Job offer - coming off JSA/HB/CTB

gettingready

Hi All,

Had a job offer today and will be starting on 31st May, very happy about it as was out of work and on JSA/HB/CTB since December.

My next sign on at JC in next Friday - this is when I plan to tell them about the job offer and start date on Tuesday following the sign on on Friday

Is the JSA stopped immediately? What about HB and CTB - are those stopped immediately?

The money is not great, much less that what I was earning before but it is in a field I was interested in for a while so really happy but will be paid weekly and the first pay will be 10th June - in the meantime I need travelcard (expensive in London as I need zones 1-3) and obviously bills ned to be paid...

So just wonder if all the above mentioned JSA/HB/CTB are stopped immediately?

Also, how do I notify HB and CTB people? MY rent is paid to one borough and CT to another (weird I know but this is a council place belonging to one borough as building but to another as location/post code).

Anyone can advice please?

Thanks a lot

gettingready

Just found this:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/benefits_and_tax_credits_for_people_in_work.htm#help_when_you_start_work

Help with rent and Council Tax when you start work

When you start a new job, or increase your hours or wages, so that you come off certain out-of-work benefits, you may continue to get Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit paid at the same rate for the first four weeks of your new work arrangements. This extra benefit is known as ‘extended payments’. To qualify you must have been getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Contributory Employment and Support Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance or Incapacity Benefit for at least 26 weeks before the change in your working circumstances. You can also get an extended payment if these benefits have stopped because your partner got a new job or increased their hours or wages.
You must tell your local authority about your new job or increase in hours or pay within four weeks of it starting. (In Northern Ireland this will be the Housing Executive.) If you are on a low income and will still be entitled to some Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit in your new job, you can carry on getting the benefit.
For more information about Housing Benefit, see Help with your rent - Housing Benefit, and for more information about Council Tax benefit, see Help with your the Council Tax - Council Tax Benefit.
If you want to claim an extended payment and you are not sure if you qualify, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.

I was in receipt of contribution based JSA since 3rd Deceber 2010 and HB and CTB from the same date.

Starting a new job on 31st May - that is about 3-4 days short of the 26 weeks.....

Can anyone advice?



Thanks a lot....

gettingready

???

Nobody knows?

allen35

depending on your income you may still qualify for HB/CTB.

Contact both authorities and inform them of the COC and give them details of income.

Visit entitledto.com which is a benefits calculator and will give a rough guide to what you may be entitled to.

When you sign on ask the adviser can you access any help towards travel from the ADF (advisers discretionary fund) if it's still live.

Unfortunately not being out of work for 26 weeks is a hinderance to you as it exempts you from the 4 week run on and £100/250 job grant.

Put a claim in for working tax credits asap.

When you sign off all monies owed should be forwarded within 3-4 days.

gettingready

Thanks for posting -I will not qualify for HB or CTB or any other Tax Credits - I already checked that.

I just wondered really about that extension on HCB and CT payments when one starts work but was signing on for 26 weeks as it looks like I will be somethign like 3-4 days short of full 26 weeks which woud be really a pity .. But it laso mentions income based JSA and mine was/is contribution based so not sure if that would apply at all even if I was signing on for the full 26 weeks?

allen35

No, would of had to of been income based.

Are you sure you aren't entitled to WTC. they base your initial award on previous years income, check your figures and apply anyway, best to get a NO to be sure you're right.

gettingready

Yes I am sure that my previous or future salary did not/will notqualify for WTC but I worry about that transition from JSA back to salary... Thanks

Pity about the income based but not contribution based. If anything I would really think that contribution based should entiled people to more help when they fiond themselves in an unfortunate short term JSA.

Thanks again.

allen35

Contribution based benefits can be a hinderance to some people, especially if there's no other income coming into the home and a lack of savings.

If you have £16,000 in savings and a partner earning it becomes beneficial.

Macro_3

It's a shame that your start date wasn't a week or two later - you would have possibly had a few days of JSAIB entitlement after the JSAC entitlement exhausted, and would then have qualified for the HB/CTB extended payment

gettingready

If I had 16k savings or a partner (with or without an income) I would not be worried. But I do not not that is why I asked.

That difference between contribution and income based JSA is just simply not right, is it?



If I knew for sure that I can get the extended payment based on the 26 weeks - I would simply postpone the start date, so really REALLY unfair to miss it by 3-4 days but if not applicable to contribution based JSA then ....

Aarons_mummy

Benfits are paid in arrears are they not? So you should receive another payment of JSA/HB/CTC anyway which is not the four week run on. I might be wrong but any benefits I receive are paid in arrears LHA/CTB so I imagine yours would be the same.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, ask when you sign on and when you call the council to advise them of your change of circumstances