless you had kids then you could claim

Westfield_2

I'm just flabbergasted that getting her pregnant is my only option. Neither of us are bad people, we just can't believe we were led to believe we would be entitled to an amount of money for so long and only got told it wasn't possible today.

dmg24

Getting her pregnant is not your only option. Getting a job would be a much better idea, and hopefully take less time.

Westfield_2

If you can offer me one instantly that would be great, otherwise I am doing everything I can to get a job as soon as possible. The Christmas period is not as advantageous as you might expect for getting recruited.

bestpud

Have you applied for help with rent/council tax?

Westfield_2

We're currently trying to apply for a break in council tax but unfortunately we're renting out property from a friend of the family. Because of that it wasn't considered to be on the 'open market' and thus we're ineligible for help with rent.

dmg24

Westfield wrote: »

If you can offer me one instantly that would be great, otherwise I am doing everything I can to get a job as soon as possible. The Christmas period is not as advantageous as you might expect for getting recruited.

If you expect a job to handed to you instantly, then you need to look at your jobseeking efforts.

I think you need to be a little more realistic with your plans. If you think that making babies is the answer, you are in for a nasty wake up call.

Westfield_2

dmg24 wrote: »

If you expect a job to handed to you instantly, then you need to look at your jobseeking efforts.

I think you need to be a little more realistic with your plans. If you think that making babies is the answer, you are in for a nasty wake up call.

Excuse me sir but you seem to have drastically misread my attempt at levity as a genuine comment. As that is not how it was intended I suggest you kindly be a little less hostile.

Additionally, I did not expect anything to be 'handed to me instantly'. I have been applying for over two months, roughly for twenty five positions a week. This thread is about seeking a little bit of advice because my partner and I despite our efforts are running out of money. If you have nothing to offer other than sarcasm I must ask you to stop responding to this thread.

carpedieme

Hi Westfield sorry to hear about your problems regarding JSA. My husband wasmade redundant in march 2009, since then he has had many problems claining jsa, MAINLY DUE TO INEFFICIENCY on the part of DWP!! He is applying for everything and anything in the Job department, no luck so far, have no advice really Just wish you the best of luck, I would suggest you make an appointment with the CAB, you have nothing to lose, best of luck,ps ignore the Hitlers on here!!

marshallka

Or try contacting your MP. My son has done this as he is fed up of applying for jobs and being turned down and no help from the job centre etc and she has replied and asked for his NI number etc. Although he lives at home its still a struggle. I hope you and your girlfriend ride over this hurdle and just for the record. I realise just how hard it is for jobs and people that actually say to the young to "get up off their asses and go find a job" need to be there themselves. I unfortunately was one of them a few years ago but have seen the light now.

xx

PS Babies are not an option. More troubles I am afraid and you both are so young and need to enjoy your lives first alone I would say. Good luck