Starting work after claiming JSA <26 weeks.

shaunlewis

Hi all,

I'm starting work Monday (6th) after claiming JSA for the last 14 weeks. My employer pays on the first Monday of each month; and I've confirmed I won't be paid anything (of course!) until next payday, which falls on the 4th Jan.

I've explained the situation to my employer in advanced and asked for an advance or an interim payment, but been told they are unable and unwilling to do so.

Now, because I start on Monday exactly a fortnight from my last sign-on, I will receive the fortnights money I am used to living on.

However; a couple of problems arise: a) I need to travel, by train, to work. I don't drive. The cost of a season ticket, weekly, is £45. I can claim this back from my employer, but has to be done a month after the fact. Can they pay that in advance, or bend the rules. No, "for fear of setting a precedent". I'm am not sure what that exactly means and why It would be bad, but there you are.

b) My salary puts me just over the threshold for Housing Benefit. Now, my landlord (a HA, no less) is playing hardball. My agreement is to pay the rent weekly, in advance, but they have happily taken my HB four weeks in arrears with no problems. They didn't like it went I pointed that out. Still, no official demands have arrived since HB will still be paid until the 5th, but it worries me.

c) My partner is expecting our first baby in February. We don't have much for the baby, and the additional expense could arrive sooner than that: We originally thought we would receive a £500 grant, but you are only eligible while claiming JSA and when you partner is 29 weeks. She will be 29 weeks on Tuesday 7th, putting it just out of reach. She is also not entitled to SMP or Maternity Allowance due to her NI record (she was a full time student for most of the previous tax year). The eagle-eyed will also notice I'm not entitled to Paternity Leave either, since I wont have been working long enough.

d) I'm 24, so I'm not entitled to Working Tax Credits until after the baby is born.

e) The biggie: I was only unemployed for 14 weeks, not longer than 24. If I had been unemployed for longer, I would now be entitled to a job grant and/or a Budgeting loan, forgoing these problems altogether, but I wasn't, and I won't.

Now, I am loath to start looking into borrowing, and I'm not convinced I would have a rating high enough to get a loan anyway. I understand I can apply for a crisis loan from the 18th, but I can only apply for food, gas, electric and water; not travel costs to work.

I apologies for the length of this post, or if It is the wrong sub forum. I was hoping perhaps some forumites might know of any additional ways of getting over this period (perhaps there is some other interest-free loan I might get somewhere other than the Job Centre I don't know about).

Any ideas or suggestions are much appreciated.

scooby088

you should get benefit run on for one month so housing benefit and council tax should be ok and then you get £100 in work bonus for finding a job.

gargantuan_2

If you haven't yet signed off, then phone the JCP and tell them you've been offerred a job but may have to turn it down due to not being able to get there. There is a fund available to help people in your situation, so at least you'd be able to claim the first month's travelling. If you have already signed off, then you're stuffed unfortunately.

shaunlewis

Thanks for both your replies.

Unfortunately, what I believe you are referring to (either the Job grant, or the 'Advisers Discretionary Fund') can only make payments to people claiming JSA for over 26 weeks. Same goes for the back to work credit, or at least as far as the Job Centre told me when I spoke to them as you suggested earlier in the week.

I was told I would have sufficient reason for turning the job down without getting sanctioned, but then there is no guarantee I will be able to find anything in 3 months time, and of course, I really want to be in work for when the baby arrives.

I will of course double check again, and likewise for the Housing Benefit run-on; I wasn't aware of that, and wasn't told about it when I reported my change in circumstances.

Kind Regards

gargantuan_2

I have never heard of the Discretionary Fund being only for those who have been claiming over six months. I'd check that again. If it is the case, then it must differ from office to office.

Sharon87

shaunlewis wrote: »

Thanks for both your replies.

Unfortunately, what I believe you are referring to (either the Job grant, or the 'Advisers Discretionary Fund') can only make payments to people claiming JSA for over 26 weeks. Same goes for the back to work credit, or at least as far as the Job Centre told me when I spoke to them as you suggested earlier in the week.

I was told I would have sufficient reason for turning the job down without getting sanctioned, but then there is no guarantee I will be able to find anything in 3 months time, and of course, I really want to be in work for when the baby arrives.

I will of course double check again, and likewise for the Housing Benefit run-on; I wasn't aware of that, and wasn't told about it when I reported my change in circumstances.

Kind Regards

Housing Benefit is paid in arrears so you'll get paid up until the day you start work and will be paid on your next pay date for the remainder of the housing benefit.

sammyjammy

Do you have family that can help? It seems so awful that you could be in a situation where you will have to turn it down.

shaunlewis

Thanks for the additional replies: According to the JC, ADF funding is only available after claiming for 6 months. I asked if that was a national policy and they didn't have a clue. I wasn't getting nowhere, so I signed off in order to speed up the payment.

My family aren't exactly in a position to help me, it seems everyone is in debt (which is the main reason I want to stay away from commercial borrowing if at all possible), but I have managed to borrow money until the final JSA payment to get some food in for the week and top up the electric/gas meters in case.

I've already accepted and signed my contract so I WILL be there Monday morning, I was just hoping maybe someone would know of anything else (perhaps independent of the JC, who have never been particularity helpful) I may have overlooked.

Kind Regards.

ceridwen

Good luck with the new job.

You certainly dont want to let a cashflow problem put you off taking the job.

One note of caution - having asked the employer for an advance of pay and been refused - DONT push it in any way by asking them again. Asking once was one thing - but to ask for a second time or make any comments at all about it to them might "put their backs up" (a lot of employers would wonder why you hadnt got any savings left/savings there in the first place after just 12 weeks of unemployment and might rate that badly....).

I know....I know....but that IS how some people think....so be aware of that fact and dont mention it again to the employer.

I hope you manage to find ways to get through okay financially till that first paypacket turns up and that this job works out well for you.

Emmzi

anything at all you can pawn at cashconvertors etc until wages come in? pawnbroker is probably safer than paydayloan.

Sammyantha

shaunlewis wrote: »

Unfortunately, what I believe you are referring to (either the Job grant, or the 'Advisers Discretionary Fund') can only make payments to people claiming JSA for over 26 weeks.

Not so. I claimed it myself last week for clothing now I've gotten myself a new job - I was claiming for 10 weeks.

They are pushed right now to give as little as possible out though, so will fob you off in every way possible unless you are persistent.

Congrats on the new job, and good luck!! I start on Monday too