Daft Question. But its for a friend

flexrider

Hi gang

Welll i get down to it

Got a old mate just been made redundent,

worked hard he has for so so many years that kibda thing left with no money but does not want to Sign On the old benefit system for income he says however he know if he dosent he will lose as he lives in rented accomation.

Came on here to ask if it is possible to get Housing benefit without JSA or any other benefit while he finds new employment. He is too stubbon to sign on and that and thinks once you go on benefit he will become lazy or will hinder him trying to get work.

Is it possible
cheers Flex

MrsManda

Yes it's possible. He needs to go to his local council office and make an application,
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018926

Will he get a redundancy package?

flexrider

MrsManda wrote: »

Yes it's possible. He needs to go to his local council office and make an application,
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018926

Will he get a redundancy package?

not too sure we never discussed that and best to not ask he been in manufacting for so many years and the big redundency came as shock so he says. I suspect he will but got to appauld him for not wanting to sign on just get help with housing till he can get stright.

Caz3121

If he does not sign on, what will he do if his rent if higher than the housing benefit payment? how will he pay gas/elec/food?

BigAunty

If he feels unnecessarily guilty about his legitimate entitlement to benefits, and is worried about his work ethic eroding, encourage him to do voluntary work which will improve his esteem. It's possible to do certain types of voluntary work while claiming JSA, for example.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Gettinginvolvedinyourcommunity/Volunteering/DG_064299

That way he won't feel that he is taking 'something for nothing' and I'm sure it will help him after the blow to his self confidence following being made redundant.

Tell him that if he loses his accommodation through rent arrears, the assistance he could receive from the local council for being homeless may be limited as he may be defined as having made himself 'intentionally homeless' because his actions (not paying the rent when he could have) resulted in his eviction.

flexrider

BigAunty wrote: »

If he feels unnecessarily guilty about his legitimate entitlement to benefits, and is worried about his work ethic eroding, encourage him to do voluntary work which will improve his esteem. It's possible to do certain types of voluntary work while claiming JSA, for example.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/Gettinginvolvedinyourcommunity/Volunteering/DG_064299

That way he won't feel that he is taking 'something for nothing' and I'm sure it will help him after the blow to his self confidence following being made redundant.

Tell him that if he loses his accommodation through rent arrears, the assistance he could receive from the local council for being homeless may be limited as he may be defined as having made himself 'intentionally homeless' because his actions (not paying the rent when he could have) resulted in his eviction.

Not entirly Guitly he thinks like how my parents think from the 1960's or so used to, the lord tebbot get out and get a job attuide speech in the 80's,

he been working for so many years getting self satifaction and his confidence is not boasted or hurt He just dont want to sign on because he left school in 1979 and been in same job till 2 weeks ago. so you can understand his mindframe or how he thinks.

cheers guys i guess if they changed the system you would get many like my best mate dont want to sign on or whatever just help with housing until he can find a job.

bunnybunnyrabbit

He can do but the council will probably ask for a full explanation as to why he isn't claiming JSA. They will want to know how he is meeting his day to day living costs i.e. food, electricity etc. If he isn't claiming JSA they will want to know where he is getting the money to pay for these things (they may suspect he is actually working). Also, if he has over 16k in savings he won't be eligible for housing benefit.

paddedjohn

flexrider wrote: »

not too sure we never discussed that and best to not ask he been in manufacting for so many years and the big redundency came as shock so he says. I suspect he will but got to appauld him for not wanting to sign on just get help with housing till he can get stright.

You might think its best not to ask but if he did get any redundancy money and it puts his savings above £6k any benefit entitlement will be affected

rotoguys

bunnybunnyrabbit wrote: »

He can do but the council will probably ask for a full explanation as to why he isn't claiming JSA. They will want to know how he is meeting his day to day living costs i.e. food, electricity etc. If he isn't claiming JSA they will want to know where he is getting the money to pay for these things (they may suspect he is actually working). Also, if he has over 16k in savings he won't be eligible for housing benefit.

Are you being serious?

Since when have councils been given the right to interrogate CT/HB claimants as to how they manage to live.

You are only required to fill out a claim from, provide evidence to back up what you say (savings, income etc) and that's it. If they then decide to question anything else - tell them to **** ***!!!

If they suspect that the claimant is working, then THEY have to prove it!!

nannytone_2

of course the council will want to know!
if he has no visible sign of income, they will assume that he has independant means of supporting himself, which will lead them to ask ' where is this money coming from and how much'
they are dealing with public funds and have to ensure that it is only paid to people that qualify.

Mojisola

flexrider wrote: »

not too sure we never discussed that and best to not ask he been in manufacting for so many years and the big redundency came as shock so he says. I suspect he will but got to appauld him for not wanting to sign on just get help with housing till he can get stright.

If he's been working for "many years" he must be older which could make it more difficult to get work.

There was a post on here last year from someone who had started out with your friend's attitude. A year down the line, he was still unemployed and had spent most of his savings and was regretting not taking the benefits available when he could.

I don't see how someone could be okay with taking benefits towards rent but not accept JSA?

Once he's got over the shock of the redundancy, encourage him to more pragmatic about JSA.