New claim for JSA messed up by WTC 4 week run on period??

Midnight_Tboy

Hi there.

Stressful times ahead...lol....

ok so heres the basic background.

I am 33, live with my partner (not married), and we have 2 children together, 2 and 5, in a rented house.

For the past few years I worked, as a contractor through an agency, for the NHS, on 2+ month contracts that rolled on. I was paid by my agency through an umbrella company (not by choice - agency insisted it was either that, or by me setting up a limited company), and I've been in receipt of working tax credits.

We have around 2k in total savings (and of course plenty debts to offset it)

Now at the end of July, for this particular NHS, due to the cuts, all the contracters were released early.

I then started the process of claiming Income Based JSA, as I believe this is what I was best for and entitled to.

3 Days later however, I was interviewed and accepted a job with a different NHS PCT on an 8 week contract (since extended to 11weeks)....and so I was only signing on for the 1 week, so signed off more or less straight away

A few weeks later, we received a letter through the post, saying the claim was successful etc...and that I would be £65.45 per week...though obviously was only a few days worth I'd have received.

I was confused to this, as I was under the impression that with me living with partner and having 2 children, we would be getting a little over £100 per week, until I noticed they'd put me onto CB-JSA instead of IB-JSA.

I called them up to query it anyway, and the reason they said it went to Contributions Based JSA was because after leaving work, I get a 4 week run on period of Working Tax Credits....and so they have to put it to CB-JSA as (in their words) "Its in my best interests as I receive more that way".

I wasn't overly bothered at the time, just curious, as it did not matter, seeing as I was back in employment.

Anyway......I have just worked my final day today of the 11 week contract, so tomorrow I will be needing to make, I believe a rapid reclaim.

My concern is this.......

Presumably.....I will still get a 4 week run on for Working Tax Credit (as presumably anybody who works and entitled to it would get)

Now that would mean then that they will insist that I receive CB-JSA and not IB-JSA as its "in my interests"

Now that is and sounds fine for while those first 4 weeks of automatic run on of WTC are paid...that I am paid the lesser amount.

BUT....CB-JSA lasts for 6 months if I read it correctly, Working Tax Credits are only paid for the 4 weeks period after leaving a job.

What does this mean will happen after the 4 week period of working tax credits has stopped? Will I be forced to continue to get CB-JSA?

Which will ultimately mean, that even though I have low savings, a partner and 2 children, only be entitled to a single persons allowance of £65.45 per week, instead of the £100+ per week for a full 6 months?

Or once the WTC run on period ends, do they automatically re-assess my benefit?

I don't quite get how this will work because of this WTC run on period causing the problems, which is stressing me out at the moment, as money was going to be tight, but potentially now way tighter than I'd at first anticipated

Hope you can help,

Midnight_Tboy

I forgot to add also.....my partner does not work, as she looks after the kids and home

Indie_Kid

You don't have a choice whether you claim CB or IBJSA.

Midnight_Tboy

OK I understand the reason why they choose it..but surely this will affect anyone who claims nowadays since whenever this 4 week WTC rollover period was introduced - but then what happens after the 4 week period of Working Tax Credits runover ends?

The decision for them to put me onto CB-JSA was because I was in receipt of this 4 week runover. But naturally, in 4 weeks, that WTC will end, so does that mean they will reassess as its a change in circumstances, or will I be stuck with CB-JSA for up to 6 months? (not that I'm hoping it will be that long)....if so, it will result in me being an extra £50ish down thereabouts per week, on top of more difficult to sort out other benefits such as HB/CT and other things such as free school meals for my son

Indie_Kid

Midnight_Tboy wrote: »

A few weeks later, we received a letter through the post, saying the claim was successful etc...and that I would be £65.45 per week...though obviously was only a few days worth I'd have received.

I was confused to this, as I was under the impression that with me living with partner and having 2 children, we would be getting a little over £100 per week, until I noticed they'd put me onto CB-JSA instead of IB-JSA.

Is your partner looking for work? You only get £102.75 per week on income based if both of you are looking for work.

dookar

Midnight_Tboy wrote: »

OK I understand the reason why they choose it..but surely this will affect anyone who claims nowadays since whenever this 4 week WTC rollover period was introduced - but then what happens after the 4 week period of Working Tax Credits runover ends?

The decision for them to put me onto CB-JSA was because I was in receipt of this 4 week runover. But naturally, in 4 weeks, that WTC will end, so does that mean they will reassess as its a change in circumstances, or will I be stuck with CB-JSA for up to 6 months? (not that I'm hoping it will be that long)....if so, it will result in me being an extra £50ish down thereabouts per week, on top of more difficult to sort out other benefits such as HB/CT and other things such as free school meals for my son

It will just be because the wtc exceeds your applicable amount.

sh1305 wrote: »

Is your partner looking for work? You only get £102.75 per week on income based if both of you are looking for work.

untrue

Wig

Midnight_Tboy wrote: »

I forgot to add also.....my partner does not work, as she looks after the kids and home

and she hasn't worked in recent years? .... If she has worked enough she can claim her own JSA conts only claim.

Do you know how much the working tax run on will be each week?

Wig

dookar wrote: »

untrue

Could you clarify please?

I always thought they both had to look for work aswell.

dookar

Wig wrote: »

Could you clarify please?

I always thought they both had to look for work aswell.

Only in a joint claim

Wig

The answer to the basic question, is I don't know if the JSA BDC will automatically correct your JSA from C to IB, you could ask them.

However, there is nothing to stop you from re-claiming JSA IB on the day after your WTC run on finishes, and you should refuse a rapid reclaim at this stage and insist on a full claim. Are you getting WTC or CTC? Answer on that day would be "only CTC". Before doing this I would ask your personal advisor at your Work focused interview in the next few days, about doing this and whether they could do some tweeking for you at the right time or whether you would need to hand in your ES40 one day and then claim JSA IB on the phone the next day.


In the mean time ask your council for HB/CTB on a low income assessment

Wig

dookar wrote: »

Only in a joint claim

Yes, but I thought also when there are children? Only one has to attend the jobcentre, but both have to look for work. The idea is that if both are looking for work they double their chances of finding work and who ever is not working will look after the children. The partner of the claimant is also given a work focused interview after a few months.