Can I get any benefits?

ostrichnomore_2

Hi

I live in my OHs house. We run a business together. I've been earning very little, £200 a week for fulltime work, have no savings. There is no equity in house and no real value in the business either really, it makes a small profit but selling up etc is not an option. I'm just resigning.

Last night he told me he has another woman. I have to leave both the business and the house. Not that he is throwing me out, but I can't bear to be here and I can't see how I can continue to work with him (he thinks I should).

I don't know anything about benefits as the last time I was on them was nearly 20 years ago.

Can I resign and get Jobseekers under these circumstances or will they deny me because I left. Should I see if I can get him to say I'm sacked. Would that make any difference?

I might be able to get him to give me a few grand as a sort of pay-off, say 3 or 4k to help me out a bit, I'm hoping. That'll obviously help me start off but won't keep me going for long. Will that effect my benefits?

Could I get housing benefit? do I need to find a room first and then claim, or do I claim and when it's arranged, find a room.

Is there anything else anyone can think of to help me?

I can't stay. He wants me to put up with him having this other woman as well as me, and for us to continue working/living together, but I can't do that. I have to start all over again with nothing. I will not have a home or a job. Please, any advice? Is there anywhere I can go? How do I find somewhere else to live?

chris1973

How do you base £200 a week as 'earning very little' ?. Are you currently being head hunted for £40k a year positions?

To be honest £200 a week (which I assume is after tax and ni?) isn't all that bad, I work in full time factory employment for not much more than that for a 39 hour week, and its certainly far more than you would get on JSA whilst looking for other work.

I realise why you don't want to continue working in a business with your OH but Personally, you are in an enviable situation compared to many others on JSA, and so i'd be sticking it out, and putting up with it for at least long enough to get alternative work and to find somewhere to live, its not going to change your OH's relationship situation whether you stay in the business or leave and go onto JSA, the only one who'll be worse off by leaving is you - financially

Are you actually named within the business as a Director / Partner?, or does your OH just employ you?. If you are a partner of the business then you may want to see where you stand in respect of either selling the business and splitting the proceeds, or alternatively having your OH buy your share of it - of course any agreed 'pay off' should accurately and fairly represent what your share is actually worth rather than just putting a '3 or 4 grand' random figure on it.

I'm a little concerned that you mentioned your OH 'sacking' you, which suggests you are more of an employee in this business rather than an actual partner or director ?. Either way I suspect an history of being sacked, even if its by your OH won't look good to any future employers when entering the Job market.

I have no idea if leaving under these circumstances would get you sanctioned in respect of JSA, i'll let somebody more familiar with the system make comment on that aspect.

You don't mention any children, and so essentially you will be a single person, living alone so don't expect lots of benefits as single, childless people are pretty much overlooked in this respect, and qualify for sweet F.A - I wouldn't be at all surprised to find the total paid out in any combined benefits was far less than your current £200 per week or i'd be cheerfully jacking my job in too and joining you!.

Spamfree_2

You should stick with the £200 a week earnings until you find yourself another job. There are plenty of people who would bite your hand off for £200 a week.

maginot

If you resigned, you could end up with no JSA (which is considerably less than £200) as you could be sanctioned for 26 weeks for quitting.

emerald_starcat

£200 is very little???? You should join me in my world OP, you will realise what very little really is!

ostrichnomore_2

bloody hell, I don't need a lynch mob, thanks.

Where did you get £40,000 from?

£200 a week = £10,400 and that is a low wage by any ones standards. Considering I work up to 60 hours a week then I'm on less than minimum wage. OK, thats my choice at the moment, but you all make it sound like some ungrateful fat cat.

That's my entire income. I get no benefits. I guarantee that after I've paid my rent, my council tax, my food bills - just the basics of life - I've got no more left in my pocket than someone on benefits who gets housing benefit and council tax benefit and tax credits etc etc etc. I don't get haircuts. I don't buy clothes. I haven't had so much as a weekend in a wet caravan for 6 years.

If you can't be helpful to someone who is about to be made homeless and jobless, !!!! off.

kingfisherblue

If you are an employee, you should be earning at least the national minimum wage, so you could discuss cutting your hours accordingly, or ask for a pay rise to bring your wages up to the correct amount.

You could then apply for working tax credit. You might also get help with housing benefit and council tax benefit.

If you resign or are sacked, you could be sanctioned for up to 26 weeks, so you are better trying to find another job before leaving.

I'm assuming you don't have children, but if you do, then there are benefits that you can apply for (if you have custody), but you should try to get the child benefit in your name if you are to have the children with you.

if you do get a pay off, you do need to declare it for benefits purposes, but under £6000 will not affect any means tested benefits. Above £6000, it is on a sliding scale upto £16000, when you would not receive any means tested help.

You could use some of your pay off towards legitimate expenses, such as rent, deposit, furniture, etc. If your receive above £6000, and use some of it for these expenses, keep receipts so that you can show where the money has gone.

Although you say the house is your OH's, what about the furniture? Have you contributed to the house in any way? Paid any bills, including mortgage, paid for any improvements or repairs? Looked after children instead of working? You might want to think about discussing what furniture you can take to start your new life. Obviously all this depends on how long you have been together - if it is a long time, you have more rights and might want to see a solictior, especially if you have put any money into the house.

Regarding the business, if you are a director, then I believe that there is no necessity to pay minimum wage, but you should be entitled to a share of profits. Before you walk away, you should seek legal advice, especially if you want/need to claim means tested benefits - it could be that you are treated as having an income from the business if you are a director.

mynameistallulah

ostrichnomore wrote: »

If you can't be helpful to someone who is about to be made homeless and jobless, !!!! off.

Do you think comments like this will encourage people to help you?

Charityworker

Could you start your own rival business in the same industry and undercut him and take all his existing customers? Why can't you just carry on working with him but just move out so that your not living with him anymore? If you just resign and go on the dole and move out that means he's won.

Oh and by the way £200 a week is a good wage. I earn half that.

annie1975_2

ostrichnomore wrote: »

bloody hell, I don't need a lynch mob, thanks.

Where did you get £40,000 from?

£200 a week = £10,400 and that is a low wage by any ones standards. Considering I work up to 60 hours a week then I'm on less than minimum wage. OK, thats my choice at the moment, but you all make it sound like some ungrateful fat cat.

That's my entire income. I get no benefits. I guarantee that after I've paid my rent, my council tax, my food bills - just the basics of life - I've got no more left in my pocket than someone on benefits who gets housing benefit and council tax benefit and tax credits etc etc etc. I don't get haircuts. I don't buy clothes. I haven't had so much as a weekend in a wet caravan for 6 years.

If you can't be helpful to someone who is about to be made homeless and jobless, !!!! off.

I agree £200 a week is nothing these days. if you didnt work you would probably get £71 JSA. Then Maybe £25 a week Council tax, and anything up to £90 a week rent .. That is more than you get by working all the hours god sends.

princessdon

£200 a week with NO other financial help is hardly enough to support anyone. Rent is likely to be nearly half of that, add bills, food, and transport to work OP is luckly if she has enough to go to the cinema once a year.

£200 is a lot if you are getting top ups, free rent, council tax etc.

After tax and NI (I am assuming this is paid) I can't see how people can say it's a good wage!

That said OP - are you an employee (ie PAYE via him) or joint partner?

The answer to this can help us advise further.