Rapid reclaim

Alutex

Hi

I was on IB JSA, housing and council tax benefit, came into a small amount of money and took myself off it even though i didn't have a job, as I hated the whole signing on thing.

If I don't get a job (which looks pretty unlikely given the state of the nation!) the money will eventually run out and I'll have to sign on again, probably within 6 months as a rapid reclaim.

Can I ask how nosey they are likely to be given how I took myself off without a job to go to? I'm a bit wary of this deprivation of capital rule I've read about. The amount of money I got wasn't very much at all (I'm actually below the £6k already but as I said I hate the whole signing on thing) and I've not gone nuts spending-wise.

Will they want bank statements and stuff? If so how long backdated?

Thanks.

Oldernotwiser

As your money is now beneath the threshold, why not sign on straight away?

Alutex

As I said in the op I don't like all the signing on stuff. Maybe old fashioned, but I prefer to try and look after myself. Obviously when the money gets low and there's no job in sight then I'll have to, but I want to delay that as long as I can.

ALIBOBSY

They will usually ask what you lived on inbetween sigining if you weren't working so you just tell them and they will ask for bank statements to check what is left is under the limits.

It is reasonable to spend to live so don't worry about it too much. The deprivation of capital rules are aimed more at people trying to reduce their capital in order to qualify to claim.

Ali x

Alutex

Thanks.

What I'd like to know is will they do that even for a rapid reclaim? I've done rapid reclaims before when I've actually got short term jobs and they never asked to see anything. But never done one under these circumstances.

If so, how far back are they going to ask to see? Not that I've got anything to hide, but I just don't like the thought of some complete stranger jobsworth poking his nose around my personal affairs (same kind of outlook that makes me prefer to look after myself if I can)

Caz3121

deprivation of capital rules are to assess if someone deprived themselves of capital in order to receive benefits. If your spending has been 'normal' eg paying your rent, council tax and bills then all is fine, even a small holiday and a second hand car may be deemed ok. If they decide you spent 'in order to receive benefits', couple of Caribbean cruises, brand new £25k car, giving money away to others etc then they may deem that you still have some of that capital. The limit for no means tested benefits is £16k, between £6k and £16k they reduce the benefits.
Much will depend on what the original sum was and what your essential spending is. I think they use the sum of rent + council tax + JSA amount = acceptable spend and anything over that would be reviewed by the decision maker to assess whether they think the decrease was to enable you to claim benefits

Alutex

Thank you for that explanation.

Can I ask again - will they do this in these circumstances even for a rapid reclaim?

paddedjohn

why will it be a rapid reclaim after 6 months?

Alutex

I said in the op within 6 months! LOL Why is it so hard to get a direct answer to a direct question on here? :eek: :rotfl: Perhaps no one really knows.

Maybe I need to ask it directly without the rest of the explanation ......

Having taken myself off benefits to live off a small windfall, will the Jobcentre want to see bank statements if I sign back on via a rapid reclaim? And if so, for how far back?

Caz3121

did you close your claim for housing benefit and council tax benefit? I think you will probably need to open a new claim with them and they normally ask for a few months bank statements

Alutex

Yes I did. I've done rapid reclaims before after taking and ending short jobs (2 or 3 months) and they've never asked before.