Help with Mortgage Interest???

Supertee

Is it true that when you become entitled to help with your mortgage interest payments it is deducted from your jobseekers allowance?

dmg24

No, that is not true. Your eligible amount is added to your usual JSA payment, and then deducted at source to be paid directly to the lender.

Edinburgh65

Hello.

If the DWP letter is still the same format as one that I received a few months ago, it will say that the mortgage payment is being deducted from your JSA but will not tell you that there has been any increase to your JSA. It will tell you that your JSA payment remains unchanged and could lead you to believe that you will actually be worse off, but that won't be the case. When I got my letter, I burst into tears because they were going to overpay my mortgage by 42%, but because it looked as though they were going to be taking that out of my JSA, it looked as though I was going to be much worse off. I called the DWP office to get clarification, and the girl who I spoke to said that they get lots of calls about these letters because they are very confusing. It's about time that the DWP started to use clear English in their letters, as although I am fairly intelligent, I have had a few letters that have been nonsensical. If their "good news" letters are reducing people to tears and causing unnecessary worry, then something is seriously wrong somewhere. Thankfully, DWP letters are no longer an issue as I am no longer unemployed.

Good luck!

Supertee

Thanks for the replies. Here is a brief rundown of my circumstances.
I became unemployed on 7th May 2009 after 23 years at the same company(from leaving school). I signed on and was told I am to receive £64.30 a week Jobseekers Allowance(contributary based). I was told I can claim this for 6 months maximum, after this would become Income Based JSA of £62.54 a week. In the meantime I was advised to ask for help with my mortgage interest payments(bought house in December 1995). I did so and was told payments will start when I change to Income Based JSA which was to be 13th November 2009.
On the 10th November I received a letter from Jobseekers, this is what it said;

The money you are entitled to each week includes money towards the interest on your mortgage/home loan. We will take money from your JSA to pay straight to your lender. We will pay your lender at the end of every 4 weeks.
Of the £62.54 we will take £27.89 and pay it to your lender.

YOU CANNOT APPEAL AGAINST THE DECISION TO TAKE MONEY FROM YOUR ALLOWANCE TO PAY YOUR INTEREST.

And so I was left with just £34.65 a week. It nearly destroyed my family. Through no fault of my own I was unemployed, I did'nt have a clue how the benefits system worked and found my local Jobcentre unwilling to explain things properly.
Fortunately in May this year I have got myself a permanent job. I am now 8 months in arrears with my mortgage and I am just managing to hold off reposession. If I had been told beforehand that the payment was taken from me, I could have planned a bit better.
Have I any cause for complaint?

dmg24

Did you have savings, or other household income?

Supertee

No, I had no savings. The only other income was my wifes Incapacity Benefit paid at £210.90 every 2 weeks and Child Benefit paid at £80.00 every 4 weeks.
I have every single letter that the Benefits Office/Jobcentre have sent to me.