Benefits check up guide and tool discussion

Former_MSE_Wendy

This thread is to discuss the

5 Minute Benefits check up guide and tool

please reply to ask a question and discuss.

Gerryc47

Very useful tool but results page a little confusing. It looks as if I could get help with council tax because our non-dependant daughter living with us is on low income. However, there is a qualification that to get this benefit I must be in receipt of the guaranteed pension credit element. In that section it states that I am not eligible, which I accept, but surely the checker should then have negated the possible council tax benefit! Am I missing anything?

Janine-Ruby

The calculator has calc'd a weekly income from my savings of almost 20% so says I am not entitled to any benefits. I'm actually getting an income of less than 2%??

50Twuncle

This calculator is a waste of time
It appears to be under the dillusion that 17% interest is available on savings
Also - it doesn't appear to cope with "contribution based" ESA !!

AngelBadger

Very misleading calculator. It doesn't show age related Incapacity Benefit, and when I put all my details in, it told me that I was entitled much more than I actually am. Any income above £65 (ish) means that you get less housing and council tax benefits but it doesn't seem to take that into account. I'm not sure what use it is.

savvysaver1

Hi, the jobseekers allowance of £67.00 - is this meant to cover food, clothing, gas and electric?..seems impossible

bluehair_2

It is straight forward for me: my husband is on £25,000/year salary, I am off work since Jan/2010. Already claimed JSA contributions based (helped on food bill, already stopped), no prospects to find another job, no children, a 10 year old car, all possible CDs, old records, clothes sold, debts of £5,000 = NO BENEFITS entitlement whatsoever!!!

KimYeovil

savvysaver1 wrote: »

Hi, the jobseekers allowance of £67.00 - is this meant to cover food, clothing, gas and electric?..seems impossible

and water.

Why is that impossible? Exclude clothing - existing wardrobe should be adequate for a few months. Why would you need more than £280 per month for the four basic needs?

KimYeovil

bluehair wrote: »

It is straight forward for me: my husband is on £25,000/year salary, I am off work since Jan/2010. Already claimed JSA contributions based (helped on food bill, already stopped), no prospects to find another job, no children, a 10 year old car, all possible CDs, old records, clothes sold, debts of £5,000 = NO BENEFITS entitlement whatsoever!!!

Who do you think should pay more taxes to give you benefits? Those wealthy people on £27.5K?

Why are you selling records and CDs if money is tight? That is when you should be holding on to things. Strange.

quillian

Please advise why / how this otherwise useful tool suggests I receive a weekly income of 380 pound on capital of 200,000 pounds i.e. almost 20% or ten times the best available through UK banks after the GFC ruined us all.

Can anyone tell me where to get 20% interest?

If not this tool needs to be overhauled and corrected; please do so.

quillian

Regret typos but concern is valid; the tool is dangerously inaccurate in miscalculating interest on capital. It over-estimates by a factor of 10plus, thus putting many out of reach of benefits.

Please do check how much it suggests YOU earn on capital and complain about fanciful estimates.