So poor I can't even pay attention

Piquant_2

Very kind of you to say granny. You might not have been quite so impressed to see me deal with the Captain's hissy fit this afternoon.

Having finished at the coffee shop I went home [five minutes away] threw on my riding gear and picked up a bag of carrots and headed for the yard. The sun was shining, I'd been stuck in for hours so I decided we'd go on a hack.

No sooner had we left the gate to the yard when the Captain threw his hissy fit, throwing on his brakes so he is actually leaning backwards, he then started to run backwards towards the yard. Now, I'd looked forward to spending some quality time with him and wasn't prepared to have it cut short by a horse tantrum. I leaned forward in the saddle, and into his devil horn ear yelled the immortal words 'move on, you cantankerous sod'. Combined with a healthy prod with my heel it persuaded him to move forwards quite rapidly! After which we had a lovely time and cantered through the dappled sunshine in the woods. He is very obstinate sometimes which has meant we have stood in many ditches and hedgerows waiting for one of us to give in!

grannyx2

Piquant wrote: »

Very kind of you to say granny. You might not have been quite so impressed to see me deal with the Captain's hissy fit this afternoon.

Having finished at the coffee shop I went home [five minutes away] threw on my riding gear and picked up a bag of carrots and headed for the yard. The sun was shining, I'd been stuck in for hours so I decided we'd go on a hack.

No sooner had we left the gate to the yard when the Captain threw his hissy fit, throwing on his brakes so he is actually leaning backwards, he then started to run backwards towards the yard. Now, I'd looked forward to spending some quality time with him and wasn't prepared to have it cut short by a horse tantrum. I leaned forward in the saddle, and into his devil horn ear yelled the immortal words 'move on, you cantankerous sod'. Combined with a healthy prod with my heel it persuaded him to move forwards quite rapidly! After which we had a lovely time and cantered through the dappled sunshine in the woods. He is very obstinate sometimes which has meant we have stood in many ditches and hedgerows waiting for one of us to give in!

Oh my dear, I'm laughing so much I need to head off back to Pinot's diary to pick up some Tena ladies

Tears of joy

Gx2 x :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Eager_Elephant

Piquant wrote: »

Thank you fallenwiccan for that info. I'm seeing my careers advisor today, he who tried to get me to take a job as a sheep carer and toilet attendant. I'll ask him, having said that, he hasn't known anything about anything else I've asked him, but it's worth a try. Also Eager Elephant knows a lot about such things I may bother her and ask the question.

Piq

Sorry Piq

I have been so busy this week that I have only just had a chance to catch up.

As you already know you can earn £5 before they deduct money from your JSA.

The other thing to bare in mind is that if you work more than 15 hours or earn more than £76 in a week you lose your JSA and that in turn is likely to stop the mortgage insurance from paying out :eek:

Please check the terms/conditions of your mortgage insurance.

Have they confirmed yet whether they will take the money off your JSA for the insurance - if you receive no JSA because of this you still have to sign on to get the NI credits and again might be a condition of the insurance.
Also after 13 weeks on JSA you are able to claim for help with mortgage interest (although of course if you get insurance it does not pay out)
I think I will ring my acquaintance in Housing Costs @ JC+ next week and ask her about your situation.


There again if the cafe money is paid in cash ............

Baldybear

Piquant wrote: »

V

No sooner had we left the gate to the yard when the Captain threw his hissy fit, throwing on his brakes so he is actually leaning backwards, he then started to run backwards towards the yard. Now, I'd looked forward to spending some quality time with him and wasn't prepared to have it cut short by a horse tantrum. I leaned forward in the saddle, and into his devil horn ear yelled the immortal words 'move on, you cantankerous sod'. Combined with a healthy prod with my heel it persuaded him to move forwards quite rapidly! After which we had a lovely time and cantered through the dappled sunshine in the woods. He is very obstinate sometimes which has meant we have stood in many ditches and hedgerows waiting for one of us to give in!

I'm glad that there is another horse on who leans backwards. Baldrick used to, never the running backwards though, that would have been far too much effort, just stood his ground not moving :rotfl:

Glad the coffee shop is ok, hard work, shame about politics but free food, I'll go anywhere for free food

Piquant_2

Thanks EE for helping. I have to confess I'm getting more and more confused by it all. It seems that the system doesn't want to help people who want to work.

I know I can only earn £5.00 before they start deducting from my jsa and that there's a limit to the hours I can work. The coffee shop initially wanted me to work eight hours over the weekend, but I've already done more than that. They also have asked me to work an extra six hours during this week. Obviously I want the money as things are getting near me under and defaulting on everything. However, they have asked for my NI number, which means I'll have to cut back the hours and only earn what I would get in jsa, which isn't enough to pay the bills.

