Tax allowance, unemployment, benefits.

Masha_2

I am the wife (non-European) of an European national; Living together for 2 years in UK I left and reenter married in February with a family permit. I am currently applying for my residence card.

The fact is that in spite of my degrees (bachelors and master in business and finance) I can't find any job. After all this time, I can’t believe none considers me e.g. for an administrative assistant position, in spite of all the plus skills they require for this kind of position. I am having in mind that I am being discriminated against. After all those applications I simple can’t understand why. I know about those latent immigrations issues that are really raising the discrimination. But what can I do? My husband has a life here for 15 years and has the mortgage and in some way we are just stuck for economic issues. Lawfully I have the rights without restrictions as my husband has to stay and work in UK for being his wife.

I was reading a thread here about depression. lately I am having that kind of symptoms! The last thing I want is to get sick! But I can’t avoid it. Not knowing anybody in the town, isolated at my place, missing my family (almost 4 years without see them) tired of applying for jobs and having no answer, waiting and worrying for my husband that has to travel for 5 hours to go and come back from work (with the bike broken, now by bus). I actually can’t be anymore without working, my savings are going to cero and my husband wages doesn’t cover the full expenses. We planned to get married for religious in my home country, if this continuous happening we won’t be able even to travel out of the country. On the other hand in spite of the law and European rights, the Home Office is failing to issue a crucial document (between 2 weeks after application is received) that confirms my application for the residence, and they can’t answer enquires for up to Six months after the application! which could take ages, and they have our passports! We can’t go anywhere. So I think this is just getting too much. Without mentioning family plans.

Perhaps after all of this I should just have come here. I am thinking to ask for jobseeker allowance; I really don’t want this, because somehow it may complicate my application, even I am entitled to. I am trying and thinking to work part time perhaps it’s easier to find. My question is if I get the jobseeker allowance will that affect my Tax allowance if eventually I start working? Or if I work part time, will I be loosing the opportunity for the tax allowance? given that part-time job is not taxed anyway, Should I keep trying a full time job only?

Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

Oldernotwiser

If your husband is working you won't qualify for Jobseekers as you won't have paid the relevant contributions and his earnings will be too high for means testing.

In your position, I would concentrate on improving my English by studying, voluntary work or taking a low skilled job where you work amongst other English speakers. I don't feel that your current language skills would enable you to get an administrative post, certainly not during the current recession.

G51shopaholic

depending on your nationality you could try looking into getting work as a Translator or Interpreter. NHS, Juctice, DHSS are all in need of assistance in this area.

As Oldernotwiser said you won't qualify for any benefits if your husband is working.

Not sure what you mean about Tax on Part-time. It's the amount of money you get paid from the job that determine's how much tax you pay not the hours you work.

All employment earnings are Taxable.

Good luck

paulwf

Hi Masha,

What countries are you both from? I'm just wondering if there are support groups from your nations in this country, there might be more help out there than you realise Also what area are you living in now as there may be local organisations that can also help.

I know what it is like living abroad and finding it impossible to find a job, all I can say is there are plenty of other people struggling to find a job so don't take it personally. Maybe if we know your nationalities we can offer some specific job suggestions.

Don't give up!

Savvy_Sue

Do you have a vital piece of paper, one which says "Masha has the right to work in the UK"?

Without that, sadly, you are NOT going to be able to get paid work. It's just not going to happen. Doesn't matter if you have the right, if you don't have that piece of paper you can't do it.

However, you might well be able to do voluntary work, for which reasonable travel expenses should be paid so that you're not out of pocket.

Then, once you HAVE that vital piece of paper, you'll have much better experience ready for job hunting.

Masha_2

Thanks, all you are very kind to answer. I know I might have sounded a little bit cranky. In fact I didn’t mean to expose personal matters, perhaps to bring out general issues that people like me experiment.

Previously I was working in retail, doing a lot of administrative tasks and a lot of multitasking job by my own initiative. Employer offered a promotion to work in head office, but my visa was about to expire, then I left work. And then I got married and I was working in Italy in the accountant department of a construction company, after 6 months I came to England again. I live in Bedford. My husband is Italian and I am Chilean. I know my English is not best I have, and my Spanish, good Italian and Portuguese seem not to help.

I must confess I never thought to have this need to talk about myself and express this kind of disappoints. In some way it has been a raw reasoning of my part, probably little sensible. I hope I didn’t offend anyone. I was here actually in some search of information about payroll that I want review for learning purposes and I ended up like this :O mmmm

Well, I thought about volunteering, so I have done my first trying in applying a position related to my skills; in that search I found a charity for woman and work, it was good news to learn that they can do a comparison or validation of my degrees to UK and offer some other advise.
About my right to work, sure I have the way or say the paper to show that right. But obviously, the document I am waiting for is the appropriate to show this.

lala123_3

The best thing you can do is keep applying and make sure your CV is up to scratch and sells you well. I graduated from uni last year with a business degree and have retail experience similar to you, and it took me 9 months to find a "proper" job. Like you I was being rejected for admin assistant jobs I knew I was more than capable of doing. It's just the way things are at the moment, there are so many people with the EXACT skills an employer wants and just not enough jobs for us all. I very much doubt you're being discriminated against, it's just really tough finding jobs just now.

Volunteering is a good idea as it shows you are willing to work and maybe you'll learn some new skills to help with in the future. Good luck!