Job Centre owe us £700!!

NASA_2

Just to clarify - over what period did she work? Precise dates rather than 'two years'.

JSA(C) decisions are based on the last two full tax years before the benefit year in which the claim is made.

How many hours a week did she work?

rajd

@tcr thank you very much for your reply, you have been very helpful in this thread.

@NASA i will ask her about her specifics with regards to working in the last 2 years.

As far as she has told me she told the truth from the beginning, thats why we are so upset that the decision which from the details given in the thread, are so clear cut, it took so long.

She looking into the financial hardship fund at her university. She didnt skip a year, she has to defer for medical reasons and although she is now better, as the year has already started, she has to wait.

i dont really understand why I only get tax credits after 25? does it get more expensive to live after 25? i'm sure things like car insurance and other premiums actually get cheaper.

I just dont understand why living with me is any different to living with her family if they could support her also.

Thanks again for the advice. I suspect this will help alot of people.

real1314

rajd wrote: »

I just dont understand why living with me is any different to living with her family if they could support her also.

With her family she would be a single adult.

With you she is part of a couple. The "view" of the "law" is that for benefit purposes a married couple should not be treated less favourably than an unmarried couple.

You have agreed that you are a couple. You live together. Ergo, you are treated as a married couple.

You say "it's only been a couple of months"; people have got married after shorter relationships than that.:cool:

Soubrette

It's pretty unlikely she'd get her rent paid if she lived with family.

Oldernotwiser

Soubrette wrote: »

It's pretty unlikely she'd get her rent paid if she lived with family.

Impossible, in fact.

Soubrette

rajd wrote: »

@tcr thank you very much for your reply, you have been very helpful in this thread.

@NASA i will ask her about her specifics with regards to working in the last 2 years.

As far as she has told me she told the truth from the beginning, thats why we are so upset that the decision which from the details given in the thread, are so clear cut, it took so long.

She looking into the financial hardship fund at her university. She didnt skip a year, she has to defer for medical reasons and although she is now better, as the year has already started, she has to wait.

i dont really understand why I only get tax credits after 25? does it get more expensive to live after 25? i'm sure things like car insurance and other premiums actually get cheaper.

I just dont understand why living with me is any different to living with her family if they could support her also.

Thanks again for the advice. I suspect this will help alot of people.

Write and complain to your MP about that - they're the ones who decided on that arbitrary age.

stresshead81_2

The DWP is a frustrating department but as has been mentioned there have been some awful job cuts in recent years in this department. It does a long time to get things sorted with them. For example if you post them any letters it will take around one full week for them to even log it onto the system.

With regards to living together, it is difficult for many people who are in the same situation. Often it results in couples splitting up because they cannot afford to live together. It can be nasty but as has been mentioned previously, regardless of the length of relationship, you are living together as if you were married or in a civil partnership.

If the JObcentre owe monies then you can and must appeal the decision. Your girlfriend should base it on the fact that she was owed monies previously between when she lived at her fathers and when she moved in with you. You can do this by writing to an address which should be at the top right hand corner of letters in relation to her claim. However, it does need to be done within 28 days of the decision.

I would also suggest she speaks with someone at Citizens Advice too. There will be trained benefit advisors who will be able to assist her in the appeal.

FYI - LHA is Local Housing Allowance and you can find more information on your local councils site