housing benefit and benefit basics query, please help

dustinjames

im going to call the job centre for advice, this is ok?

i can explain to job centre, the job is no good for my health, surely they wont penalise me for this decision?

terryw

Good idea to check with the job centre

dustinjames

terryw wrote: »

Good idea to check with the job centre

shall i go in personally to the jobcentre?
or just call helpline i think: 08000556688

terryw

dustinjames wrote: »

shall i go in personally to the jobcentre?
or just call helpline i think: 08000556688

Either will do

dustinjames

job centere helpline, all they said was they cant help/advise, and said read the .gov website.
although he did say you can quit your job and then claim ESA (in my situation).

What if i quit, and just give the sick note to job centre?

To get housing benefit you need to be on some kind of benefit?
Say if im self employed or freelancing, would this allow me to get help from state?

Right, and after reading the gov website like jobcentre told me to.
It tells me if you are on SSP, you can also claim Income Support AND Working Tax Credit.
Can anyone confirm this? I shall call jobcentre about this.

terryw

Housing Benefit (LHA) does not depend on claiming any any other benefits. It is purely income based - small or no income gives full entitlement.

You will not receive any income support or working tax credit whilst you receive SSP.

If you just quit work you take the risk that you will be sanctioned and not receive JSA. If you quit for health reasons you may receive ESA.

Jowo_2

Right - so your SSP is about £79 per week maximum which is a lot less than just your rent alone?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_10018786

Use the LHA direct website to calculate the maximum LHA rate for your property (note this is the maximum, it doesn't necessarily mean you get the full amount as this will depend on things like income or savings). Use the 'Entitled To' (turn2us) website to calculate benefit entitlements, such as LHA or council tax rebate.

https://lha-direct.voa.gov.uk/Secure/Default.aspx

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

If you are eligible for LHA, how do you propose to pay your rent if it takes awhile to process - do you have any savings or can a family member pay? Note that if you submit all the required paperwork but the local council are slow to process it, after 14 days you can request an interim housing benefit payment. This isn't automatic, it has to be requested.

Why is your relationship with the letting agent sour? you indicated that it had deteriorated within a week of you moving into the property.

Do not give up your job without taking expert advice from someone like the Citizens Advice Bureau since you can be sanctioned for up to 6 months and not be eligible for JSA in that period which could tip you into debt. They can also guide you through your benefit entitlements, too.

The majority of applications made for ESA (the replacement for Incapacity Benefit) are rejected. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't try but that it now focusses on what a person is capable of so is less likely to write them off as fully unemployable.

To understand how LHA works, you should read the local council website or Shelter website. LHA is paid directly to tenants in virtually all instances unless the local council considers the tenant is too vulnerable to manage their own money (for example, someone with learning difficulties, a history of arrears or addictions). Therefore the landlord is generally not contacted about the application.

dustinjames

terryw, thankyou
so if a person is on HB and CTB at present, and then they quit their job, resign, or are fired, the HB and CTB will remain intact, albeit after they update circumstances of no income..?

I read Gov website, and it said if you are on SSP, you can get Income support and working tax credit. I even did the benefit checker on gov website, and it said i can get £52pw working tax credit currently.

Quit for health reasons, for ESA, would i need to write the reason in the actual notice of resignation to employer? or just tell my reasoning after the fact, to ESA application?

Jowo, thankyou.
im currently on HB and CTB: all running smoothly and efficiently and were very quick to sort out and process.

letting agent: i had some issues, emailed them, they got annoyed and replied with attitude and were unhelpful in some matters, and standoffish eg go elsewhere if youre not happy!!! Terrible customer service. I have not spoken to them since, its been going ok. Im happy with place.

I dont know what to go onto after SSP.
If its ESA then that means i will be a psychiatric case, as im awaiting a meeting with mental health professionals. But other medical professionals have told me to NOT go down this route, as medical record is marked for life, and life insurance and mortgage etc are adversally affected; as they think i am not an extreme psychiatric case, but GP has sent me down this path as his first action.

cheers