Help: Housing Benefit Application - when previous income paid through an Umbrella Co

WishingForGoodLuck

I have never claimed benefits before. Unfortunately work dried up and I have had no income for two months. I have been desperate to find a new job, but there is nothing in the pipeline despite searching / applying several hours per day....so the money has kept flowing outwards for bills etc.

In order to pay my rent, and council tax, I have had to apply for benefits this week.

Here's the tricky bit: they have requested a P45 from my last job. There isn't one, as I was not employed directly by the company. I also was not self-employed - I do not do my own taxes, so I can't provide a year's worth of accountancy records, because it doesn't exist, and I am not trading under a company name.

I normally work on freelance contracts which are then paid through an umbrella company. The umbrella company (think Parasol sort of company) gets paid on my behalf, then pays me, but I don't get a payslip or statement of earnings. So, I am not sure how this will impact my ability to get approved for benefits - bec. there is not a direct working relationship for an employer, nor am I self employed.

What I can say is that I have no income at all, my savings are gone - I have about a £100 left, and I cannot pay my rent this month. I am completely desperate for some interim help with benefits until I sort out a new job. I am afraid though, that my working status thru an umbrella may be problematic, as I can't find anything about it on the government pages about eligibility...

Can anyone please help? Anyone have experience with getting / applying for benefit after working through an umbrella company?

Lady_strange

Even though you worked through an umbrella company, you should have still recieved pay slips, as I did, when I worked through Legal-E. I got my payslip every week, and they provided me with my P45 when I stopped working. Contact the umbrella company directly, and I am sure they can sort something out.