Does receiving housing benefits open the doors to anything else?

downshifter

If I continue my housing/ CT benefit claim I have been told I need to take my payslips or other proof of earnings into the council offices every week as I do several different little jobs that pay differently each week/month. If I do this, a round trip of around 20 miles, the petrol or fares will eat up any benefits I may receive. So I've decided it just isn't worth it. However, I wondered if it might be worth it not from the actual housing benefit money point of view but maybe receiving this benefit would open up entitlements to any other benefits. I'm on a very low income but somehow don't qualify for anything else that I can see.

Thanks for any help

DS

Jowo_2

Are you employed or self-employed? What is your estimated monthly or annual earnings (before tax)? You need to provide your age, if you live with a partner (if so, how much do they earn or what benefits do they recieve), the hours you work each week and if you have any children (how many). You simply haven't provided enough basic information for anyone to help you.

You can model your entitlements on the Turn2us online benefit calculator in the meantime.

downshifter

thanks yes, I've done the turntous and my local authority's benefits calculator and both say much the same - that I can only apply for housing benefit which I understand though it seems very unfair, and speaking to other single people of under retirement age, there isn't a lot of help for people like us so that's that.

I just wondered, in the same way as receiving means tested benefits opens the door to cold weather payments, whether hb opens doors to anything too.

Thanks

HappyMJ

downshifter wrote: »

If I continue my housing/ CT benefit claim I have been told I need to take my payslips or other proof of earnings into the council offices every week as I do several different little jobs that pay differently each week/month. If I do this, a round trip of around 20 miles, the petrol or fares will eat up any benefits I may receive. So I've decided it just isn't worth it. However, I wondered if it might be worth it not from the actual housing benefit money point of view but maybe receiving this benefit would open up entitlements to any other benefits. I'm on a very low income but somehow don't qualify for anything else that I can see.

Thanks for any help

DS

That doesn't make any sense I earn variable amounts every week from zero to £400 per week. I only declare the average over a period of time I think I'm on the 26 weeks level now before going to annual after next April. HB is not a gateway benefit. If you are on a low income then claim Working Tax Credits as long as you can find 30+ (on average) hours of work per week.

Could you email the documents to council? My council will accept a scanned copy of the accounts through email. If that fails then what about the post?

downshifter

HappyMJ wrote: »

That doesn't make any sense I earn variable amounts every week from zero to £400 per week. I only declare the average over a period of time I think I'm on the 26 weeks level now before going to annual after next April. HB is not a gateway benefit. If you are on a low income then claim Working Tax Credits as long as you can find 30+ (on average) hours of work per week.

Could you email the documents to council? My council will accept a scanned copy of the accounts through email. If that fails then what about the post?

They told me I had to actually go in with proof so I assumed that's what they meant. They didn't give me other options, I should've been sufficiently on the ball to have suggested it I suppose. I felt so humiliated by the whole experience I wasn't thinking sensibly, will have to deal with that then go back. Thanks.

No I work less than 30 hours, if I could find 30 hrs work then I wouldn't need WTC or any other benefits. Why do you get benefits if you earn more but not if you earn less? Doesn't make sense.

Anyway, my question has been answered now, thanks all very much indeed.

HappyMJ

downshifter wrote: »

They told me I had to actually go in with proof so I assumed that's what they meant. They didn't give me other options, I should've been sufficiently on the ball to have suggested it I suppose. I felt so humiliated by the whole experience I wasn't thinking sensibly, will have to deal with that then go back. Thanks.

No I work less than 30 hours, if I could find 30 hrs work then I wouldn't need WTC or any other benefits. Why do you get benefits if you earn more but not if you earn less? Doesn't make sense.

Anyway, my question has been answered now, thanks all very much indeed.

You could do self-employment work to make up the 30 hours. Many are doing Avon, Ann Summers, Betterware or similar to make up the difference. Anything will do and whether you make a profit or not doesn't matter.

mitch161

downshifter wrote: »

Why do you get benefits if you earn more but not if you earn less? Doesn't make sense.

its a bonus. its for those that work enough to put (tax)money into government pockets but not enough to live a celebrity lifestyle. thats why its called a tax credit. coz you have to pay so much tax to qualify for it.
i thinks its aimed to top up earnings for the average joe who is not poor enough to receive IS/other benefits. but not rich enough to afford holidays to spain 2 times a year

as for the housing benefit thing, they would need to see a average earnings. so work out over statements of last 3-6 months the total income then devide it by those 3-6 months to get a average income. use the entitledto.com website to see it it shows you will get anything from HB (as a guide) then you will know if its worth spending £5 on petrol. that £5 spending today could be saving you £20-£60 a week until your income stabalises and increases.

hope this helps

downshifter

mitch161 wrote: »

its a bonus. its for those that work enough to put (tax)money into government pockets but not enough to live a celebrity lifestyle. thats why its called a tax credit. coz you have to pay so much tax to qualify for it.
i thinks its aimed to top up earnings for the average joe who is not poor enough to receive IS/other benefits. but not rich enough to afford holidays to spain 2 times a year
£5 on petrol. that £5 spending today could be saving you £20-£60 a week until your income stabalises and increases.

Ok thanks I understand now, so no credit for paying tax/not claiming anything for 30+ years then. Oh well!

I used to be self employed but de-registered when the freelance work dried up, couldn't do anything like Avon etc here as it is too remote, not enough customers around. The pay for the job I do today will eat up the petrol it takes to get there. Like lots of us in this area, I have feelers out for any odd bits of work that might come up, babysitting, anything connected with holiday cottages etc etc.

But I still don't get it, if I had 30 hours work and 30 hours pay, I wouldn't need to look at claiming anything - very strange!

Thanks - DS

Loopy_Girl

mitch161 wrote: »

its a bonus. its for those that work enough to put (tax)money into government pockets but not enough to live a celebrity lifestyle. thats why its called a tax credit. coz you have to pay so much tax to qualify for it.

OH. MY. GOD:eek:

clb776

I too have to do this, it is very annoying! I have to queue up for on average an hour and a half to hand in wage slips! Whenever I do, I always get a letter a few days later telling me to take some more in. My husbands wages are different EVERY wageslip, so I do take them all in so we dont get an overpayment/underpayment...and what do they do?! If he has earned more we get a massive overpayment, when he has earnt alot less we get no extra benefit (this can sometimes be as much as £100 less earnt per week!), annoys me!

Speak to your council and ask if they will accept you bringing them all in every few weeks, although be prepared if an overpayment occurs.

Unfortunately you do need to take them in...very annoying! If you get housing benefit because you are on a low income it doesnt mean you then qualify for other things.

Jowo_2

mitch161 wrote: »

... thats why its called a tax credit. coz you have to pay so much tax to qualify for it. ...

No, a person doesn't have to have paid so much as a penny in tax to qualify for it. A single parent will have their IS topped up with child tax credits and may not have done a day's work in their life...