Not entitled to benefits

Steph_C_2

Hi Everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice please. My partner has recently lost his job, we immediately contacted the Job Centre to apply for any benefits that we were entitled to including housing and council tax benefit.

We have been told that he is not entitled to claim anything whatsoever. I'm totally stunned by this. Back in 2009 he had a period of being on incapacity benefit due to an injury and an operation on his leg that meant he couldn't work for a period.

We are now being told that due to this he hasn't paid his 'stamp' so basically we aren't entitled to anything. We have even contacted Tax Credits to be told told that we can't claim anything there either.

My partner is desperately trying to find a job but nothing seems to be happening at the moment, my wage does not cover all of the bills and living expenses (we live as frugrually as possible as we do have a few debts to repay). I just don't know what to do. He has worked all of his life since being 16 when he joined the army and served for 10 years. I just find it absoultely shocking that we can't even claim anything at all.

Can anyone offer any advice or is this the end of the road?

Many thanks.

Jowo_2

You can double check your entitlements with the Turn2us online benefit calculator or get an appointment with the Citizens Advice. Do you dispute the lack of NICs (stamp)?

Some benefits are means tested so your income will be taken into account - your debts and living expenses are not and are completely irrelevant to your eligibility or level of benefits. How many hours do you work and what is your salary and your ages?

Post a SOA on the Debt Free wanabee board (statement of accounts or affairs, I think) - the bods there will show you how to do this. They will tell you how to manage your debts.

Complete the budget planner on the MSE website (free tools section) and work your way through to site to understand how you can reduce your living expenses - lots of thrifty advice to attack on bills and costs.

dseventy

How much do you earn?

It sounds like he can't claim Income based JSA as you earn more than what the state says you need to live on, which is £100 a week. I assume you earn more than this. Debts are not taken into account.

As suggested above, some benefits are available to certain groups and low incomes even though you work so its worth checking the link above.

D70