Please help - apparently not entitled to jobgrant?

purplehearts066

Hia all
I've been on incapacity benefit for 4 years and a few weeks ago, was assessed for and migrated over to ESA, with no break in my claim. we also have a joint claim for income support in my partners name. I have 2 children.
I am starting work again next week, and can't wait to get back to work.
I'm working 17.5 hours a week, and earning 9000 a year and it is a permanent job.

The problem is, my benefit will stop straight away and I will not be paid for 5-6 weeks as my payday falls 6 days after I start work, and timesheets have to be submitted a week before payday to qualify for that payday so I'll have to wait for the following one. Also my tax credits claim could take a month or more to be processed.

From my own research, and from what I've been told by my want to work adviser and the jobcentre, I should be entitled to the jobgrant, a 250 pound payment to help for the first month back at work.
However, I just had a message on my answer phone from the jobcentre. When I called back, I was told there is a note on the system saying 'customer is not entitled to jobgrant'. I am now waiting for them to call me back.

I really don't understand why I would not be entitled to it. The only thing I can think of is that as my claim for ESA started a few weeks ago, perhaps they do not realise I was migrated over from IB? Or would changing over from IB to ESA affect entitlement?

I'm really worried about how I will cope for 5-6 weeks with no income. I will have to pay towards childcare, bus fares, food for children, internet bills etc, and just don't know how I will cope. I really *want* to be working again. Does anybody have any advice? Do I have any recourse for challenging this? Thanks very much

rogerblack

purplehearts066 wrote: »

The problem is, my benefit will stop straight away and I will not be paid for 5-6 weeks as my payday falls 6 days after I start work, and timesheets have to be submitted a week before payday to qualify for that payday

Firstly, have you asked the employer?
Either to start work a day earlier, or to ask if the payroll department can be flexible in this case - afterall, it's one day!

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Employedorlookingforwork/DG_10018789 - you seem to meet these criteria...

First step is to ring back, and request a statement of reasons for the decision not to give you job grant.
After ensuring that they don't have you down as a new ESA claim, and understand you'll be working >16h

I assume you're on income-based benefits, as you don't have other household income?

purplehearts066

Hi, I don't have any other income, but I am on contributions based ESA, as i transferred over from Incapacity Benefit. I was put on IB rather than IS as I had worked continuously prior to claiming benefit, so I had enough contributions to qualify. I do get a small, 'top up' amount of income support (as we get single rate of ESA, the income support just tops us up to the couples allowance) but the claim is in my partners name. Having checked all the info about jobgrant though, including the direct gov website, all of it says that incapacity benefit and contributions based ESA qualify?

Thanks, that's helpful info. I am wondering if they have me down as a new claim, as when I spoke to them yesterday and asked about jobgrant they seemed confused and said 'ah but your claim only started last week?' and when i explained i'd migrated over from IB they said that was fine and I should be entitled. Maybe its because IB is not income related but IB never seemed to have much info about me on my records or liaise with other departments very much. When ive called them before, for example, they often didnt seem aware that I had children or a partner on income support. I was also overpaid for a while a few years ago as they didnt know my partner was getting income support (I had told them, but they hadnt recorded it).

I think negotiating with payroll sounds like a good idea, I'll see if they could arrange an earlier paydate for me as a one off or something. As long as i have some form of income, it will be hard but I will manage - it's well worth an uncomfortable month to get back into work.

Thanks again for advice.

Fiver29

When I stopped my brief JSA claim just before summer, I found the tax credit office completed the claim immediately and there was no gap in payment at all. It took over a month for the documents detailing the claim to arrive, but the money was deposited in the bank weekly as usual.

Sam____2

tax credits won't take long to sort your claim, especially now since the renewal rush is over. Your benefits are paid in arears so you'll still have at least another payment from them and probably a run on of some sort, have a chat with a benefits advisor and see if this is possible.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Employedorlookingforwork/DG_10013908

purplehearts066

Thanks both - it's really reassuring to hear that tax credits shouldn't take too long to be sorted.

also - just spoke to jobcentre and apparently there was a mistake before, and I am entitled to the jobgrant! That's really good news, it should be a big help.

Also found out about housing benefit and council tax benefit run on, which mean I won't have to pay rent for the first month - and there's also something called back to work credit of 40 pounds a week for the first year. I'm actually amazed how much help is available - I'm really grateful, because this will make transition into work so much easier and will mean I am better off in work than on benefits (although, even if I wasn't better off, I still would have taken job, as I think working brings more than financial benefits)

Cheers for help all