I receive Severe Disablement Allowance & hubby needs JSA - confusion

ikkleosu

My husband lost his job and he called to apply for JSA. I have been receiving SDA continually since I was 16, and so am on a lifetime award (unless my health improves, obviously).

They took all his details and mine, and said we BOTH had to be interviewed for him to receive JSA/housing Benefit/council tax benefit. I didn't understand why I had to be interviewed.

Then the DWP guy called back and said to scrap the claim, and *I* would have to claim for my husband otherwise I would lose MY SDA!

Now, i think this is a load of rubbish as SDA is NOT means tested. How on earth should I be applying for JSA on my husband's behalf?

Anyone know what we should be doing/how we should be applying?

naughtyjo

Very strange and you need to challenge it
Is your husband claiming JSA on the grounds of contibution based?
If so it is not means tested and payable to him in his own right without you on the claim for 26 weeks
If he has not paid enough stamp then it would be JSA income based
On income based they would take your income into account but he would be the claimant as he is the one who is fit for work not you
I know years ago you could claim a dependnant allowance on SDA for your partner etc but because I dont see many SDA Customers these days you would need to ring them and check it out because it might just be easier doing it that way.
Alternatively you could claim Income support as a couple if you dont have other income/savings etc and you would be the claimant and hubby would not need to sign on.
If you could get income support and if you have DLA care at M or HR then hubby could also claim carers for you until he gets back into work.
Very hard to give you exact info without knowing the ins and outs but generally what you have been told so far is rubbish

ikkleosu

naughtyjo wrote: »

Very strange and you need to challenge it
Is your husband claiming JSA on the grounds of contibution based?
If so it is not means tested and payable to him in his own right without you on the claim for 26 weeks
If he has not paid enough stamp then it would be JSA income based
On income based they would take your income into account but he would be the claimant as he is the one who is fit for work not you
I know years ago you could claim a dependnant allowance on SDA for your partner etc but because I dont see many SDA Customers these days you would need to ring them and check it out because it might just be easier doing it that way.
Alternatively you could claim Income support as a couple if you dont have other income/savings etc and you would be the claimant and hubby would not need to sign on.
If you could get income support and if you have DLA care at M or HR then hubby could also claim carers for you until he gets back into work.
Very hard to give you exact info without knowing the ins and outs but generally what you have been told so far is rubbish

Thanks so much!

We both suspected it was a load of rubbish, but this was the second time it had happened in a week, where poor hubby has gone through 30 minute call giving them all the info, only to be told at the very end it was all useless and he'd have to start all over again.

I would think my husband should be eligible for contribution based JSA, as he has worked full time for around 10 years, and part-time for further 10 years before that.

No-one he spoke to ever asked which JSA he wanted to claim for. And both times, i think they thought I MEANT DLA (or some other sickness benefit) rather than SDA.

Not sure what step we should take next. Should hubby phone the JSA claimant line again, or should we talk to another department? OR contact a welfare rights officer to help us?

We'd both rather he claimed JSA if possible, to get any benefits from job clubs etc. And sadly, I don't get DLA, so doubt I'd be able to claim carers allowance.

naughtyjo

Just ring the benefit claim line and tell them you wish to claim JSA (C) only.
If he has worked full time for 10 years then he's fine. Also tell them that they have been mis advising you and that you want the claim backdating or they will only pay from the date of claim minus 3 waiting days.
Your SDA is completely irrelevant as JSA (c) is not means tested etc and he does not have to claim for you.
Good Luck

Rebob

I too am on SDA and had to claim for hubby when he was made redundant. It is something to do with the top up amount you can get ie JSA+SDA+a small amount (was about £10). He did claim by himself but the claim was rejected and we had to start again which meant we went longer before payment.
HTH

dookar

Sounds like a joint claim was taken, which would require your attendance

naughtyjo

Its getting confusing here. Anyone can claim JSA(C) if they have paid enough stamp. They could have a partner in full time work and that income is irrelevant.
I am assuming that the prior post was claiming JSA (IB) which is totally different. if you claimd JSA IB then it would be a joint claim but your husband would claim for you. You would be exempt from everything due to the SDA. On JSA(IB) a disability premium would be payable.
Because of the tax element on JSA your SDA is classed as an incompatable benefit so your claim would more than likely be done clerically.
I wouldn't worry at the minute if he makes it clears that its a JSA(C) claim only. Hopefully he will find work within the next 6 months but if he doesnt then yes make a joint claim at the end of that in his name.
Let me know how you get on

Rebob

naughtyjo wrote: »

Its getting confusing here. Anyone can claim JSA(C) if they have paid enough stamp. They could have a partner in full time work and that income is irrelevant.
I am assuming that the prior post was claiming JSA (IB) which is totally different. if you claimd JSA IB then it would be a joint claim but your husband would claim for you. You would be exempt from everything due to the SDA. On JSA(IB) a disability premium would be payable.
Because of the tax element on JSA your SDA is classed as an incompatable benefit so your claim would more than likely be done clerically.
I wouldn't worry at the minute if he makes it clears that its a JSA(C) claim only. Hopefully he will find work within the next 6 months but if he doesnt then yes make a joint claim at the end of that in his name.
Let me know how you get on

I was getting SDA not JSA IB. It has to be a joint claim even when the second party is claiming contribution based JSA. It is the person receiving the SDA that makes the claim and the other person signs on as usual. They then top up the claim by a small amount of money that is income related which then helps you claim any council tax benefit.