Benefits

gemschmoo

Hi everyone, long time lurker here, never usually feel the need to post but really need some advice at the moment. Sorry if this is long

I am 22, and live with my partner of 5 years. I graduated uni last year and have subsequentially got a minimum wage job and I earn about £200 a week after tax. My partner has been studying his Masters for the past year, has had no job during this time but has been using his savings to support himself.

He has now finished uni, and with his savings being all but depleated during this year, he has decided he needs to apply to get income support/housing benefit to support himself while he looks for a job.

He went to the job centre today, and they proceeded to tell him that I earn too much for him to get income support, as he has not paid enough National Insurance over the past 3 years (being a student I guess doesnt count?)

He has now applied to housing benefit for us (apparently this needs to be a joint application even though I'm happy with paying my rent) and has been told by the job centre that this will more than likely also be denied because I earn too much money.

I guess the real reason for this thread is that I'm slightly confused? I personally don't believe that I can support us both on my wage.

An example of our outgoings:
Rent £525 p/m (1 bedroom flat)
Council Tax £130 p/m

This gives us approximately £200 a month left for food/bills etc which needs to include my own travel to work and back

Is the job centre being correct here? Are we really not entitled to anything?

I guess I'm just frustrated because we would probably be financially better off with myself not having a job at the moment!

marliepanda

More than likely. I was in a similar position after finishing Uni. Partner earned around £900 monthly, and I was not eligible for income based JSA, council tax benefit or Housing benefit.

Luckily I found a job quickly, but despite looking at my rent and council tax (altogether being close to the 900!) they still didnt give us anything.

It was harsh I felt, when I looked at the LH rates for houses and unemployed people could get close to £900 for rent ALONE and we were entitled to nothing.

gemschmoo

Thanks for the speedy reply, I guess I'm just bitter because for the past year I've been just supporting myself comfortably, managing to save up money to afford us both a holiday even, and now to be told that I have to support both of us?

I understand that we live together, and I should be helping to support him, and if I earned more money I would more than happily do it without question, but the little I earn doesnt seem enough to me

I think the other thing that is bothering me is that we have two friends that live together across the road in a 2 bed flat, and because they are not a couple the one that doesnt have a job gets every benefit possible

OldMotherTucker

You sound like you are both fit and well educated. There are very few benefits available to under 25's so your options are limited.
Either your OH has to take any job he can right now in order to help you stay together as couple in your present accommodation, you could increase your hours or take another job, you could move back home to your parents until you can afford to support yourselves or - the golden ticket- throw away your expensive education and just have a baby instead.

OldMotherTucker

gemschmoo wrote: »

Thanks for the speedy reply, I guess I'm just bitter because for the past year I've been just supporting myself comfortably, managing to save up money to afford us both a holiday even, and now to be told that I have to support both of us?

I understand that we live together, and I should be helping to support him, and if I earned more money I would more than happily do it without question, but the little I earn doesnt seem enough to me

I think the other thing that is bothering me is that we have two friends that live together across the road in a 2 bed flat, and because they are not a couple the one that doesnt have a job gets every benefit possible

Cross posted but yep!
Sometimes we have to forsake the holiday's (however cheap) and have a little put aside for 'emergencies' such as post-graduation job-hunting.

Six months living expenses is the kind of figure you should be looking at having in reserve.

gemschmoo

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

You sound like you are both fit and well educated. There are very few benefits available to under 25's so your options are limited.
Either your OH has to take any job he can right now in order to help you stay together as couple in your present accommodation, you could increase your hours or take another job, you could move back home to your parents until you can afford to support yourselves or - the golden ticket- throw away your expensive education and just have a baby instead.

Thanks OldMotherTucker. Believe me, my OH is trying his hardest to find any job, there just doesnt seem to be anything out there at the moment

I'm already at 40 hours per week pretty much as a chef, a job which I love no more hours available unfortunately

I love your comment about the baby - it does seem that you get more benefits that way lol!

I understand about the holiday, I probably shouldnt have bought it in hindsight, however I didnt think that my income would be into consideration for his benefits. Like I said, this holiday was bought through my savings, I wasnt expecting to have to use my wages for us both

I actually have plenty of savings -approx £6000 left to me by my grandparents - however I dont think they would be best pleased me using that to support us both, and to be honest neither would I

gemschmoo

Also, we dont live in the same hometown as either of our parents (hundreds of miles) so moving in with them isnt an option

BigAunty

I know the Direct Gov description of Income Support eligibility is not clear, but Income Support claim was never going to be accepted - it's basically for non-working lone parents whose youngest child is under 5 or a top-up for the disabled.

If your partner had paid sufficient NI contributions over the 2 previous years, he would have been eligible for 6 months contribution based JSA but as a student, I doubt he'd have paid in enough. It's about contributions - he could have been a student but paid enough through employment but not all can manage this, not sure what the contribution is.

Your income will always be included when it comes to means tested benefit calculations - when you compare to your friends, it's comparing apples and pears. Those in a relationship have always been treated as having a joint household income because the benefit rules expect couples to support and assist each other rather than the taxpayer (it's harsh but when you are both in employment and paying taxes, you'll start to understand why such restrictions are necessary).

The rent you pay is not particularly important when it comes to Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance)- the key driver is your income and the LHA rate for a 1 bedroom property (set rate for a couple without dependents).

Identify the 1 bedroom LHA rate on the Direct Gov or local council website and use this figure on the Turn2us online benefit calculator. That calculator will tell you if you qualify for LHA (housing benefit in the private sector) and any council tax discount.

How much more is the rent compared to the LHA rate? If neither of you had employment income, you'd have to find the difference from existing benefits - those on HB/LHA are expected to live in the cheapest bottom third of local properties.

Note that capital (such as savings, ISAs, premium bonds) over 6k start to reduce means tested benefits while 16k rules them out. What capital do you jointly have?

marybelle01

You could look on the bright side though. You are both young, healthy and well-educated, so the liklihood is that this is the "blip" that we all had to face when starting out in work. You have nowhere to go but up - there are plenty of people who have no up to go! A single NMW wage may be pretty much all they will ever have.

OldMotherTucker

You are both grown-ups, in an adult relationship. It IS harsh and you are very young (I'm a bit longer in the tooth:D) but you both have a lot more education than - dare I say this - most of the staff employed at the JCP!

I was a chef for many years but never did a degree just a diploma.

Can you think back to how your grandparents (or your great-grandparents) coped?
They just had to suck it up and get on with it.

You have so many opportunities with the qualifications you have earned between you - it really might be worthwhile considering relocating to an area where you have more opportunities. You are both young with no ties.

I wish you the best of luck - adversity only makes you stronger:)

gemschmoo

Thank you all again for your help, and for being so kind. I understand we are both naive in this situation, being 22 and 24 and in education our whole lives pretty much doesn't help!

The one good thing about this whole situation is I've had a really good look at my bank account and can see the areas I need to improve in eg a gym membership I rarely use now I run outside, and buying lunch in shops instead of making it myself. Hopefully this should help me see that I earn more than I think I do!