Which benefits could I claim?

EltonJohnFan

Hi,

I'm desperately looking for some advice on which benefits I could possibly claim as I've been in receipt of Contributions Based Jobseekers Allowance for just over six months now and the Department for Work and Pensions is really starting to put pressure on me to find work and they've stated that I must attend a meeting on Monday morning to discuss what's going to happen next as they say I've been on Jobseekers Allowance for a long time. I was made redundant and have been trying desperately to find work but it's just not happening, economy is in a bad way and it's just so hard right now to find anything. I'm extremely worried that I might end up in a situation where I've got no money coming in and getting no help to pay my Rent and Council Tax because the Department for Work and Pensions really seem to want to worry me right now by telling me that if my Jobseekers Allowance stops then I won't get Rent or Council Tax Benefit anymore either. I've just done a benefits check with Entitled2 momentarily and it's came back that I'm entitled to Income Support but when I queried this previously I was told it's not possible for me to claim that benefit so I'm curious to know if there's anything else I could possibly claim meanwhile?

I'm very badly disabled and have extensive care and mobility needs but this doesn't mean I don't want to work because I DO want to work but just don't seem to be having any luck right now. I'm sure things will improve in the medium to long term but at this moment in time I just can't see myself job hunting any longer as my confidence has all but dried up after the countless rejection and stress of it all and I'm looking to potentially claim a benefit that won't have me being pressurised as I am at the moment into taking work that pays less than I receive in benefits each week (strange situation I know) and doesn't offer me permanent work but is only temporary work with no guarantee of how long it will last and no guarantee of how many hours I'll work each week, seriously, how can the Department for Work and Pensions "direct" people to apply for this sort of work? I'd try anything within reason considering my disabilities but I can't honestly see how they can expect someone to aply for a temporary job with a zero hours contract because that seems a little bit silly to me. Anyway, I'll list what I currently receive at the moment and maybe you could tell me more? thank you very much indeed for your help


Rent and Council Tax Benefit - £N/A
Disability Premium - Single Person - £28.00
Severe Disabilty Premium - Single Person - £53.65
Contributions Based Jobseekers Allowance - £51.85
Care Component of Disability Living Allowance at Middle Rate - £47.80
Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance at Lower Rate - £18.95

Weekly Benefits Total is - £200.25 (Rent and Council Tax not included in this figure)

RazWaz

I used to be in the exact same situation as you (same benefits) apart from I was on income based JSA. After 6 months you wont get contribution based anymore but you should get income based as long as your household income isn't too high and you don't have over £6k in savings.

Do you have a disability adviser at the job centre? I had one and he was really helpful, and after 18 months of searching I finally managed to get a job If you don't have one, ask and they should make you an appointment.

hethmar

To find out what you could claim, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

dookar

hethmar wrote: »

To find out what you could claim, go to your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

That's that then, close the forum

EltonJohnFan

RazWaz wrote: »

I used to be in the exact same situation as you (same benefits) apart from I was on income based JSA. After 6 months you wont get contribution based anymore but you should get income based as long as your household income isn't too high and you don't have over £6k in savings.

Do you have a disability adviser at the job centre? I had one and he was really helpful, and after 18 months of searching I finally managed to get a job If you don't have one, ask and they should make you an appointment.

Hi,

Thanks for a really good reply. I do have a Disability Advisor who I meet with every month. She's a really lovely lady and goes out of her way to help me and she can empathise with me in that because of the seriousness of my disabilities it's a lot harder than it would be for an ordinary person to find work. I'm glad you found a job, just wish I was in the same situation as I desperately want to work and don't want to be stuck on benefits all my life. I'm embarrassed not to be working but I do feel that I should try and get all the necessary support possible at this moment in time and if that includes claiming benefits then so be it. I'd like to claim Income Support as it's easier for me but I don't mind claiming Income Based Jobseekers Allowance if that's the only benefit I'm entitled to claim. I do wish though that they'd be a little more lenient with me as some of the advisors are really harsh and demand that I show them five completed applications each time I sign on and expect me to take away three printed out job vacancies that they give me to take away each time I visit too. I had to laugh at the last one which was for a factory worker... good job for the right person but in my situation just not possible. I looked at the girl who gave me this and asked if she was seriously expecting someone in my situation to apply for that sort of job and she just blurted back that I should apply for every job I can... if only that was possible.

