Many problems with trying to get JSA!

shop-to-drop

How many bedrooms does the flat have?

Sixer

Class 1 NICs would entitle you to contribution-based JSA, which you'd get for 26 weeks, regardless of whether you and your flatmate are a couple.

If you don't have these, your claim will be for income-based JSA, which you wouldn't qualify for if your flatmate was your partner, as his income is taken into consideration. But you will get it if you are two singletons living in a flatshare. If you're entitled to income-based JSA, you'll also be able to claim LHA for your rent.

You need to get this sorted out with DWP. Are you in a relationship with someone who isn't your flatmate? Is your flatmate? Can you demonstrate that you have separate lives (not just bedrooms)?

Shinystar

Lady_gaga wrote: »

Then I can't see why you're not putting up more of a fight to get your JSA, if your not a couple.

Give me a chance! I only got the letter telling me my national contributions whatevers weren't 'good enough' on the 16th of Sept, and since then have worked a Monday and Friday (which I told the job centre about AND also mentioned in my original post) so have had to plan stuff for that (despite what you might have heard about supply teachers, I do try and have stuff planned). I was also due to work at the same school this week before getting a phone call telling me I'm no longer needed as the permanent person they hired can start earlier than expected!


I am new to the whole process and the reason I'm posting on here is because I'm trying to find out exactly what I can do about the situation, considering my advisor has told me it's not her who sorts these things out. I tried to go to the citizens advice bureau today, only to discover that it closes at 1 (despite the website telling me it closes at 4) and attempted to ring the main benefit office to find out exactly what I can do about the situation, but this only succeeded in me being put on hold for god knows how long and then getting cut off!

Still, tomorrow is another day. So I shall have to have yet another fun phone call with someone from the benefit office and go to the bureau.

Shinystar

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Whilst the JCP are obviously going to suspect that you and your flat mate are partners, if you are not, it should be possible to convince them of the truth. If you have separate rental agreements, live separately and have separate bedrooms it's perfectly possible to persuade them, which will enable you to claim means tested JSA and LHA at the shared accommodation rate.

What sort of flat lease do you have and do you have any joint financial arrangements?

In answer to a few questions that people have posted. Yes, it does not surprise me that the job centre people assume we are a couple, and it is obviously something which is not easy to 'prove' one way or another.

As far as I'm aware the rental agreement is a 'joint' one (we only have one contract which we've both signed), but were not listed as partners anywhere on it.

The flat has two bedrooms, so obviously we take one of these each. We even have two bathrooms!

We don't have any joint financial things. The council tax letter we get is addressed to both of us, but we don't have any joint accounts or anything. The money we have is completely our own to do with what we want!

What is LHA?


Thanks.

Oldernotwiser

Shinystar wrote: »

In answer to a few questions that people have posted. Yes, it does not surprise me that the job centre people assume we are a couple, and it is obviously something which is not easy to 'prove' one way or another.

As far as I'm aware the rental agreement is a 'joint' one (we only have one contract which we've both signed), but were not listed as partners anywhere on it.

The flat has two bedrooms, so obviously we take one of these each. We even have two bathrooms!

We don't have any joint financial things. The council tax letter we get is addressed to both of us, but we don't have any joint accounts or anything. The money we have is completely our own to do with what we want!

What is LHA?


Thanks.

Local Housing Allowance - the usual way of referring to Housing Benefit in the private sector these days.

Shinystar

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Local Housing Allowance - the usual way of referring to Housing Benefit in the private sector these days.

Oh, well I did go into the council to apply for council tax benefit and housing benefit yesterday (I had to take in copies of my wage slips and my letter from the job centre).

The ladies reaction was 'so, you're not getting any job seekers?'
I replied 'No, not at the moment anyway.'
And then she took one look at my wage slip (the one for the £25 as that's all I've been paid to date) and said 'and you don't really have an income do you?' She genuinely looked quite worried!

Anyway, she photocopied the documents so I guess I just have to wait for a letter letting me know if I might get anything.

dseventy

If someone from the DWP asked a)your neighbours b)your friends c)your parents if you were a couple (your "housemate") what would they say?

Thats one of the tests they apply. The DM guidance is like :

11047 DMs should consider

1. the sexual relationship of the two people1 [FONT=MPIAC O+ Helvetica,Helvetica][FONT=MPIAC O+ Helvetica,Helvetica]and[/FONT][/FONT]
   
2. the relationship of the two people concerning money2 [FONT=MPIAC O+ Helvetica,Helvetica][FONT=MPIAC O+ Helvetica,Helvetica]and[/FONT][/FONT]
   
3. the general relationship of the two people3

Do you satisfy these?

D70