PLEASE HELP! Self employed/no work, what am I entitled to?

vixsterviking

Hi,
Please please could somebody help me..both myself and my partner are self employed and we have no work right now..we run a partnership business together and have no work at this time, no definite contracts for the near future either.
At the moment, we receive tax credits but no Jobseekers Allowance / Council Tax Benefit or anything else..we are living (if you can call it that) on our tax credits and are slipping behind with all our bills etc..
If we register JSA will our tax credits stop? We have two kids, both at Primary School and we don't get childcare costs/credits because we have no childcare expenses. ( Although I wish I had some spare money so that my kids could go to a few after school clubs with their friends, but we can't afford it).
Please could somebody help me, I just cannot go on living like this.
Thank you for your time.

nannytone_2

you should be able to get council tax benefit, as it assessed on income and not which benefits you receive.
if you are actively seeking work, then you could be eligable for income based JSA. Any working tax credits would stop but ctc would still be payable.

if you arent working on your business for at least 16 hours a week, your entitlement to working tax credits will stop anyway.
good luck!

MrsManda

Put your details in to the benefits calculators below to see what you may be entitled to:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DoItOnlineByCategory/DG_172666

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

You need to inform Tax Credits that you are not working

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi

It depends on the situation. Do you intend to carry on with the business? Is this a temporary/short term situation or are you planning on calling it a day and finding other work?

My OH has his own business and winter is always slow, this year has been particularly bad because of the weather. He didnt work for 2 months and could have claimed JSA but that would have meant him actively looking for other work and he didnt want to do this because he wanted to be available for the work that he had lined up when the weather improved.

Whatever you decide you should be entitled to extra tax credits and if you can work out a reasonable estimate of your income for the tax year to 5th April you can give that figure to HMRC who will then estimate a new payment figure for you. You will probably find this results in a lump sum payment. As nannytone says you wont be entitled to WTC if neither of you are working at all but you may be entitled to other benefits such as income support.

You may find the calculators on the websites give slightly different results but they are a very useful starting point. Hope things improve for you.

vixsterviking

Hi,
Thanks for your replies; I had a quick look yesterday but didn't have a chance to sit down and reply with the kids zooming around...
Right, ok; we are both still working on the business..I am spending between 30-40 hrs a week in the office, sourcing new leads, contacts, designing new advertising and working on a website for our business. My partner is spending time servicing and wherever possible improving building new equipment from stores so that we can be in a position to obtain bigger contracts. He does a minimum 40 hr week! We are both putting the effort and hoping the work comes back soon.
In the meantime, we have no income other than our tax credits. We receive working tax credits and child tax credit / child benefit and cannot afford to live on this at all.
Any more advice gratefully received.
Thank you so much.
Kindest Regards,
V.

nannytone_2

apart from possibly council tax benefit, i can't see there is anything else.

Oldernotwiser

You could look for a job, at least part time.

welshmoneylover

What about a job that pays you a wage?

vixsterviking

Hi,
Thanks for your replies. I understand your point/s but I am always looking out for local work and there is none. In the meantime I am putting energy into our business; I cannot just give up.
Until a job turns up or we get a contract for our business can we not claim income support or income based jsa?
Your advice is greatly appreciated.
Kindest Regards,
V.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi

I am not an expert but I think you will only be entitled to tax credits. How long can you realistically both carry on working at something full time without receiving an income? I can understand you not wanting to give the business up but it looks to me like you dont have many options. If you knew you were going to definitely get some work in the future that was going to pay some serious money then I would say stick at it but is this realistic?

Surely one of you would be able to get some work doing something (stacking shelves/cleaning etc) just to bring in some money for now?

How are you paying the bills at the moment? If this is going on credit then you need to have a long hard think about the situation.

Hope you dont think I am being unkind, just looking at it as an outsider I maybe see it a bit differently. I admire your determination to make the business work and really do hope things work out for you.

nannytone_2

income support is only for lone parents/disabled/carers.
to get JSA you would need to be actively seeking employment and not just looking for work for your business.
can't at least one of you look for employment while the other keeps the business ticking over?