Self Employed - no work - no financial help?

mazza-the-first

My OH is self employed but hasn't been able to find any work since November, however he potentially has a contract starting in 6-8 weeks. We've been told he is not entitled to Job Seekers Allowance (because he is self employed). We receive child tax credits but due to a previous overpayment don't actually receive any money. His savings have just about run out and everything we had worth selling we sold on E-bay. We can't downsize our home, have already downgraded the car (which he'll need for when he goes back to work), don't have satellite tv, don't drink (although feel like it!), smoke or spend money going out. I just can't work out how to stretch child benefit and my wages (I'm working 31 hrs pw) to keep us going until then. Can anyone suggest anything we may have missed just so we can try and break even? We haven't got a lot but desparately don't want to lose what we have worked so hard for.

welshmoneylover

mazza-the-first wrote: »

My OH is self employed but hasn't been able to find any work since November, however he potentially has a contract starting in 6-8 weeks. We've been told he is not entitled to Job Seekers Allowance (because he is self employed). We receive child tax credits but due to a previous overpayment don't actually receive any money. His savings have just about run out and everything we had worth selling we sold on E-bay. We can't downsize our home, have already downgraded the car (which he'll need for when he goes back to work), don't have satellite tv, don't drink (although feel like it!), smoke or spend money going out. I just can't work out how to stretch child benefit and my wages (I'm working 31 hrs pw) to keep us going until then. Can anyone suggest anything we may have missed just so we can try and break even? We haven't got a lot but desparately don't want to lose what we have worked so hard for.

Is he able to take a 2nd job that pays wages?

mazza-the-first

He'd do anything, he absolutely hates not being at work - is constantly searching but nothing has turned into anything yet.

fiddlesticks

If he is not working he should be able to claim JSA. I am self emplyed and when I was working less than 16 hours I was signing on. TH job centre seemed to think this was ok.