Redundant on 30/11/12 - what can I claim, and when please?

Growurown

Rochdale_Guy wrote: »

The water rates are included with the rent. The local housing did a deal with United Utilities to collect the water rates as part of the weekly rent....

Housing benefit won't pay your water rates even though they are included in the rent. You will have to pay those to your landlord yourself. You can ask your landlord what amount of your rent is considered to be water rates. Where I am the housing association charges £25 per fortnight for the water rates on a three bedroomed property.

Rochdale_Guy

Thanks Growurown.

I have a breakdown of my weekly rent somewhere...

pmlindyloo

Rochdale_Guy wrote: »

I went into the local Job Centre and enquired as to what I should do (don't newbies stand out like a sore thumb?!), and was basically told I can apply over the phone or online, but not before I finish on Fri 30th. He said to make sure I date the application (if online) - as Sat 1st Dec, my first day of unemployment.

I queried getting Housing Benefit & Council Tax benefit and he said that can be sorted at the same time as my JSA interview (I'll get a phone call 2-3 days after applying inviting me to "come in").

I mentioned the housing will be expecting full rent w/c Monday 3rd and the council will also expect FULL council tax that month, but he reassured me things would get sorted but not to apply in advance.

Great. I only have to be one week behind with my rent and they send me threatening letters.

I'll explain I'm waiting for my benefits to come through but they won't be sympathetic.

Merry Christmas one and all.....

:mad:

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Your HB and CTB will be backdated so use your redundancy money to pay your rent and council tax whilst you are waiting for your award.

if you won't have your redundancy money by then you need to telephone your landlord (council/housing association) and council tax offices and explain the situation. Always better to be up front:)

epitome

If you are receiving salary and they are paying your NI credits until Nov 30th then your JSA claim should start from 1 December... if you do it online you should complete it and submit by midnight Saturday night.

You can do it by phone (possibly online too) in advance, on Thursday 29/11/12 or Friday 30/11/12 just tell them you want it to start from Saturday 1st December.

Growurown

pmlindyloo wrote: »

if you won't have your redundancy money by then you need to telephone your landlord (council/housing association) and council tax offices and explain the situation. Always better to be up front:)

Completely agree here. Keep your housing association informed of your situation. I work with housing officers and they are much more helpful if you work with them. They don't like tenants who 'don't engage'

Rochdale_Guy

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Your HB and CTB will be backdated so use your redundancy money to pay your rent and council tax whilst you are waiting for your award.

if you won't have your redundancy money by then you need to telephone your landlord (council/housing association) and council tax offices and explain the situation. Always better to be up front:)

Thank you.

My redundancy payment should be in my bank within 7 days of my last day of work (Friday 30th Nov).

I will be expected to pay full rent for the w/c Monday 3rd December, so will send my local housing officer an email explaining. They just say the "arrears" letters are automatically flagged up and sent when you are in arrears, no compassion eh?

Rochdale_Guy

epitome wrote: »

If you are receiving salary and they are paying your NI credits until Nov 30th then your JSA claim should start from 1 December... if you do it online you should complete it and submit by midnight Saturday night.

You can do it by phone (possibly online too) in advance, on Thursday 29/11/12 or Friday 30/11/12 just tell them you want it to start from Saturday 1st December.

Thanks also.

The guy in the job centre said priority was given to online applicants (honestly), but I couldn't apply until Sat 1st Dec anyway

epitome

I would personally take that "online claims get priority" with a pinch of salt, they have to complete all claims within 14 working days.

You also have the option of them sending you a claim form which you complete yourself, you can do this today and bring it to the jobcentre interview.

I did not add but maybe I should have....If you are not receiving pay or it is a low pay or low hours of work you can claim JSA from today before the redundancy. the only reason for leaving it till 1st December would be if you know you won't qualify now, people working 16+ hours a week do not qualify, people earning more than they would get on JSA would not qualify.


If I were you, I would insist on doing it by phone on Thursday or Friday, or by clerical (paper) by phoning on Monday. because you don't know that the claim online will work on Saturday, and if you don't complete it and submit it by midnight Saturday night your claim (payments) probably won't be taken from Saturday.

Rochdale_Guy

Thank you.

scared-sick

Hello again RG, its been a while.

Sorry to hear about your redundancy, hope you get another job soon.

Quick question for you and hope you dont mind me asking. When you started your DMP your DFD was way off and I know this was something that always concerned you. You often got advice on here that an IVA might be something to consider. Just wondering if you looked into it or if you are still struggling on with your DMP?

Just asking as I am due a DMP review and to be honest, my DFD is getting further and further away and might now consider an IVA.