hethmar

dookar wrote: »

That's that then, close the forum

Dont follow that? The CAB have a computer program that you feed your circs into and you get the results - isnt that better than just asking people with no real expertise or complete knowledge of the OPs circs?

dookar

EltonJohnFan wrote: »

I do wish though that they'be a little more lenient with me as some of the advisors are really harsh and demand that I show them five applications each time I sign on and expect me to take away three printed out job vacancies that they give me to take away. I had to laugh at the last one which was a factory worker... I looked at the girl who gave me this and asked if she was seriously expecting someone in my situation to apply for that sort of job and she just blurted back that I should apply for every job I can... if only that was possible.

What is on your jobseeker's agreement? If they are talking like this because of your agreement then you need to change it. You are disabled, you only need to be available for hours and types of work that your disability allows (providing its no less than one hour). Also, the five applications thing is nonsense. The law demands 'no fewer than three steps, unless fewer than three steps is all that is reasonable', if your disability means you can't spend as much time jobseeking as able bodied people you can do less.

Fill me in and I can help you in making your JSA claim more suited to your disability. I probably can't help so much with other benefits.

dookar

hethmar wrote: »

Dont follow that? The CAB have a computer program that you feed your circs into and you get the results - isnt that better than just asking people with no real expertise or complete knowledge of the OPs circs?

I was being a little facetious, but signposting to CAB (who can be shockingly unknowledgable) kind of defeats the purpose of the forum.

EltonJohnFan

dookar wrote: »

What is on your jobseeker's agreement? If they are talking like this because of your agreement then you need to change it. You are disabled, you only need to be available for hours and types of work that your disability allows (providing its no less than one hour). Also, the five applications thing is nonsense. The law demands 'no fewer than three steps, unless fewer than three steps is all that is reasonable', if your disability means you can't spend as much time jobseeking as able bodied people you can do less.

Fill me in and I can help you in making your JSA claim more suited to your disability. I probably can't help so much with other benefits.

Wow! Thank you very much

I never realised there were "limits" so to speak on how much I was legally obliged to do in looking for work because the Department for Work and Pensions advisor I met with at the very beggining of my claim told me that I had to do whatever I was told by them and that they expected me to bring those completed applications (or proof of a completed application) with me whenever I came to sign on and I've literally had to ask them to not to "direct" me as they seem to call it into applying for jobs I know aren't practical for someone in my situation and jobs that I know I have absolutely no chance of getting, I mean seriously, if an employer saw someone in my situation applying for labouring and cleaning etc they're probably more likely to laugh! it's just not possible and the staff should know this. I understand they're just doing their jobs and I'm not deliberately ruling out the sort of work I can do because believe me I want a job more than anything but it has to be a job within reason, something I can realistically do.

I'm pretty sure the meeting on Monday morning is probably to tell me that my claim for Contributions Based Jobseekers Allowance is going to end as I was told recently that you can only claim it for six months or so. I'd honestly prefer to go over to Income Support meanwhile, not permanently just until I feel confident again in looking for work and the jobs market picks up a little. I've been told by different people that I can't claim this benefit and yet at the same time other people are telling me I should claim it because I'm definitely entitled. I just don't know who to believe or what to do. I'll have to ask about getting my Jobseekers Agreement changed, really great point you mentioned as this is all news to me but I have to add here that they state in my agreement they don't reasonably expect me to call into employers to look for work, obviously due to my mobility problems but they do expect me to find out about work wherever possible and by whatever means necessary.

dmg24

hethmar wrote: »

Dont follow that? The CAB have a computer program that you feed your circs into and you get the results - isnt that better than just asking people with no real expertise or complete knowledge of the OPs circs?

A fair few people here actually work at the CAB, and many more have far more knowledge than a computer program!

dmg24

OP, you will not qualify for IS. If you do not feel fit for work at present you can claim ESA, but I recall that you did not want to do this? If not, you will need to transfer onto income based JSA once your CB JSA entitlement has ceased.