Are there two sorts of jsa? income based and another. I'm told I will lose income based jsa because of the mortgage insurance, but I will get jsa until the end of August?? My adviser doesn't seem to know much about it either. He just looks at a screen and reads it to me.

The adviser also said I would automatically get my council tax paid for, this hasn't happened and despite writing to the DWP nobody has told me what happens to my endowment payment part of the mortgage which I pay £200 per month.

I will check the terms of my mortgage policy, but if I'm earning less than the mortgage payment and they don't pay out I'm in trouble, more so if you consider I only have four years left on my mortgage.

Very fed up and a bit tearful. All I want to do is earn enough to live on. I'm happy to be frugal, but it seems very difficult today. I'm probably tired that's all.

I do appreciate you taking an interest and helping. I wish I wasn't so dense about it. I'm really finding it difficult to get my head around.

Piq

Eager_Elephant

Piquant wrote: »

Thanks EE for helping. I have to confess I'm getting more and more confused by it all. It seems that the system doesn't want to help people who want to work.

I have to agree - the system makes you better off not even trying to work

I know I can only earn £5.00 before they start deducting from my jsa and that there's a limit to the hours I can work. The coffee shop initially wanted me to work eight hours over the weekend, but I've already done more than that. They also have asked me to work an extra six hours during this week. Obviously I want the money as things are getting near me under and defaulting on everything. However, they have asked for my NI number, which means I'll have to cut back the hours and only earn what I would get in jsa, which isn't enough to pay the bills.

The benefit week is Monday to Sunday so when you sign on you have to tell them what hours you worked and how much you earnt.
It is difficult as when you have just started a job you want to be accomodating of their requests as it is likely to lead to more work in the future.
Have they asked for your NI number as you are employed by them and they will register it with HMRC or have they asked for it as part of the immigration criteria when employing people you have to have proof of NINo etc in case their are any problems?

Are there two sorts of jsa? income based and another. I'm told I will lose income based jsa because of the mortgage insurance, but I will get jsa until the end of August?? My adviser doesn't seem to know much about it either. He just looks at a screen and reads it to me.

You are correct, there are 2 types - income based and contribution based. When people first apply for JSA, if they have worked for certain periods over the last 2 or 3 years then it is likely they have paid enough contributions to get contribution based JSA. If you have not worked or only worked part time then you might not have paid enough and you would get income based.
The difference between the two is that income based is based on your household income and contribution based isn't.
Contribution based is only payable for 6 months so after this time you are assessed for income based so if you have a partner who works it is likely that the household income is too high and therefore you have no benefits to claim.

Both types of JSA are the same when it comes to earnings so the rule of taking in to account your income (less £5) is the same for both.
I am not sure why you were told that you would lose income based because of the mortgage protection as you would lose it with contribution based as well.

The JSA until end of August is the 6 month period for contribution based but this can still be taken off you if you have too much income or work more than 15 hours.

The problem with advisers at the Jobcentre is that they don't know the regulations for benefits, they know the basics but not much else. It is the decision makers at the Benefit Delivery Centre who know the rules inside out.
Your adviser has most of it wrong :mad:

The adviser also said I would automatically get my council tax paid for, this hasn't happened

Council Tax Benefit is only automatically awarded if you get income based as the jobcentre will have done all the bank account checks etc needed but with contribution based they are not as strict and therefore the checks have not been done.
What should have happened is that the local authority (council) will have received an ETD (Electronic Transfer of Data) from JC+ which tell them that you get JSA (C), the council should write to you to say that they have been informed of JSA(C) and would you like to claim Housing or Council Tax Benefit and they enclosed a form for completion. The form is then returned with bank statements etc.

I think the issue with your LA is either they are crap :rotfl:, they have a back log so haven't got round to it yet or they think you have a partner (who works) as you do not have single person discount (I think you said this before) and so therefore they have not bothered to contact you.

I think you need to get down to the council to get this claimed.

despite writing to the DWP nobody has told me what happens to my endowment payment part of the mortgage which I pay £200 per month

.

Is this bit not covered by your mortgage insurance? If it is not then the DWP are unlikely to help with this and they might have ignore the letter as it is not something that concerns them.

Are you not able to suspend/freeze the endowment part while you don't work?

I will check the terms of my mortgage policy, but if I'm earning less than the mortgage payment and they don't pay out I'm in trouble, more so if you consider I only have four years left on my mortgage.

As I said above, there is no reward for trying to get back into work

Very fed up and a bit tearful. All I want to do is earn enough to live on. I'm happy to be frugal, but it seems very difficult today. I'm probably tired that's all.

(((Piquant))) Sorry you feel like this. It will get better but at the moment you have so much going on it is difficult to think positively.

