Housing & Council Tax benefit run on

Gary1963

I have recenty started work after a period of 9 months unemployment. During that time I received JSA contribution based for 182 days and then applied and was given JSA Income based intil I signed off.

I did not automatically get the job grant although I am entitled and had to call to get this. However I am confused as to whether I am entitled to the four week run on of Housing and council tax benefit.

Do you get it after 6 months of receiving JSA or is it only after 6 months of receiving Income based JSA i.e means tested benefits?

Just to make matters a little more complicated on my letter from JSA it says ''You appear not to have satisfied all the qualifying conditions for a run on of Housing benefit or Council benefit. If you have been getting Jobseekers's allowance or income support or a combination of the two for the last 26 weeks you should contact your local Authority, as you may still be able to get the run on''

The mind boggles!!

marydot

When I stopped claiming jsa I was entitled to the 4 weeks run on of housing benefit and council tax this was stated in the letter I recieved after i stopped claiming. I did not get the job grant.

Sounds like you are not entitled to the 4 weeks run on,otherwise it would state otherwise in the letter,but do call them to see what they say.

Its the decision of the housing benefits that pay the 4 weeks run on, not the job centre.

I had to wait a few weeks for my decision but i got the 4 weeks run on, I was not that concerned about the job grant as rent and council tax are more important.

Gary1963

I agree the 4 weeks run on is far more important. Its always a fight to get things in this country!

hippy-chicy

There are strict criteria for a HB/CTB 4 week extended payment.

The first being that you need to have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for 26 weeks continuously with no breaks. A break of even a day within the 26 weeks will mean that this cannot be paid. It can be a combination of JSC and JSA IB that make up the 26 weeks but you would end your claim on JSA IB. Which makes sense as your conts are paid first and would have exhausted after 26 weeks anyway.

Secondly your JSA needs to have ended because you have started working and not for another reason, for example if you failed to sign on the Monday then got a job on the Friday.
Thirdly your employment needs to be remunerative and expected to last over 5 weeks.

As already mentioned by marydot you need to contact your LA directly regarding the EP as they administer and verify that you meet the conditions. It is not something done through the job centre.
Its pretty easy for them to do this, they can verify the 26 weeks via their link up with the DWP and they will normally accept verification of the 5 weeks etc over the phone or they may want it in writing.

Gary1963

Thanks for your replies.