Offered a temporary contract - what to do about income support/WFT?

mightymo_2

I am after a bit of help for my friend (I don't have any knowledge of benefits).

My friend has been claiming income support for about six months since separating from her husband. She has been working as a dinner lady - which the benefits office know about. She has been receiving housing benefit for her rent.

She has been offered a temporary contract of three months with the school working 9-3 (I think she would be paid about £5.00-£6.00 per hour). What should she do? She would like to do the job, but this presumably would stop her income support & housing benefit, and by the time they sorted out working family tax credit, the temporary contract would have come to an end. Then she would need to go back on income support and presumably all that would take time to sort out and she might be left short of money.

Can anybody offer any advice/information on procedures?

Thanks...

Curry_Queen

She may still be able to receive IS and HB for I think it's either 2 or 4 weeks (but don't quote me on that as I haven't checked the rules for some time and it may even have changed by now) after she starts work which will give her time to sort out WTC and work out if she'll still be entitled to any HB/CT benefit on her new income. Presumably when she leaves the job again she will have wages to tide her over until a fresh claim is made, which she must do the next day after leaving. It might be an idea for her to get the forms beforehand and fill them in so she can post them the day her job ends.

Curry_Queen

I was almost right ... she'll get IS for 2 weeks and HB/CT benefit for 4 weeks after starting work, but she must inform them of the day she is due to start work. There's more info here about it.

Also, she will probably qualify for the Rapid Reclaim pack for HB/CT so her benefits will be re-instated much quicker than going through a fresh claim.

Fran

Your friend won't be able to do the Rapid Reclaim as that is only up to 12 weeks.

She should contact her Lone Parent Advisor, because they will make sure that she has done everything necessary. Also she may be entitled to a Job Grant if she has been on IS for 6 months or more, but I believe you can only get this if you go through your Lone Parent Advisor before you start work. Also a temporary contract may be treated differently. Her LPA will be able to go through all of this with her.

She will need to apply to Inland Revenue for Child Tax Credit/Working Tax Credit.

Curry_Queen

Fran wrote:

Your friend won't be able to do the Rapid Reclaim as that is only up to 12 weeks.

Her contract is for 3 mths so would that not make her eligible for the rapid claim or does it have to be within the 12 weeks? I've not actually heard of this system before until reading it on the webpage I mentioned above. It's like anything else though, it's always a grey area for borderline cases, hence why I said she may be eligible.

Fran

I took 3 months as being 3 calendar months, but as you say she would be very near the 12 week rule, which is up to 12 weeks. Maybe she could make it 12 weeks if this is possible.