Complicated approach!

llh189

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I have a friend who is completely and utterly useless at sorting things out!

Here are the facts!

* He was working as a barman, 40 hours per week, paid monthly.

* Recent job, started in Oct, has no official contract of employment.

* When he started his job they argreed that it was likely to be temporary and reviewed in March.

* He received a letter today telling him that they are dismissing him with two weeks notice - no written or verbal explanation as to why

*He does not intend to turn in for his next shift on Tuesday, his official leaving date is 30 January.

* Six months ago he moved in to his GF flat, which is owned by her.

* He thinks that she has not declared to anyone - ie council tax that he is living there.

* GF lost her job on 1st Jan due to redundency

* She is now claiming ( he thinks ) mortgage relief and JSA allowance

* He thinks she is certainly claiming as a single person, although has only been doing so for 3 weeks.

* Missclaiming single person allowance for council tax for 6 months

He basically has no idea what to do.

I have drafted a letter for him, regarding his notice and to get a reason why he was dismissed, at am sure his ex employer will state that the contact was deemed to be temporary and therfore, it has been concluded 1 month early.

As he is officially employed until 1st February, he can't even think about signing on before then.

But he does need before claiming to fully understand the position his GF has put him in and he has put himself in!

I have no benefits experience at all and have already done the whole, how can you not have a contract, how can you not have declared your living there, how can you not know what your GF is claiming for - all of which doesn't help him. And yes I know fraud is fraud, whether it be intentional or not!

But I just really wanted to get advice / your thoughts.

thanks in advance.

DX2

Really nothing to add you have said what needs to be said.

karenx

As he has been dismissed its likely he will be sanctioned from JSA for upto 6 months.
She is commiting fraud if not declaring he is living there.

Kimitatsu

You could ask for help on the employment board but if its a temporary contract they dont have to give a reason and have iven him proper notice, if he wants to be paid however he needs to turn up (not turning up could also effect a reference in the future)

Has he asked his gf what she has done? If his gf has been continuously employed for the last two years then she is entitled to contributions based JSA and so any claim he makes will have no impact, when the 26 weeks runs out though if they are both unemplyed then it will be assessed as a joint claim.

If she has "forgotten" to inform the council tax people then I suggest that she rings them up, tells them she forgot and asks if she can put together a payment plan to pay the arrears - its only 25% of the bill so I cant imagine it will be a huge amount.

HTH

llh189

I suppose a further query is then, what sanctions exist for being dismissed, they haven't given him a reason, so could be cut backs or gross misconduct, his letter purely says dismissed!

I do think his GF has been continously employed, so will have contribution based JSA, although the help with the mortgage will surely be based on household income?

Thanks though!

llh189

He also just falls short of two years employment, he has been abroad (Spain) for 6 years, returned home last March, has been employed since March.

Was employed by big chain of golf clubs who sold the course to a private person after a year, he was verbally told that his emplyment rights were transferred.

he then worked for new people for roughly three months, and handed his notice in due to moving in to his GF and the commute was too long.

Notice accepted but then he was offered new job, increased hours, more money at a different site. This is when discussion took place about only working until March, as he wanted to leave to try and become freelance photographer. Both shook hands on reviewing job in March.

Hence he has no contract, his employment rights such as they were, were transferred to new employer at old site.

But new site was not a transfer as such, as employment was not continuos, he took two weeks leave, unpaid etc between jobs.


He also hae no savings at all - and lives hand to mouth, GF has some money but he has no idea what, she is now away until Sunday so any further discussions can't take place until then.