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Husband laid off - no benefits with new baby

My husband was laid off (part time work) in April when our daughter was just over 2 months old. I was on maternity leave from work on half salary pay. He applied for Jobseekers allowance immediately and has been signing on religiously since. We also applied for a sure start grant as our daughter was under 3 months old.

After not hearing anything regarding his claim or, obviously, receiving no money for 8 weeks he applied for a crisis loan. I was not bringing enough home on maternity pay to cover household bills and my mum ( a pensioner) was having to help us with food costs). A further 2 weeks past with no correspondance.

He has now been told (after 10 weeks) that he is not eligible for Jobseekers and must make a new application for income support. He was also told that he was not eligible for a crisis loan as he must be already claiming benefits to be able to apply. We have not been told how long this new application will take to process but have been told that it will not be backdated to the original claim. We can't apply for milk vouchers or tax credits at the moment either as my husband's claim has not been accepted.

Obviously I have returned to work now - having to cut my maternity leave short through lack of money - but I am yet to receive a full wage. We have had to borrow a lot from our wonderful friends and family but I have no idea how we can make ends meet over the next 3 weeks. We owe so much to people now and have our daughter to support plus my husband's children whom we are responsible for at weekends.

All my husband has been offered in way of explanation was that he should have been informed of the situation long before he was but no-one is admitting responsibility for the lack of correspondance or any practical advice on how we are meant to survive. We have also received no correspondance with regards to the sure start grant.

I cannot believe that people who have not worked a day in their lives are accepted for Jobseekers but my husband has been rejected. I cannot accept that a family with a new baby is denied the support that they are entitled to and have paid into through tax and national insurance. I can, however, understand now how hard working families end up homeless and living on the streets because we are very close to this now ourselves.

If anyone can offer and information or advice on what we can do please, please reply.

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    Are you sure that your husband's been told to apply for income support? From what you say, I can't see on what grounds he would be eligible for this. I think you'd be much better to get your child and working tax credits sorted out immediately.
  • clearingout
    clearingout Posts: 3,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    you can apply for tax credits at any time - their receipt is not dependent in anyway on a benefits claim.
  • Caz3121
    Caz3121 Posts: 15,731 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 8 July 2012 at 8:36AM
    qwerty546 wrote: »
    He has now been told (after 10 weeks) that he is not eligible for Jobseekers and must make a new application for income support.

    What JSA did he apply for. If he had paid sufficient NI contributions for the tax years 09/10 and 10/11 he would have been entitled to CB JSA.
    If he had not then his claim would have been for IB JSA, and if your maternity pay was more than £111 per week then he would have not got that (this is the figure they say a couple need)
    I also cannot see where income support comes into it, especially if you are back working.
    You need to get the tax credits sorted now, you do not need to wait for your husbands claim? do you not receive any currently?
  • mikey_bach
    mikey_bach Posts: 912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    You may as a couple been able to claim I.S for up to fifteen weeks after your baby was born but then entitlement would have ended.
    They would have taken your maternity pay into account, I dont know how much you are getting but a couple rate entitlement to I.S over 25 would have been £111.45 ish.
    You need to put a claim in for CHB and CTC and WTC, straight away.
    If they told you he couldnt claim JSA then I cant think of any benefits he would be entitled to.
    But check WTC out
    http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx
  • sulkisu
    sulkisu Posts: 1,285 Forumite
    In addition to the above advice re; tax credits, I would also suggest that you and your husband take a long look at your finances in general. You mention his children from a previous relationship which suggests that he has at least three children to support, one with you and two+ with his ex. Doing this on a part-time wage is not feasible (I'm not having a go, just stating facts). He was made redundant in April, barely three months ago, yet you have had to borrow large sums of money for food etc, which again suggests that you were alreay close to the edge financially and this tipped you over.
    If you complete an SOA, it will help you to see where the problems are. If you post it up on the Debt Free Wannabe thread, other MSER's will be able to advise on how/where to cut costs and make savings.
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If you have not already applied for tax credits then that is probably the reason that you have not heard from Sure Start Maternity grant.

    You need to be receiving the qualifying benefit to receive this and since you were not entitled to JSA and IS then the only way you might be able to receive it would be through your child tax credits.

    Hopefully they will still allow it (if you qualify under child tax credits) because of the muddle with the JSA and IS since you will now be out of the time period for applying.
  • missapril75
    missapril75 Posts: 1,669 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    qwerty546 wrote: »
    He was also told that he was not eligible for a crisis loan as he must be already claiming benefits to be able to apply.

    There needs to be an income ( a repayment source) not necessarily a benefit in order to apply for a crisis loan. Not having an established claim should not prevent a crisis loan if there's alternative means to repay. But C/L levels are lower than normal benefit levels, so your reduced income may well have been "enough" anyway.
    We have not been told how long this new application will take to process but have been told that it will not be backdated to the original claim.
    Not long ago there was always a principle that the date of a claim (DOC) for one benefit (the JSA) with an expectation of qualifying could be treated as the DOC for another - the Income Support or JSA(IB)

    Perhaps that is still the case.

    However, if JSA(IB) levels were lower than the then income levels, that would also have been the case for I/S.

    But if there was a period between the DOC and a return to work where income levels were less than I/S levels maybe backdating for that period on the basis mentioned might provide a payment (and other passporting of benefits) to ease the difficulties.
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