unemployment benefit

Richard__G

Hi,

My girlfriend is out of work and has finally decided she needs to claim unemployment benefit having eaten up her savings. She's not eligible for contribution based benefits, and she's been told that she won't be eligible for income based either because I'm working. She's living with me, but we're not married, so how can that be right? Am I really expected to support her too or has she been given wrong advice?

Cheers,
Richard

Caz3121

fraid so, contributions based is based on her NI contributions and income based looks at the household income - if you earn more than £100 per week then they class that as enough to support her too, doesn't matter that you are not married

hayley11

You might be able to claim housing/council tax benefit as that is means tested and maybe tax credits, depending on your age and number of hours worked.

Have a look at www.entitledto.co.uk and it should give you an idea of what you can claim.

healy

Richard__G wrote: »

Hi,

My girlfriend is out of work and has finally decided she needs to claim unemployment benefit having eaten up her savings. She's not eligible for contribution based benefits, and she's been told that she won't be eligible for income based either because I'm working. She's living with me, but we're not married, so how can that be right? Am I really expected to support her too or has she been given wrong advice?

Cheers,
Richard

You are treated as a couple for benefits purposes and it is correct that all household income is counted for benefit purposes, I cannot see a problem there.

Yes you are expected to support her as you are a couple and that is what couples are supposed to do. The advice is correct.

casperlee

You can ask for help if you are on a low wage yourself; help with Rent/Council tax. Working tax credits if you are working so many hours per week.
Your not the only on who got stung. My cousin had his benefits stopped as his wife got a redundancy package, that was 1 PENNY over what they were allowed.
£58 a week for a family of 4 isn't alot, when one person is on a low income.

AsknAnswer2

Where income based benefits are concerned, the benefit is calculated on the total household income of the claimant and his or her partner, as well as other resources of the claimant or their partner, such as savings. In legislation, a "partner" is where a person:


(a) is a member of a couple, the other member of that couple;

(b) is married polygamously to two or more members of his household, any such member.

A "couple" is interpretated as:


(a) a man and woman who are married to each other and are members of the same household;

(b) a man and woman who are not married to each other but are living together as husband and wife; (as in living together as (a) above - members of the same household)

(c) two people of the same sex who are civil partners of each other and are members of the same household; or

(d) two people of the same sex who are not civil partners of each other but are living together as if they were civil partners,and for the purposes of paragraph (d), two people of the same sex are to be regarded as living together as if they were civil partners if, but only if, they would be regarded as living together as husband and wife were they instead two people of the opposite sex.

I've bolded the parts which would be relevant to you. As this lady is your girlfriend, and is a member of the same household as you, she is your "partner" for the purposes of income based benefit, and any claim that either of you make to income based benefit will be assessed on financial circumstances of both of you, in accordance with the law.

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To clarify, you have been advised correctly in respect of the fact that any claim to income based benefit will be based on both you and her financial circumstances. However, it is not possible to clarify whether you have been advised correctly in repsect of your girlfriend being disentitled simply because you work. Means tested benefits are assessed on income, not whether or not you are in employment. If your wage is low enough, as a couple, you may be eligible for some benefit. Be that Jobseeker's allowance, council tax benefit, housing benefit or perhaps working tax credits.

To get an idea if you would qualify for means tested benefits, try the calculator here: www.entitledto.com