I do appreciate you taking an interest and helping. I wish I wasn't so dense about it. I'm really finding it difficult to get my head around.

Piq, you are hardly dense, the thing is if your adviser who works for Jobcentre doesn't know the rules how is the ordinary man on the street supposed to know :mad:
I only know these things as I have to as it is part of my job, before I did this job I did not have a clue.

If you find out any more info let me know.

Piquant_2

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

I have to agree - the system makes you better off not even trying to work
I thought it was just me! The coffee shop is hard work and not really what I want to do, but it is honorable work and makes me feel better about myself, but maybe it's better to wait until I can get a real job or one that's not traceable...

Have they asked for your NI number as you are employed by them and they will register it with HMRC or have they asked for it as part of the immigration criteria when employing people you have to have proof of NINo etc in case their are any problems?
I don't know, the woman who owns the business is not very approachable and I'm not sure how she's going to react when I tell her I can only work hours according to regulations.

You are correct, there are 2 types - income based and contribution based. When people first apply for JSA, if they have worked for certain periods over the last 2 or 3 years then it is likely they have paid enough contributions to get contribution based JSA. If you have not worked or only worked part time then you might not have paid enough and you would get income based.
The difference between the two is that income based is based on your household income and contribution based isn't.
Contribution based is only payable for 6 months so after this time you are assessed for income based so if you have a partner who works it is likely that the household income is too high and therefore you have no benefits to claim.
I'm on contribution based jsa and I do not have a partner.

Both types of JSA are the same when it comes to earnings so the rule of taking in to account your income (less £5) is the same for both.
I am not sure why you were told that you would lose income based because of the mortgage protection as you would lose it with contribution based as well.

The JSA until end of August is the 6 month period for contribution based but this can still be taken off you if you have too much income or work more than 15 hours.

The problem with advisers at the Jobcentre is that they don't know the regulations for benefits, they know the basics but not much else. It is the decision makers at the Benefit Delivery Centre who know the rules inside out.
Your adviser has most of it wrong :mad:
No surprise there! I'll mention it in his dating profile...


Council Tax Benefit is only automatically awarded if you get income based as the jobcentre will have done all the bank account checks etc needed but with contribution based they are not as strict and therefore the checks have not been done.
What should have happened is that the local authority (council) will have received an ETD (Electronic Transfer of Data) from JC+ which tell them that you get JSA (C), the council should write to you to say that they have been informed of JSA(C) and would you like to claim Housing or Council Tax Benefit and they enclosed a form for completion. The form is then returned with bank statements etc.

I think the issue with your LA is either they are crap :rotfl:, they have a back log so haven't got round to it yet or they think you have a partner (who works) as you do not have single person discount (I think you said this before) and so therefore they have not bothered to contact you.

I think you need to get down to the council to get this claimed.
I have informed them that I should be on single person discount, but haven't heard back. I will chase tomorrow

Is this bit not covered by your mortgage insurance? If it is not then the DWP are unlikely to help with this and they might have ignore the letter as it is not something that concerns them.
It's rude to ignore a letter...

Are you not able to suspend/freeze the endowment part while you don't work?
Again I don't know, I'll write a letter tomorrow.



As I said above, there is no reward for trying to get back into work
It sucks!

Thank you again. I'll see what I can do tomorrow. Perhaps one of the many jobs I've applied for will want me for an interview. Or maybe I just go under. I've paid off so much debt, it seems a bit unfair that I've tripped so near to the finishing post

Piq

pink_poppy

Probably not the best time to de-lurk *waves sheepishly*

Just wanted to wish you well with everything & hope you get things sorted with the Job Centre & benefits ~ it all sounds horribly complicated

missrlr

Ok how about getting a free IFA check up about the endowment ? Lots will do this for nothing and could sort this issue. Perhaps also assist with the earnings things? Just a thought and don't forget smile, makes em wonder what they're missing!

teapot2

Hi Piq, sorry you are feeling down and fed up :grouphug: - have a dodgy hug on this Sunday evening. You seem to be caught up in a horrible Catch 22 situation - you want to work and have found some work but the regulations make it so difficult it might not be worth your while. The system truly does suck :mad:.

I worked in a cafe in the local park when we first moved back up here and I was looking for work. I can honestly say it was really hard, exhausting work - even with free cake and meals :T. There was hardly time to breathe some days it was so non stop busy but as you say honourable work and very satisfying in its way. Think the only job that left me feeling more tired was being a cleaner one summer.

I really hope things pick up and can I suggest going to the CAB and getting some detailed advice re your mortgage and your options with benefits? Take care, hope The Bear will oblige with a !!!!!cat snog? That always helps