advice about gov help with mortgage and JSAand benefits

jaynemaria

Wonder if anyone can help please

My Oh was made redundent in January, actively looking for work. I am disabled on IB and DLA high mobility and low care, we have a 14 year old son.

OH was getting £65 a week JSA and we put in for help with the mortgage, as well as this I spoke to our mortgage lender because we knew we would struggle and we are going to go interest only for 12 months to help, cutting our Mortgage from £450 to £250 a month. We heard today from DWP that we have been awarded £28 a week mortgage help, but they are taking £21 a week of OH JSA, not having had any experience in this does it seem right. We have also been awarded some council tax benefit and now have to pay £58 a months instead of £108.

Thanks in advance

2009timeforchange

What reason did they give for deducting £21 a week from his JSA?

jaynemaria

There was no explanation, just that they had looked at the claim again and he would be getting £45 JSA and £28 a week mortgage help

tcr_3

I can't get it to work out at £45 pw, "best fit" I can get is £51 odd per week.

Couple Rate Pers Allce £102.75
Plus Couple Rate Dis Prem +£39.85
Plus Housing Costs + £28

Applicable Amount = £170.60 That's the amount the law says you need to live on

less Incapacity Benefit -£91.40

Therefore JSA Payable = £79.20

less housing costs paid directly to lender - £28.00

balance due to OH = £51.20 ??????

Maybe someone here can figure out the discrepancy of £6 odd per week ???

dmg24

I wonder if this is that badly phrased SMI letter rearing it's ugly head again?

[Deleted User]

dmg24 wrote: »

I wonder if this is that badly phrased SMI letter rearing it's ugly head again?

looks like it
OP basically they pay the £28 a week to your lender,they then show it as a deduction and addition to your benefit,so you end up getting what you were before plus the £28 week smi,you dont lose out from getting smi and you need to contact them re the £21/28

jaynemaria

Thanks everyone, I have spoken to them and they are adamant that it is right, they have taken my IB off which has the added long term element, plus disabled element. tsr, your calculations were spot on, when the long term ib element is added on.