Part time job Benefits allowed

wilmist

What benefits are you allowed to claim if only able to work part time and how much.

I have been on incapacity benefit a number of years and unable to hold down a full time job but thought if the hours were alot shorter I might be able to cope. It would only be a minimum wage type job maybe 15 hours a week or similar

I live on my own so need to be able to cover
Full rent
All household bills
Food etc

What sort of help would I be able to get, and about how much
eg. Housing Benefit
Income support

Thanks

BigAunty

What is your age? This is important to understand HB and Working Tax credits entitlement.

There are some groups where generally low paid part time employment simply isn't enough to cover their living expenses and there is little in the way of additional benefits that will top up their income in the way they would like. For other groups, it is barely worth working more than part time due to tax/benefit withdrawal.

Income support generally is payable to those on low incomes with disabilities and dependents and I do not believe you would qualify for this, even on low employment income.

Is it your intention to come off IB completely or are you looking at a way to go into permitted types of work while still claiming it?

Do you have any care or mobility needs that may qualify you for Disability Living Allowance or have you ever applied for this? See the Direct Gov website for the criteria.

wilmist

I am 38 been off work past 8 years with stress. My stress is still dangerously high and has not got any better in those 8 years.
I have been on incapacity, had several medicals over the years but not since they have changed the name of incapacity so I haven't had my reassessment yet.

I was involved in a road traffic accident and been back to work 4 times since but unable to cope at all.

Would like to try work part time but unless I still got help to cover the cost of renting etc there is no way I would be able to work part time as a full time minimum wage job would only just cover the cost of renting, bills, food etc

I am not on any disability allowance or any other benefits

BigAunty

Why not model a part-time NMW job on the Turn2us online benefit calculator to see what your income would be compared to now and come back to the forum and tell us.

AFAIK, only those working 30 hours or more if single without dependents and over 25 can get Working Tax Credits so this discourages part time working.

However, I do remember that someone posted to say that those with disabilities (not necessarily claiming DLA) could get WTC, that it had a more open criteria for tax credits. Unfortunately, I really don't know how this area operates and what the criteria is but another member will know if this is an option for you.

Housing benefit is based on income so low income=more HB, same with CT.

pmlindyloo

BigAunty wrote: »

Why not model a part-time NMW job on the Turn2us online benefit calculator to see what your income would be compared to now and come back to the forum and tell us.

AFAIK, only those working 30 hours or more if single without dependents and over 25 can get Working Tax Credits so this discourages part time working.

However, I do remember that someone posted to say that those with disabilities (not necessarily claiming DLA) could get WTC, that it had a more open criteria for tax credits. Unfortunately, I really don't know how this area operates and what the criteria is but another member will know if this is an option for you.

Housing benefit is based on income so low income=more HB, same with CT.

You can claim working tax credits if you are single and have a disability but you would need to work at least 16 hours.

See here (click on the single/with a partner the one working is disabled):

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/people-advise-others/entitlement-tables/work-no-child.htm

wilmist

Would stress/depression be classed as a disability when claiming tax credit?

gingergee

Think you need to be claiming certain disability benefits ie DLA, to be recognized as disabled in TCs eyes. For instance, we get extra TC as i get HRC and HRM DLA.
There are a few genius's on here who will give you a defo answer x good luck, hope you get some help x

Anubis_2

You can do permitted work providing it's under 16 hours and 97.50 earned per week.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_10020667

I can't get the right info for HB and CT as It states in places that PW earnings are ignored for HB/CT ( so you still get the same.). http://www.hlp.entitledto.co.uk/viewhelp.aspx?sid=21&helpfile=PermittedWorkRules

Note: since April 2010 earnings from permitted work (below the limit) are also ignored completely in Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

However, incapacity benefit appears a different rule if you look at the first link I supplied. You can do it for a year, or, if exempt from the PCA test you can do longer.

BigAunty

gingergee wrote: »

Think you need to be claiming certain disability benefits ie DLA, to be recognized as disabled in TCs eyes. For instance, we get extra TC as i get HRC and HRM DLA.
There are a few genius's on here who will give you a defo answer x good luck, hope you get some help x

That's what I originally thought - that any tax credits relating to disability would apply only to those in receipt of DLA - and I was told by a member here that DLA is not actually a pre-requisite.

I'm sure someone will pop up with a link to the HMRC site which will give a definitive answer on this.

Anubis_2

BigAunty wrote: »

That's what I originally thought - that any tax credits relating to disability would apply only to those in receipt of DLA - and I was told by a member here that DLA is not actually a pre-requisite.

I'm sure someone will pop up with a link to the HMRC site which will give a definitive answer on this.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/workingtaxcredit/disability.htm

There are sheets available to download - specifically the disability help sheet http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/tc956.pdf