Why am I better off on benefits than I am in work?

EltonJohnFan

Hi all,

I just got news this morning that a job interview I went for was a sucesss! I'm really pleased about this and I had a hurried 5 minute talk with the disability advisor in the Jobcentre this afternoon and she done a benefit check up with me to see if I would be better off in work should I take this job. If you read my previous posts you'll see that I was made redundant a few months ago and unfortunately due to my disabilities it has been a lot harder than I expected to find work. I am now stuck in a catch 22 situation because the job I went for will pay around £225 per week after tax and yet I currently receive £200.25 per week in Jobseekers Allowance and Disability Living Allowance. with full Housing and Council Tax Benefit. The woman from the Jobcentre told me that I would now have full rent and council tax to pay if I took the job and that I'd actually be worse off, just how is that possible!? I want to work and it now seems like I'll have to turn this job which is not something I want to do. Can someone help me out? I thought maybe I'd be entitled to Tax Credits which might help make up my money but I'm not sure. I'm under 24 and single and someone told me that because I don't have kids I don't qualify for Tax Credits so that's left me disappointed too. I so want to be working, not wasting away on benefits and just don't know what to do.

DX2

If you are disabled you should be able to claim WTC even though you are under 25, I take it the advisor forgot to mention this.

nannytone_2

i dont understand how you receive £200 in JSA and DLA, or does that figure include your hb and ctb too?

dmg24

You will still receive DLA whilst working.

Sam____2

You'll still get your DLA and the single person discount for council tax. You say you'll be worse off working but by that do you mean you won't have enough to live on or just that you get more on benefits so don't see the point in signing off? out of curiousity if your on JSA and have been offered a job that you turn down did your advisor not tell you you may be sanctioned for up to 26 weeks for refusing work?

EltonJohnFan

nannytone wrote: »

i dont understand how you receive £200 in JSA and DLA, or does that figure include your hb and ctb too?

No, I am disabled and I currently receive a higher rate of Jobseekers Allowance along with my Disability Living Allowance. My Housing and Council Tax benefit is seperate from this.

EltonJohnFan

Sam___ wrote: »

You'll still get your DLA and the single person discount for council tax. You say you'll be worse off working but by that do you mean you won't have enough to live on or just that you get more on benefits so don't see the point in signing off? out of curiousity if your on JSA and have been offered a job that you turn down did your advisor not tell you you may be sanctioned for up to 26 weeks for refusing work?

What I meant was that even though I want to take this job because anything's got to be better than languising on benefits my worry is that I won't be able to survive as it's quite a low wage for this area and I don't think I'd have enough money to live on after paying my rent and council tax, let alone everything else. I am aware of the sanction on my benefits as the woman explained this but in truth that isn't what worrys me but I am worried that I can find myself in a situation such as this. I'm annoyed that I want to work and I'm in a situation where it's not worth my while to work when it shouldn't be like that at all. Thanks for your help. I just hope to get this sorted out.

Jowo_2

Double check the new scenario by putting in the details into the Turn 2 us (entitled to) online benefit calculator. Then come back to the forum and tell us the difference.

Indie_Kid

nannytone wrote: »

i dont understand how you receive £200 in JSA and DLA, or does that figure include your hb and ctb too?

People on DLA who get income based benefits receive more than someone not on DLA - they receive extra money called premiums. These depend on what level of DLA you're on plus a few other things.

EltonJohnFan

Jowo wrote: »

Double check the new scenario by putting in the details into the Turn 2 us (entitled to) online benefit calculator. Then come back to the forum and tell us the difference.

Wow! great website, thanks. I put all my information into it and it came back that I'm actually entitled to Tax Credits after all. Why didn't the advisor mention this? hmm. Anyway, If I take this job then I am actually £25 a week better off including the Tax Credits that I might be entitled to and including my DLA award along with my wages. I am glad you gave me that website adress because it's really helped me. I would be a lot worse off if I didn't get a Tax Credit award, at least £85 a week worse off and that's a lot of money to me.

Sam____2

EltonJohnFan wrote: »

Wow! great website, thanks. I put all my information into it and it came back that I'm actually entitled to Tax Credits after all. Why didn't the advisor mention this? hmm. Anyway, If I take this job then I am actually £25 a week better off including the Tax Credits that I might be entitled to and including my DLA award along with my wages. I am glad you gave me that website adress because it's really helped me. I would be a lot worse off if I didn't get a Tax Credit award, at least £85 a week worse off and that's a lot of money to me.

Good times!!

all the best in your new job!!!