Any help gratefully received re circumstances.

thanksinadvance

We are a young couple with a 6 mth old baby.
I'm an agency worker with no work for the past 3 wks so I've put in a new claim for JSA 3 days ago. Since then had a call from my manager to say we have work for you; 2 days a week totalling 15 hours, net pay £132 p/week.
My partner is on Statutory Maternity Pay of £123.06 per week due to come to an end May 5th. She won't be returning to work. She also receives £20 p/w child benefit and £100 p/w child tax credit.

Please could you kindly give me an idea of what we should get as housing benefit and council tax benefit? Private Rent is £525 and C.Tax is £112.84 p/month. That amount is below our LHA for Birmingham.

And will I still be entitled to contribution based JSA if I'm working 15 hrs p/week? Will I be able to get Working Tax Credit on that income aswell?

We are so stressed with growing debt and fear of being unable to pay the rent etc now. I would be really thankful for any help and info. I Have called the relevant agencies and looked at the websites but still waiting for answers and keeping getting conflicting info, aswell as very unhelpful and illinformed call centre workers.

N.B I have been working full-time for many years before this.

BTW entitledto.co.uk bases it's figures on tax year of 2009/2010 whereas HMRC tax credits helpline don't ask for that, they base it on projected earnings for Apr 2010-Apr 2011 as we are now past the 6th Apr.

Tobiwan_Kenobi

Can't help as far as LA benefits are concerned but you will need to inform the JCP of part time work and complete a B7 (detailing hours and earnings) each time you sign. Your JSA claim will remain open but your pay will wipe out your entitlement. I believe you are under the number of hours required to claim Working Tax Credit.

karenx

to get working tax credits you can't be on jsa. And that wage for that week takes you over the jsa amount so that week your jsa will be nil.