Serious advice needed about benefits, no judgements please.

sweetlilac

yes homeswapper is a facility where social housing tenants can swap homes and i have been waiting almost 2 years to find somewhere closer to my family, and its only because its a 4 way swap with myself and 3 other people, its rare to get to move to where you want directly.

Its a double edged sword because you cant move without somewhere to work and you can get a job without somewhere to live in the area blah blah.

all i know is that im stuck, im miserable and i cant see any way out.

chocsessential

So is the homeswap definitely going ahead? If so you need to speak to the benefits enquiry line and tell them you are moving so they can advise you on what you might be able to claim.

If the homeswap is not going ahead could your family do some research and find private rented accommodation close to where they live? Could they help you with the deposit? If they can help you get established in a home you will be in a better position to start job hunting in the area.

You could also call the CAB close to where your family live for further advice. Maybe your family could go to the CAB and ask questions about benefits and housing on your behalf.


Good luck. One way or the other you can make it happen:)

ikati5

Hi Sweetlilac, so sorry to hear you are feeling so down. No one should be bullied and persecuted in the workplace but unfortunately in the real world it is all too common.

You do not need to tell the benefit agency your intention regarding homeswapper. You just go ahead with your housemove and present yourself as unemployed but actively seeking work when you arrive in Northwales. You will be able to claim jsa, housing and council tax benefit.


My advice to you would be ask your doctor to sign you off sick long term, sort out your house move, start packing and planning your new life!

Good Luck x

(Be patient..I swapped my home a while back and due to complicated paperwork, rules etc, it took 5 months!)

sweetlilac

hi ikati5,

so even tho i would be in effect quitting my job to leave i can claim in the interim ? did this happen to you as well ?

yes swapping can be a pain, ive been waiting for ages to find somewhere because i cant afford to rent privately and most agencys now want at least £2000 up front and wont accept dss, so if i was to fork out all that money and then find a job and lose it, the landlord would kick me out and then id be homeless.

Yeah paperwork can be a pain but my housing ppl have said that they can do it within 6 weeks which is a gd sign at least and so i have to start the ball rolling but im hesitant to do that unless i know for definite that i would be able to claim help in the interim whilst i looked for work.

its very hard for honest hard working people nowadays isnt it !!

SaLoGo

Not quite the same situation, but I had given up my full time job in anticipation of a move to Germany with my (ex) husband. A few days later my ex informed me he was leaving me (not gonna go into all the details!) and the move to Germany was off. I moved back to my hometown and after speaking to a lovely lady on that benefits helpline found out that I could claim JSA even though I had left my job through my own choice.

I know it's not quite the same situation, but it is definately worth giving them a call, they really are very helpful (the lady I spoke to sat and listened to me crying uncontrollably for the 1st 5 mins!). I didn't think I would be entitled to anything but they decided I was. It definately helped me get back on my feet after the move/divorce etc.

I really hope it works out for you, your co-workers sound awful, it's like being back at school!!

DCFC79

No ones going to judge you, your in a very uncomfortable position where for some reason your being bullied by some idiots. Hope you get something soted soon.

sweetlilac

Hi SaLoGo,

yes tell me about it, it doesn't help that im a woman in my job and they are all men either, and they all want my job because it pays more money. No matter what anyone says sexism is rife in workplaces nowadays and thats just true, especially on shop floor environments. As a woman if you file a complaint your seen as a trouble maker and when i have filed complaints for bullying they didnt even discipline them just had a word and then they go round telling everyone so nobody speaks to you, its awful.
Last year one of them messed around with my chair and i fell off it and dislocated my pelvis, was off work for a month, had to have 4 months of physio i filed a complaint, they did nothing, i asked to be be transferred they said no, that person then became my supervisor if you can believe that and we had an almighty row on the shop floor because he asked me to get down on my hands and knees and scrub out this tray thing that sits beneath my machine that was full of slime and oil and god knows what, i refused to do it, they suspended me and then gave me a written warning for insubordination even tho in the meeting i told them that he had repeatedly bullied me, they said it was irrelevant.

Its a horrible way to live, i wouldnt wish it on anyone but yiou stay there and put up with it all because its a job but im sorry nobody should ahve to put up with all of that all the time.

Heamol

Hi, I'm really sorry to hear that you are feeling so low and that you're being bullied at work. That really is attrocious. No wonder you are feeling so dreadful.

I'm from North Wales myself and it is a most beautiful area (as you probably know already!). I expect that when you are close to family and in a totally different part of the county- and far away from the job you hate- things will greatly pick up for you.

If it's any help, this site is very useful for jobhunting in North Wales: http://www.jobswales.co.uk/ You can search for jobs within X miles of your new location.

sweetlilac

Hi Heamol,

thats a brilliant link, thankyou so much, i am going to take a look now.

And yeah the swap i have been offered is in Abergele and my family live in Prestatyn so its pretty perfect

lilacclaire

Im sure if you explain to the doctor whats been going on and that you want to move to get family support then he will sign you off sick, once you get moved register with a new doctor straight away and let them know the situation.
I don't know how it stands with the benefit agency about moving, but hopefully if the doctor supports your move for medical reasons they should let you claim.
Good luck, it sounds like a wonderful opportunity for you