JSA & Income support question?

Moneyproblems111

Hi

Im trying to help a friend out with benefits but as im not clued up on how it works thought ill asks a few members here

My friend recently broke up with his wife; both have now gone on benefits
Have 2 children aged between 2 and 4yrs old I think or one maybe 3 im not 100% sure on age group

Have joint access spends 2weeks with him and 2weeks with his ex wife

But he’s on JSA and she’s on income support?

he don’t understand how that works?


He wanted to know why his ex wife don’t have to sign every 2 weeks but he does when its joint access

He seems to think she’s told the benefit people that the children stay there all the time hence why she gets away with not signing on every 2 weeks and saying she’s unable to get a part time job

I have no idea how this works ive asked a few people and people have told me that JSA is for people who are fit to work and income support is for people who have children fulltime?

Anyone on the benefit system know how this works?

Morlock

Moneyproblems111 wrote: »

Anyone on the benefit system know how this works?

Joint access is not recognised when claiming benefits. Usually one parent (mother) receives all child related benefits whilst the other (father) receives nothing. Unless they can come to an amicable arrangement between them to split the money, he will have to cope as best he can.

He could claim the income support, child tax credits and child benefit himself by declaring that the kids are living with him, but if the mother disputes this, it will be officially adjudicated and he will probably end up back at square one.

Caz3121

The benefits system cannot cope with shared care well
If she is claiming the child benefit and child tax credits for the children then she will be able to claim income support until the youngest is 5.
If he is not claiming any child related benefits then he will not be able to claim income support as in their eyes he is a single man.

The fairest way, given that they share the care of the children 50/50 would be for each of them to claim for one child. But whether the mother would want to give up benefits will be another debate.
If he is looking for a job what will happen to the shared care when he gets one? will they stay more with the mother and him at weekends?


typed too slow :-)

Moneyproblems111

So the system works on what you claim?

Sounds a bit stupid to be honest

So his ex wife claims tax credit and child benefits she can go on income support and never have to sign on either if the kids aren’t with her for 2 weeks??

But when he has them for 2weeks and claims JSA he has to declare his fit to work and sign on every 2 weeks??

Geez that benefit system sounds stupid

I think that was the point he was trying to find out

Im not sure if he’s claming child tax credit or child benefit for any of the children

Hes trying to work from home so he can spend time with his children and not just have “weekend access” but taking him a while to set up clients and get everything sorted

FBaby

As there are two kids the logical approach us that both claim for one child. They can then fight who claims for the youngest as it will allow them to remain on income support a couple more years.

Morlock

Moneyproblems111 wrote: »

So his ex wife claims tax credit and child benefits she can go on income support and never have to sign on either if the kids aren’t with her for 2 weeks??

But when he has them for 2weeks and claims JSA he has to declare his fit to work and sign on every 2 weeks??

Yes. Hence why a lot of men do not see their children regularly, particularly if unemployed, they cannot afford to.

Moneyproblems111

Geez Benefit system sounds messed up


Thank you to all the replies
will speak to my friend about this later