Been refused JSA need advice urgently

ironpetal

Glad you got it sorted I know only too well what its like to be a single parent bringing up kids and trying to make ends meet....alternatively you could go to the CAB and speak to a benefit adviser who will assist you with perhaps other things you dont know about.

Oldernotwiser

meme2012 wrote: »

Yes, I'm well aware HB is means tested. However, there is 'such a thing as' partial HB and full HB entitlement. If one is in receipt of JSA or Income Support then generally, provided ones rent falls within the specified threshold, they qualify for full HB entitlement. As my current HB is based on my university loan income, which is higher than JSA or Income Support, I have only been awarded partial HB.

You haven't been awarded "partial" HB as there's no such thing. Your HB has been assessed on your student loan/grant, just as if this amount was your earnings.

In other words, it's been means tested.

oldmotherreilly

Sorry, I didn't phrase my question very well. What is the official end date of your summer term this year? Also, when did you make your claim? If the two overlap, then JSA would not be payable. It might be worth looking at what date your grants etc are supposed to cover?
You can ask for a basic oral decision from someone in the Jobcentre and you can also ask for a detailed decision from a Decision Maker. Although they won't see you face to face, they will arrange to telephone you to give you this information.

dookar

meme2012 wrote: »

Ha...I was told that the department responsible for making JSA decisions do not deal directly with the public and that I must therefore submit an appeal...another untruth?

Yes, unless something has changed recenlty

Arg

welshmoneylover wrote: »

you seem to be restricting yourself with the hours you only want to work. Have you tried being more flexible? Are you receiving child maintenance from the father?

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Phone up recruitment agencies and asked to be placed on their books for any type of temp work. Go to your local library and use their newspapers for job searching.

Applying for just 5 jobs a week is not enough to find work urgently.

I'm sure if she wanted pithy jobseeking advice she would have asked in another forum.

AsknAnswer2

meme2012 wrote: »

I don't have much choice in the hours I work, as I said..my daughter is 8, I need to take her school and pick her up (I have no-one else to do this for me). The earliest I could get to work - if local - is 9:30 (she starts school at 8:55) and the latest I could work is 2:30pm (she finishes at 3:00pm). The school does not have a breakfast or after school club. I can't get a child minder until I get a job and some funds to pay for their services.

I don't get child maintenance from her father and nor can I. He lives in America (no idea where and I can't find out...I have tried in past) and he has not had contact since child was 10 months old.

It will soon be the school Summer holidays, how do you intend to work or actively seek and be available for employment, once your child is out of school, if you don't have the immediate funds required for childcare, and are unable to confidently secure a childcare/holiday playscheme place if you do find employment?

This isn't a criticism, I'm genuinely curious, as non term time childcare issues is something I don't think the government considered fully when introducing the changes to the qualifying age for children of lone parents. Most childcare settings require a large deposit upfront and childcare places can be very limited in some areas.

Is anyone else aware of anything in place to combat these issues? Ed Balls did promise the provision of wrap around care attached to all schools by September of 2010 but it appears this promise was not fulfilled in a lot of areas.

meme2012

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

You haven't been awarded "partial" HB as there's no such thing. Your HB has been assessed on your student loan/grant, just as if this amount was your earnings.

In other words, it's been means tested.

As I have already indicated, I am well aware HB is means tested.

My full rent is £100.pw, at present HB pay part of my rent £40.pw based on my income.
If in receipt of JSA, HB would pay the full sum of my rent - £100.pw

As my rent is £100.pw, HB of £100.pw would be the full amount of HB I would be entitled too at any given time...HB would never exceed this sum.

Please stop being pedantic, you know full well what I mean.

meme2012

AsknAnswer2 wrote: »

It will soon be the school Summer holidays, how do you intend to work or actively seek and be available for employment, once your child is out of school, if you don't have the immediate funds required for childcare, and are unable to confidently secure a childcare/holiday playscheme place if you do find employment?

This isn't a criticism, I'm genuinely curious, as non term time childcare issues is something I don't think the government considered fully when introducing the changes to the qualifying age for children of lone parents. Most childcare settings require a large deposit upfront and childcare places can be very limited in some areas.

Is anyone else aware of anything in place to combat these issues? Ed Balls did promise the provision of wrap around care attached to all schools by September of 2010 but it appears this promise was not fulfilled in a lot of areas.

I'm rather lucky in this respect, my sister is a teacher. In the event I secure employment, she will initially be able to help out for a few hours each day during the summer holidays. I did get a leaflet from my daughters school a few weeks ago regarding a summer camp, it worked out just a few pounds short of £90pw. Children had to be booked in early due to limited places and they required the full sum upfront....it was a non-starter

My cousin puts her children in a summer camp every year, whilst she gets help with child care costs, she still has to pay the bulk of the cost upfront; it takes around 3-4 weeks for her to be reimbursed. She has said that saving up the deposit leaves her financially strapped from the New Year until the reimbursment comes through.

Oldernotwiser

meme2012 wrote: »

As I have already indicated, I am well aware HB is means tested.

My full rent is £100.pw, at present HB pay part of my rent £40.pw based on my income.
If in receipt of JSA, HB would pay the full sum of my rent - £100.pw

As my rent is £100.pw, HB of £100.pw would be the full amount of HB I would be entitled too at any given time...HB would never exceed this sum.

Please stop being pedantic, you know full well what I mean.

I'm not being pedantic but I will stop trying to help you understand because obviously you are having problems with it and it's making you cross.

Anubis_2

If you are already studying or training when the rules are introduced, the Government has said that you will be treated as if the old rules applied for the duration of your course, or until your youngest child reaches 16, whichever is earliest. !If you are thinking of taking up a course you may want to do this before the rules change in November.

When did you start your course? The old rules apply depending on start of course, which includes the "couple" rule.

Additionally

Being eligible to claim benefits, however, does not mean that you will necessarily be entitled to receive payments of benefits. !This is because any grant, bursary and/or student loan to which you are entitled is
taken into account as income when calculating benefits; this is when the issue becomes complex !

As you are claiming ctc you will also be getting the bursary. Your loan and the ctc and bursary may be considered too high.

Are you not able to claim housing benefit?

Also, you can only claim JSA if you are a full time student if you meet one of the following criteria - remember your course has to be an "approved" course, if it isn't then you cannot claim. Do you fit one of the criteria below?

• on an employment-related course of up to two weeks which has been approved in advance by the DWP or a Venture Trust training programme of up to four weeks. !In either case, only one course is allowed in any 12-month period; or
!
• aged 25 or over and on an approved employment-related course including one under the New Deal for up to nine months; or
!
• have had to take time out of your course due to illness or to care for someone else; you can apply for JSA once you recover or your caring responsibilities cease up to the point when you return to your course as agreed with the University.
!
• You are on a full-time employment-related course approved by an employment officer at the Jobcentre Plus. !You can claim JSA for just two weeks.
!
• If you are a full-time student with a partner, s/he can claim JSA without you needing to be available for work. !However, your income as a student will be taken into account and may affect the amount of JSA s/he would receive.

What is your course?

http://tees-su.org.uk/files/advicemeans_tested_benefits09.doc