Help. What do we do?

corneredandscared

My husband and I have lost our income as our small business has no real work on the books. My husband who is the head of the family has signed on for jobseekers allowance and help with mortgage interest payments. We are worried about our situation because although the business has effectively stopped we are still getting very small orders which perhaps earn us around £160 per week. We urgently need to know if declaring this income will bar us from receiving mortgage interest assistance? We don't want to fraudulently accept benefit but frankly the erratic payments that we're receiving from the small orders that are trickling in won't keep our heads above water. We can accept losing Jobseekers allowance but can't afford to turn our backs on mortgage assistance. Do we need to refuse to accept any further business and accept that the business is closed?

merlin68

Yes it would, as you are recieving more than jsa would pay you as a couple which is £102 a week. So you wouldn't get jsa.

corneredandscared

So that would rule out mortgage assistance too?

merlin68

You have to be on income based job seekers, not contribution based as well and the waiting time is 13 weeks.

merlin68

http://mobile.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repossession/mortgage_arrears/support_for_mortgage_interest

AnxiousMum

Have you already survived the 13 weeks until your mortgage assistance kicks in?

Voyager2002

Presumably you could accept some orders, so long as each week you earn less than your JSA. You would be out of pocket for doing so (since your JSA would be reduced pound for pound by the amount of your earnings) but at least you would keep your business open.

corneredandscared

I don't mind losing JSA but we have now reached the 13 weeks required before getting mortgage help. We CAN't afford to lose this as we are already in arrears and face repossession if we can't restart making payments. My original question was simply if we earn something (and it's deducted from JSA pound for pound) will we still be entitled to mortgage help?

merlin68

If you haven't declared your earnings then you are comitting fraud.

karenx

But if you earn over the £102 then you will recieve no help from JSA and plus you both have to be activly seeking full time employment while being on JSA. So I think you will either have to come off JSA and continue with the business or close the business and concentrate on finding full time jobs.