Help with benefits for job seeker!

bks6985

Hello,

Recently my other half left his job largely due to stress and for health reasons. Although in the last 3 weeks he has been doing work on the side for his mates he is still yet to find a permanant position. As he walked out of his job I am aware that we are not able to claim jobseekers allowance but I am not sure how long for? Also as we have a mortgage are we entitled to any help with council tax? I have been reading up on the internet but there is so much conflicting information I don't know what to believe. My partner went to the job centre in the hopes that they would help but they just said he had to phone someone else as they could not discuss benefits etc. Also could citizens advice help? Many Thanks for any advice, starting to get desperate now! Thanks

rogerblack

bks6985 wrote: »

Hello,

Recently my other half left his job largely due to stress and for health reasons. Although in the last 3 weeks he has been doing work on the side for his mates he is still yet to find a permanant position. As he walked out of his job I am aware that we are not able to claim jobseekers allowance but I am not sure how long for?

Up to 28 weeks.
You should be able to claim council tax benefit, on the basis of having low income, and perhaps hardship payments, depending on your circumstances.
See http://www.convery.org.uk/website/pubs/hb99/html/ch10.htm - search for mortgage and hardship.

If you qualify for hardship payments, you may be eligable for help with the mortgage. I haven't researched this in depth, so may be incorrect on this.

maginot

If he is still working on the side he is unlikely to get many benefits. It doesn't have to be a permanent position!
How much you are earning and therefore the total household earnings will impact on benefits.
Go to entitled to website and enter your details to check out whether there would be anything you claim. This could include, council tax benefit, interest mortgage payments, income/contribution based JSA etc.

dookar

He can claim JSA now, no sanction can be applied

rogerblack

dookar wrote: »

He can claim JSA now, no sanction can be applied

I understood that unless he can prove that he had to leave for health reasons - which may be very tricky - and unless he tried to work out with the employer alternate roles - that he could/would be sanctioned for leaving voluntarily.

dookar

rogerblack wrote: »

I understood that unless he can prove that he had to leave for health reasons - which may be very tricky - and unless he tried to work out with the employer alternate roles - that he could/would be sanctioned for leaving voluntarily.

This would, indeed be the case, for the final employment prior to the claim, he's done some work for mates since so not applicable in this instance.

p00hsticks

Regardless of whether he'll be sanctioned or not, if he's not working then my understanding is that he needs to put in a claim now, as any sanction only starts from the time you actually start claiming.

dookar

Of course, they can't randomly sanction people who aren't claiming. However, the duration of any sanction would be reduced for any days for which a claim is not made. So if a person waited two weeks and then claimed and received a 6 week sanction then they would 'serve' four weeks.


But I'm pretty confident no sanction will apply

Lady_gaga

dookar wrote: »

He can claim JSA now, no sanction can be applied

Don't tell people that and get their hopes up, he would almost definately be sanctioned, the work he has been doing since leaving his employment has been on the side cash in hand, I hardly think that will stand him in good stead!

Torry_Quine

Any sanction starts from when the decision is made so delaying doesn't make any difference.

McKneff

This thread must be very confusing for the OP, its full of conflicting advice.

OP, go to the CAB or ring the DWP up.