Benefits while being bank staff

tonio123

Hi anyone i neeeeeeeeed help!

Im currently on income support but have applied for a job as bank staff in my local hospital,(not got the job yet!) the problem im having is it wont be a set weekly wage as i can only work certain hours and thats if they are availably, now what do i with regards to my benefits?
How do you work out tax credits and HB and council tax benefit and so on do i lose all this but then i wont be able to pay them if i have no work....

Hope it's not to confusing for anyone and please im wrecking my brain as to what will happen.........
Thanks

dmg24

How many hours do you expect to be working each week?

tonio123

Hi, I have no idea as shifts can vary from 6 to 12 hours as far as im aware there is no fixed hour,hope that helps you understand

Savvy_Sue

It will get complicated, and you must keep meticulous records about what you've worked, what you've been paid, and what benefits you've had for each week otherwise you'll end up in a right mess.

You'll be sending off your payslips at regular intervals - always take a photocopy first, and preferably hand deliver and get a signature to say they've been received.

But you will only lose benefits in the weeks when you are paid 'too much'.

tonio123

Thanks for your help, i hope i get the job now!!!!!!!!

Savvy_Sue

Oh, and do your best to save up an emergency fund to cover the weeks when benefits c*ck up. Only use it in an emergency, and replenish it as soon after as you can.

T800

This sounds like a zero-hour contract. As Savvy_Sue has said, you will have to keep good records. Be aware that any week that you earn less than the Lower Earnings Limit (£97) you will be losing your employers contribution to your state pension. I think that it is possible that any week where you work less than 16 hours per week, you can apply for Jobseekers Allowance, and it is possible that they will pay this contribution.

PasturesNew

For those unclear: Bank staff contracts are like simple everyday temping agency contracts. They get a phone call saying somebody's needed for X days - and then the temp (bank staff) is called to see if they want the job. You turn up with a timesheet, work the hours, get the timesheet signed off and send it back. It's just temp agency work, with a different name.

If there is no work, you don't get a call. If there's somebody more able, you don't get a call. You might be fully employed, or not - certainly in the early days you'd get less work as you work your way up the pecking order of getting the calls.

Over time, somebody able and having shown past reliability, will find themselves the top of the pecking order (possibly even getting requests to come back), at which time they'd find themselves fully employed at full-time hours.... but still on the same contract of "if needed, we'll call".