Is this correct...

JOP_2

Hi
I've never claimed any benefits before and I am finding the whole process incredibly complicated.
I have been informed that I am only entitled to £26 per week JSA. I don't know whether I claimed IB or Contribution, not being an expert in benefits! I assumed that the benefits office would assess first for contribution based (which I would qualify for having been in full time employment for the last umpteen years).
My husband died in January I was made redundant in June (unfairly dismissed, tribunal pending). It hasn't been a great year I receive £54 per week Bereavement benefit for a year based on my husbands NI contributions and a private pension of £25 per week, I have been told that both of these are classed as income and reduce the JSA payment. Does anybody know if this is correct? The private pension is funded by money which we paid voluntarily to save for a better future- that didn't quite work out as planned!
I am under 50 and am actively seeking work, it seems wrong that I am being penalised in this way.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

rogerblack

Were you working in tax years 2009/10 and 10/11?
If not, no contributions based.
Ib-JSA is reduced by many sorts of income.
From memory, both of the above would usually count as income.
You are also claiming council ax benefit, and any housing benefit you may be entitled to?

JOP_2

Hi
Thanks for the quick reply, I was self employed 2001/2006 and since then have been fully employed so yes I was working 2009/10 & 2010/11. I saw the 'redundancy' coming and checked with NI office and they confirmed in April that I would qualify for JSA, I don't understand it?
I have been to the council office today and handed in the Council Tax claim form along with all the evidence they want.

pmlindyloo

JOP wrote: »

Hi
I've never claimed any benefits before and I am finding the whole process incredibly complicated.
I have been informed that I am only entitled to £26 per week JSA. I don't know whether I claimed IB or Contribution, not being an expert in benefits! I assumed that the benefits office would assess first for contribution based (which I would qualify for having been in full time employment for the last umpteen years).
My husband died in January I was made redundant in June (unfairly dismissed, tribunal pending). It hasn't been a great year I receive £54 per week Bereavement benefit for a year based on my husbands NI contributions and a private pension of £25 per week, I have been told that both of these are classed as income and reduce the JSA payment. Does anybody know if this is correct? The private pension is funded by money which we paid voluntarily to save for a better future- that didn't quite work out as planned!
I am under 50 and am actively seeking work, it seems wrong that I am being penalised in this way.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Based on what you have said you should be receiving contribution based JSA.

Your Bereavement benefit is what they call an 'overlapping benefit' ie. you cannot receive both contribution based JSA and the Bereavement benefit.

Therefore they award the higher of the two - so in this case, the contribution based JSA (£71 per week)

Private pensions are counted as income but the first £50 per week is disregarded.

Therefore you should be receiving £71 per week contribution based JSA.

Since you have been told that both are counted as income then even if this was true then the £26 per week doesn't make sense!

You need to ask them for a breakdown of how they have arrived at this figure and check that they have noted all the correct information about your current income.

Something doesn't seem right

JOP_2

Thank you, I think I have worked it out now. If the private pension is disregarded as being under £50, then the benefit I am receiving is £81,
£54.03 Bereavement Benefit
£26.97 JSA
I think during one of my many conversations with the benefit centre someone said they allow the first £10 of Bereavement Benefit - so that would make sense.
It doesn't seem very fair though as the Bereavement Benefit is funded by my late husbands NI contributions paid to me as he didn't reach retirement, and the JSA is funded by my NI contributions!
Careless of me to lose my husband and my job within 6 months of each other!
Thanks for all your help, I will confirm this info is correct with the benefits agency when I get my 'call back'. Just in case anyone else is in a similar situation.

JOP_2

Yes that is correct.
Bereavement Benefit (apart from the first £10) is classed as income when applying for JSA - Marvellous, how that is fair I will never know!