Help with confusing benefits, my JSA was rejected because partner is on incapacity

Cate1976

tombooth, while waiting for your appointment at CAB, go on https://www.turn2us.org.uk. Give the information with your partner being the main claimant and you the partner. The site is very accurate.

tombooth

Hi,

I've had a look at the site you have suggested but I find it very confusing. I have never claimed benefits before and I literally have no idea what I am entitled to, or even what the different benefits mean.

Anyway, whether or not I am entitled to contribution-based JSA is not an important topic. My application for JSA was refused and I would like some help with making sure I apply for everything I am entitled to; namely a joint claim on incapacity benefit, income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, plus anything else that I may be entitled to.

Today I have received form IB10 through the post which is used to claim extra Incapacity Benefit for an adult. This form has no mention of income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit so I guess I will need to apply for these separately? Also, how do I claim back payment of benefits to when I originally claimed for JSA?

Finally, is there any way I can apply for a crisis loan in the same way you can when applying for JSA? I literally have no money and nothing coming in (my partner gets approx £100 a week from incapacity which doesn't go very far when you have bills to pay...)

Thanks,
Tom

ps. My partner is a woman!

pmlindyloo

Is your partner already claiming HB and CTB?

tombooth

No,

Whilst at uni we didn't have to pay council tax and I don't think students are eligible to claim housing benefit.

RAS

In which case, you need to apply (as a couple) for both urgently.

tombooth

I know, but how?
When we tried contacting the incapacity people they were extremely unhelpful and it took about 30 minutes on the phone to explain to the girl what we needed to do. Finally got her to send out the form i mentioned earlier (IB10 - for claiming extra benefit).

Are the housing benefit and council tax benefit forms available from the gov.uk website?

And how about claiming my back payment? I was told by the job centre that I can claim this from the day I applied for JSA.

Thanks

pmlindyloo

tombooth wrote: »

Hi,

I'm hoping that someone here can provide me with a bit of advice regarding applying for benefits and what I am entitled to. I have also spoken to the Citizen's Advice Bureau for help but I am unable to get an appointment until the 17th July.

I have just finished university and like many graduates I don't have a job so I decided to sign on to job seekers allowance (JSA). My partner has also just finished university but is in receipt of incapacity benefit (IB) and so does not want to go onto JSA.

When we went to my local job centre to apply for JSA we were told that we must make a joint claim but that my partner could exempt herself from JSA by writing a statement to say why this was the case. This all went ok and I was told my application would be processed and that I must sign on every two weeks as usual.

During my second visit to sign on I asked the advisor when I could expect to start receiving my benefit and at that point I was told that my application was rejected because my partner is on IB and my benefits had to be claimed through her benefit.

Next, we phoned the people at IB and spoke to a very unhelpful lady who really didn't seem to know what she was doing but we eventually managed to convince her to send out (hopefully) the right forms for me to apply under my partner's benefit.

What I would like help with is ensuring I fill in the correct forms as I currently have no money and no income so need to get this sorted out asap!

I would like to apply to get myself on my partner's benefit, I was also told this would then be topped up with income support. I will also need to apply for housing benefit, council tax benefit and for a back payment to when I originally applied for JSA. Also, if there is anything else I can apply for (such as help with energy costs) then I would happily accept any and all help.

Thank you very much,
Tom

I think the first thing that needs to be said is that as you are living with your partner then all benefits you claim need to be joint claims.

Your eligibility for any benefits will be based on your household income as you are now expected to support each other.

Putting your information into the benefits calculator suggests that the information you have received is correct.

Now you need to complete the form they sent you and as RAS says put in a claim for HB and CTB.

If you go to the council offices you can do this in person (will save all the faffing around)

I suspect (but am not sure) that when your Incapacity Benefit transfers to a joint claim then this information will be passed to the relevant departments for HB and CTB. In case it isn't, then I suggest that you need to go there yourself and find out.

Your claims will be backdated.

~Chameleon~

tombooth wrote: »

No,

Whilst at uni we didn't have to pay council tax and I don't think students are eligible to claim housing benefit.

I'm fairly certain she would have been eligible for full HB if she was claiming IB whilst at uni. I know that is the case for people claiming ESA.

tombooth

Nevermind, we didn't know that...
Still, can anyone tell me where I can get the forms for HB and CB? Also, how do I go about claiming my back payments?

pmlindyloo

tombooth wrote: »

Nevermind, we didn't know that...
Still, can anyone tell me where I can get the forms for HB and CB? Also, how do I go about claiming my back payments?

If you are unsure where you should go then google for your local authority and put in housing benefit in the search facility.

Ours is done through the local council offices but it may be different where you are.

I believe there is a part on the forms about backdating but if there isn't, ask at the relevant department.

Also ask about 'interim payments' whilst you are waiting for the claims to be processed.

You can apply for a crisis loan through your Job Centre.