Housing Benefit. Can they make me claim JSA?

gustav

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Have you checked your HA entitlement on your local council website or are you in council accommodation? If you are in privately rented accommodation then you may be liable to pay for the 'top up'. Don't forget to factor this in to your expenditure....

The Local Housing Allowance rate is the same as my current rent (did my research first) , so, even if there is a bit to pay, it won't be too much.

G.

Dunroamin

What will you do when your savings run out and when will you expect that to happen?

gustav

Dunroamin wrote: »

What will you do when your savings run out and when will you expect that to happen?

6 months ish.
Hopefully, by that time i will have sorted out some sort of gainful (!) employment.
What i dont want to do is be hassled by the boxtickers at the jobcentre into applying for every cleaner/careworker/callcentre/sales job that gets advertised.
I want the space and time to be a bit more selective, and take a longer view.
Is that too much to ask?

G.

ps. Have you really done 750 posts in one month?

HappyMJ

gustav wrote: »

6 months ish.
Hopefully, by that time i will have sorted out some sort of gainful (!) employment.
What i dont want to do is be hassled by the boxtickers at the jobcentre into applying for every cleaner/careworker/callcentre/sales job that gets advertised.
I want the space and time to be a bit more selective, and take a longer view.
Is that too much to ask?

G.

ps. Have you really done 750 posts in one month?

I do not blame you at all for avoiding the jobcentre. Have you tried a little bit of self employment to bring in some money in the meantime. Maybe a day here and there might not see your savings run out in 6 months. You can earn £76 a week in profit including any tax credits you may get without it affecting your housing benefit. Once you earn more than that you need to notify the council and they will adjust your benefit accordingly. It's just something to consider and you might get some better contacts along the way than you would otherwise. They do say that it is supposed to be easier finding a job when you have a job even if it's only a day a week. Most people on JSA won't take a days work due to the 100% withdrawal of benefits.

gustav

HappyMJ wrote: »

.... Have you tried a little bit of self employment to bring in some money in the meantime....

I do have a few bits and piece, and plan to try a few boot sales, and ebay etc, but i'm not going to make a fortune there.
I'm just trying to have the choice to take a bit of time and find the right job, rather than be press-ganged by the JC into doing something that doesnt interest me.

(although we are now straying a bit from the point of the OP )

G

HappyMJ

gustav wrote: »

I do have a few bits and piece, and plan to try a few boot sales, and ebay etc, but i'm not going to make a fortune there.
I'm just trying to have the choice to take a bit of time and find the right job, rather than be press-ganged by the JC into doing something that doesnt interest me.

(although we are now straying a bit from the point of the OP )

G

Ahh yes but that's why I said earlier to declare £75 a week income. You can then have the freedom to earn up to £75 a week without having to fill out a change of circumstances form each week when you earn a little here and there. It's only an estimate and it can be changed later on if necessary and proves in a way that your self employment is bringing in some money. You technically have no idea how much your Ebaying and boot sales will make in profit and the council do accept estimates. The estimate of £75 can also be averaged out so if one week you earnt £50 and the next week £100 due to the fact they allow you to average your self employment earnings out over 52 weeks then it doesn't matter so much. At the end of the year if your average earnings exceed £75 a week then you have an overpayment which will need to repaid so keep an eye on your average earnings and when they look to go over then fill in a change of circumstances form.

My weekly self employment earnings vary from nothing to £200 a week but I don't have to fill in a change of circumstances form each week.

gustav

HappyMJ wrote: »

.... You can then have the freedom to earn up to £75 a week without having to fill out a change of circumstances form each week when you earn a little here and there. It's only an estimate and it can be changed later on if necessary and proves in a way that your self employment is bringing in some money. You technically have no idea how much your Ebaying and boot sales will make in profit and the council do accept estimates..... At the end of the year if your average earnings exceed £75 a week then you have an overpayment which will need to repaid so keep an eye on your average earnings and when they look to go over then fill in a change of circumstances form....

And you think this is allowed with regard to all HB claims?
Just tell them i make £70 pw on ebay/car boots, and they will settle for that without proof of income?
Sounds like a good option, and leaves room for manoevre..

G.

fluffymovie

It isn't a case of confusion amongst benefit staff.
Part of my job role is to signpost people onto benefits that they are entitled to. Those who choose not to make applications for certain benefits are sometimes those who have something to hide and so come in for more scrutiny, however valid their reasons for not wishing to make a claim.
It always amuses me when people say they can't be bothered to make a claim for benefit but then make a claim for the benefits I administer but that's 11 years working in HB/CTB for ya
I pay claims on what we call a 'nil income' butwe are audited by 3 different people each year and need to be able to show that we have paid benefit out lawfully - asking someone to claim a benefit that they are entitled to helps with this but it isn't the be all and end all.

gustav

fluffymovie wrote: »

... Those who choose not to make applications for certain benefits are sometimes those who have something to hide and so come in for more scrutiny...
It always amuses me when people say they can't be bothered to make a claim for benefit but then make a claim for the benefits I administer....

Ouch.! Long day at work was it?

So you're saying:
1. i dont want to claim JSA because i have something to hide

and

2. i'm being hypocritical by claiming HB and not JSA.

?

G.

fluffymovie

It's always a long day!!

But as I said, with experience comes learning and yes, I've seen lots of people with no income who, when challenged have had something to hide. I've also seen others who didn't know what their options were and were grateful for the suggestion that they claim other incomes available to them.