What help are we entitled to? Low income couple

Everydayman

Hi Guys,

Myself and my partner are very much so struggling at the moment and wondering what/if there are any benefits we are entitled to.

My income is £18k a year and all of this is consumed paying, rent, council tax my loan and bills.

For food and anything else including clothes, essentials £150 a month.
Within Bills I haven't included water which comes quarterly.

We have had to make do by selling alot of stuff we don't need or can afford to go without including my car.

My partner is 24 and unemployed and because of my income is not entitled to job seekers allowance, she could only sign on for NI stamps and free dental work.

She has recently had some limited temp work for 3-4 weeks but that has already ended and that was the first bit of proper income she has received in 9 months.

We have already claimed back her tax that she overpaid for the previous tax year.

I hope the information I have provided helps in explaining our situation and really hope someone can point us in the right direction and explain why we would be eligible for such a benefit.

Regards,

Everydayman

AimeesMum_2

Did your partner try to claim contribution-based JSA?

Everydayman

AimeesMum wrote: »

Did your partner try to claim contribution-based JSA?

Hi,

Yes we've looked at this before and been turned down, but in the most recent tax year she has earned a minimal income. Perhaps less then £1000.

From the previous year we claimed a tax rebate as she earned under the threshold and paid over tax and we were able to claim this back. I have been told that this could effect contribution based JSA.

AimeesMum_2

Then I would think it is very unlikely that you would be able to claim any benefits as a childless couple earning £18,000 a year which I know doesn't help your situation.

Can you not move somewhere cheaper while she looks for a job? When I losy my job before we has kids we had to move from our £500 a month flat to a £70 per week studio - needs must

MrsManda

Put your details into the benefits calculators below but you're unlikely to be entitled to much.
I know you said your partner cannot get money via JSA due to your income but it's worth her signing on anyway as she'll get national insurance contributions paid which is important when calculating other benefits later in life.

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

https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp?_piref278_36249_278_36248_36248.__ora_navig=action%3Dentitlement%26pageno%3D16

Hammyman

As a childless couple, you're ineligible for pretty much all benefits. The fact you have a loan to pay which probably leaves you with not a lot is of no consequence to being entitled to benefits.

I think you'd probably do better posting on the Debt Free Wannabee forum. There you can post a statement of affairs and there are some really knowledgeable people who may be able to help you find ways to save money and/or renegotiate loan repayments.

Everydayman

Yea my loan is £255 a month which eats over a 1/5th of my take home and my rent is £500 a month.

With moving we are in a position where moving would cost more then it would save, and the place we have atm allows me to work out but also store the stuff we have, which have no real resale value.

I work for a financial institution so an IVA is a no no or bye bye job.

It seems odd that we are within a unique threshold where we are considered as having enough to just about survive on but not receive any help. Even JSA would allow my partner to be more proactive in job hunting.

Is housing benefit an option? Or council tax reduction/help?

I would never go as far to cheat the system, but before living together it is suffice to say my partners parents who earned alot more then me, for some crazy reason meant JSA was fine as she lived with parents.
However living with a partner earning half = not right to claim?

It is not for want of not trying in regards to her trying to find work, however I am sure plenty are in a similar position.

If anyone is in a similar position and has found some way to help, advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Everydayman

sunnyone

Everydayman wrote: »

Even JSA would allow my partner to be more proactive in job hunting.

How?

She can use the JC+ even though she isnt claiming JSA and she can also utilise all the other job search tools too.

Its very unlikely that you would get any help with rent etc. unless you live in a very expensive area.

You have a decent wage and you are in a relationship with your GF, her parents were not which is why you have to keep her, for love.

There are jobs about if she really wanted one, minimum wage and maybe unsocial hours but if she really wanted to work she could find at least a part time job.

Everydayman

sunnyone wrote: »

How?

She can use the JC+ even though she isnt claiming JSA and she can also utilise all the other job search tools too.

Its very unlikely that you would get any help with rent etc. unless you live in a very expensive area.

You have a decent wage and you are in a relationship with your GF, her parents were not which is why you have to keep her, for love.

There are jobs about if she really wanted one, minimum wage and maybe unsocial hours but if she really wanted to work she could find at least a part time job.

I am really sorry but I think that you are missing the point.
My income is beside the point when bills mean that there is no more then £150 is left over for 2 people to cover costs each month for food, clothing, essentials and anything else that needs to be sorted.

If I did not have a £255 loan a month then this situation would be vastly different but as mentioned I will not go through an IVA or Bankruptcy although it would be an easy solution it is not right and would mean loosing employment.

In regards to JSA helping, it would help cover transport, living costs which I am covering atm. Right now my printer is not working which needs replacing. This could be replaced for £30 but then this comes off of essentials costs.

As for the comment of there are jobs out there if she really wanted one! I have mentioned that my partner is looking, but she has no real qualifications and if wanting a job was criteria to get one I am sure 2.45 million people would be sorted!
Please be more realistic, we feel lucky for the months part time work she just received, and when there are 250 applicants for administration work, I am really sure the reason she did not get the position(s) is because she did not want it enough.





I would really appreciate if any other replies do not work on the basis, that either myself or my partner are trying to bum of the state without putting effort into every other area first. And understand that we are looking to see if there is any help we can receive to stop ourselves falling into a situation until my partner gets back into employment.

Although not at this stage at the moment I can envisage things getting to the stage of severe financial difficaulty, which would set us back further, should action of an IVA or otherwise need to be taken.


Also to add with my loan, which has already been reagreed this makes my effective take home before other payments/bills/rent £986 a month. Or around £15kish a year.
And hindsight is a *****, if I am ever lucky enough to be in a position where we are both working this loan will be fully paid in ASAP and starting to save/invest.

First thing first though is to weather and survive this current storm!

Regards,

Lewis

karenx

What was the loan for? As its a very high monthly payment?

Sixer

I'm sorry to hear things are so tough for you at the moment.

Could your partner look at the Up Your Income board and see if she could earn anything from working at home? I have a friend in a similar broke situation and she adds £50-£100 to her pot every month by doing website assessments with eDigitalResearch. There are quite a few other income opportunities talked about on that board.