Unemployed and entitled to nothing

vickyw

I really need your help.
My partner and I are in a lot of trouble. We've lived together for two years, been our current place for about a year. He was made redundant in October and started a claim for JSA straight away and we were told it had to be a joint claim. We found out then that he is only entitled to an insulting £2 per week JSA because I am a student and they worked out my student loan 'income' as £98 per week. It isn't an income, I am a STUDENT and can't support myself financially, let alone my partner. We do recieve £360 Housing Benefit per month but that is £90 short of our rent.

We put an appeal in to the JSA and found out today (though it's not official yet) that no, we still can't have any money.We have lived off £368 a month since October. And yes I do recieve a lump sum of student loan every 4 months or so but we are in so much debt, rent/utilities (both our mobiles are regularly cut off, debt collectors calling, power and water been threatened to be cut off) that when I do get my loan, it all goes straight out to the many, many people we owe money to leaving us with little or no money.

I am two years into my course and think I'm going to have to drop out or leave for a year to get a job/sign on so we can actually afford to live. It is a disgusting state of affairs, I am at university trying to better myself and being punished for it.

I'm looking for a solution to our problem. Does anybody have any ideas of what else we can do or what else we might be entitled to, we are completely desparate.
Thank you.

seven-day-weekend

Your student loan is classed as income so will be counted as such in the means test. Also they do not take your personal debts into consideration.

Pop over to the Debt-Free Wannabee board for help and advice about Debt Management and Budgeting. If you don't have to pay so much out on debt repayment, you will be able to make your money go further.

Meanwhile, I think you should both look for and take any job going - bar work etc - to keep your heads above water.

Snakeeyes21

So why do you have to give up your studies? why cant your partner work?

The law says a couple can live on something like £105 a week, because you get close to this that why you are not entitled to any benefits.

You either need to get an evening job or tell your partner to pull his finger out and support you.

iamana1ias

Presumably you're getting married on the cheap?

vickyw

He has been looking and applying for anything he can, shop work, bar work, McDonalds, labourer on a building site. He takes has CV round the local town on a weekly basis and applys for any job he sees. He has had about 8 interviews and second interviews but it has all come to nothing so far. He doesn't sit on his bum all day watching TV he is out there looking for work. He signs on every week and would take any job that was offered to him, he just hasn't been offered anything yet.
We are supposed to be getting married in 6 weeks and everthing was paid for well in advance so, not helpful at all iamana1ias.

iamana1ias

But are the debts as a result of your wedding spending or essential living expenses?

If you've borrowed £15k to get married and now can't afford to repay, that's hardly the taxpayer's problem!

dmg24

vickyw wrote: »

We are supposed to be getting married in 6 weeks and everthing was paid for well in advance so, not helpful at all iamana1ias.

To be fair to iamana1ias, you only bought your dress last week, so that is not strictly true.

elektra-2007

Has your other half tried agency's, Also have u appled to the hardship fund at your college/uni thay can help with living expenses. If you are a fulltime student you should get a council tax rebate.
What about you other half also becoming a student is there anything he wants to do?
How long has he been unemployed will the job centre put him on any courses that will improve his chances for a job.
Just try keep strong there are jobs out there, has he looked at jobs that arnt as popular like working nights in a garage or factories ect.
Good Luck

vickyw

Our wedding cost a grand total of £2,000 and was mostly paid for before my OH was made redundant and they rest has been paid for by our parents. I appreciate your comments but no, we haven't borrowed any money for it which I'm quite pleased with.
We have less than £400 coming in a month and our minimum monthly outgoings are £800. This adds up and I honestly don't know how we've lasted so long.

snowmaid

iamana1ias wrote: »

But are the debts as a result of your wedding spending or essential living expenses?

If you've borrowed £15k to get married and now can't afford to repay, that's hardly the taxpayer's problem!

Has the OP said she has borrowed that? I must have missed that posting.

vickyw

elektra-2007 wrote: »

Has your other half tried agency's, Also have u appled to the hardship fund at your college/uni thay can help with living expenses. If you are a fulltime student you should get a council tax rebate.
What about you other half also becoming a student is there anything he wants to do?
How long has he been unemployed will the job centre put him on any courses that will improve his chances for a job.
Just try keep strong there are jobs out there, has he looked at jobs that arnt as popular like working nights in a garage or factories ect.
Good Luck

Thank you for your help. We don't pay council tax at all at the moment because he recieves housing benefit but yes I do recieve a discount.