Dismissal from work - can you still get benefits?

ladela

My dad is on the verge of a dismissal from work (he's been suspended for months) - he has to go to a hearing next week but thinks it pretty likely they are going to sack him. He has no other income, no savings and is living in an housing association flat. If he does get sacked would he be entitled to JSA? I've had a google this morning and read a bit about pension credit, would he be entitled to this if he was dismissed? he was born in June 1950 and are they any penalties for it if you have been sacked?

Also, (sorry for all the qs) would he be entitled to housing benefit and council tax benefit straightaway if he's dismissed? I'm really worried about how he's going to manage.

RAS

he is over 60?

Is he being paid whilst supended?

Any chance of getting a different job? I think under the new rules those over 60 on part-time hours (16+) get WTC?

ladela

RAS wrote: »

he is over 60?

Is he being paid whilst supended?

Any chance of getting a different job? I think under the new rules those over 60 on part-time hours (16+) get WTC?

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah he's 61 in a few days time. They have been paying him whilst suspended - he may not even be dismissed (though its looking likely) but I'm just looking at his options incase the worst happens.

I don't know about him finding another job. To be honest if he is dismissed I think he'll find it quite difficult to find other work, especially in the field he works in now (infact, it would be nigh on impossible I think). His confidence is low at the moment and I am worried about him; not sure he is in the right frame of mind to look for anything else unfortunately. He only has experience/training in his current role.

viktory

He will be able to claim job seekers allowance but might be sanctioned. The sanction can last up to 26 weeks. Therefore, as soon as your father is dismissed he needs to get his claim in. If they sanction him, he can appeal. He should also claim HB or LHA and CT benefit.

allen35

As he is 61 soon he is entitled to claim pension Credit, this will passport him to full Housing Benefit and Council tax Benefit.

There won't be any sanctions due to his work problems as you are not expected to look for work once you reach pension credit age.

tempested

ladela wrote: »

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah he's 61 in a few days time. They have been paying him whilst suspended - he may not even be dismissed (though its looking likely) but I'm just looking at his options incase the worst happens.

I don't know about him finding another job. To be honest if he is dismissed I think he'll find it quite difficult to find other work, especially in the field he works in now (infact, it would be nigh on impossible I think). His confidence is low at the moment and I am worried about him; not sure he is in the right frame of mind to look for anything else unfortunately. He only has experience/training in his current role.

First of all Pension Credit is a means tested benefit.
You have not mentioned if your dad is single or in a relationship.

If he is single he would get £137.35 (£209.70 if in a relationship) a week plus he would get 100% of his council tax and rent paid for him.

Has he got any disabilities? If so he could be entitled to a lot more.

If he wishes to sign on, he will have to go through all of the ins and outs of claiming JSA. But he won't get any more money than what he would get from Pension Credit. So for every £ he gets of JSA or ESA, he would lose a £ of Pension Credit. Hence why very few people claim JSA if they can get Pension Credit - it doesn't make sense to. He can still look for work.
If he finds work, he would be allowed to keep £10 a week of his wage, but would then lose Pension Credit £ for £. In his case, he would have to earn more than £147.35 a week to be on the same money as Pension Credit. But he may then have to pay some rent/council tax.

Sometimes in cases like that, it doesn't pay to work if you can get PC.

You really have to decide what you want to do. Not working and getting PC would give him a combined income including Council Tax & Rent of something like £235pw in his hand, something like £15/16k per annum gross!!

superwoman4

allen35 wrote: »

As he is 61 soon he is entitled to claim pension Credit, this will passport him to full Housing Benefit and Council tax Benefit.

There won't be any sanctions due to his work problems as you are not expected to look for work once you reach pension credit age.

Isn't pension credit age 65 for men ?

allen35

No, state retirement pension is but pension credit is a means tested benefit for both men and women who reach state pension age for a woman.

It will gradually rise in time to 65.

tempested

superwoman4 wrote: »

Isn't pension credit age 65 for men ?

No. It's the current age when a woman can claim her OAP when he makes the claim.

In fact as he is 61, he should make it now and have it backdated 3 months (max) - it used to be backdated for 12 months, but the government decided that they could do with that money that people hadn't claimed. So now they have lost 9 months of backdated benefit, to help the government out!

It used to be the case until at least 6 months ago, that anybody who was claiming means tested JSA, was automatically transferred over to Pension Credit. It meant a lot more money, better perks and they didn't have to sign on anymore for it. They could, if they wished, still look for a job, but there was no pressure put on them to carry out all of the requirements of JSA. That is why the recorded unemployment figures are kept atifically low. They don't count those over 60, claiming Pension Credit, unemployed and looking for a job! They are in the grey area of not quite retired, not registered as unemployed, and not claiming ESA either.

allen35

tempested wrote: »

No. It's the current age when a woman can claim her OAP when he makes the claim.

In fact as he is 61, he should make it now and have it backdated 3 months (max) - it used to be backdated for 12 months, but the government decided that they could do with that money that people hadn't claimed. So now they have lost 9 months of backdated benefit, to help the government out!

It used to be the case until at least 6 months ago, that anybody who was claiming means tested JSA, was automatically transferred over to Pension Credit. It meant a lot more money, better perks and they didn't have to sign on anymore for it. They could, if they wished, still look for a job, but there was no pressure put on them to carry out all of the requirements of JSA. That is why the recorded unemployment figures are kept atifically low. They don't count those over 60, claiming Pension Credit, unemployed and looking for a job! They are in the grey area of not quite retired, not registered as unemployed, and not claiming ESA either.

Hi Temp

OP's dad is still being paid in work. He thinks he is going to be sacked and therefore looking at what benefits he can claim

ladela

Thank you so much for all of your advice, I really, really appreciate it (LOVE this site). Just phoned him and told him to ring the Pension Credit people so he's feeling a bit better - might not be the end of the world for him afterall. You have all been brilliant thanks