Will we be better off?

donna

Hello,

My husband went for an interview yesterday and without any warning they set him to work telling him he was on a weeks trial. Being so desperate to get back to work he dare not say anything to ruin his chances, so started working knowing he had not informed me or the JC and having no money for dinner. He called me on his lunch hour and explained and i immediately called the JC to let them know. They were not very happy as they are meant to fill in forms and have health and safety checks before the trial is approved. My DH was later told the trial is to be unpaid, however he will get lunch and travel expenses for the JC.

I have a few Q's:
DH is scared to tell them that i am pregnant and that he will want time off in Sept when baby comes and also for my 20 Week scan in May. The MD was a bit off with him when the JC rang saying they needed some forms filling in and DH thinks he may find the news of me being pregnant and DH needing time off equally as hassling. I was wondering what is the latest he can tell them?

Also will we be better off financially with my husband working?
He will be on 14k per annum, ? WFTC, ? CTC.

At the moment we receive annual benefits of:
JSA - £4755.40
CTC - £4097.08
CTB - £1064.39
MIP - £3148.08
Total benefits = £13064.95, but also get:
Milk, fruit & veg vouchers - £2.80 per week rising to £5.60 when baby comes
Free school meals x2 children
MINUS:
We have to pay £820.56 per annum towards mortgage.

When DH starts work:
Wages - £14000 (can anyone tell me approx after tax and NI)
CTC - How much child tax credit would we get?
WFTC - How much working families tax credit would we get?
MINUS:
CTB - All £1064.39 council tax would be due from us
Mortgage - £3968.64 as MIP would not be paid by JC
We would lose Milk money and free school dinners.

Can anyone please help me calculate how much(if any) better off we will be when DH starts work.

Many thanks in advance.
Donna x

superjaggybunnet

I think this company are taking him for a ride!

A weeks trial unpaid? Tell them to stick it!

rizla01

If thats how they treat him NOW think what it'd be like when he becomes dependant on the job.

They will have him working overtime without pay too, probably.

Are you SURE that this is unpaid? What type of work is it?

DSS wont believe that it's unpaid and will stop your money for that week too.

Check!

LittleVoice

The work trial is a scheme which enables an employer and potential employee to try out a job. The Jobcentre had been involved because it's a scheme under their auspices as they would continue to pay JSA and was why they should have done an H&S check.

Given that the employer was bucking the system by starting the person straight away, I would be concerned about their general integrity. Perhaps give them the benefit of the doubt, that they hadn't realised? But be wary in any case.

Sorry I can't help about whether the OP family would be better off financially by taking the job. However, it is generally easier to get a job when you are in one. Even being in an unpaid job can be of benefit from this point of view, a prospective employer doesn't need to know you are not being paid in your current role.

Spendless

You can have a play with figures on this site to see how much tax credits you'd be entitled to www.entitledto.co.uk

Somewhere like CAB can do a 'better off' calculation for you.

What's MIP?

LittleVoice

Spendless wrote: »

What's MIP?

Mortgage Insurance Protection, I believe in this case.

donna

rizla01 wrote: »

If thats how they treat him NOW think what it'd be like when he becomes dependant on the job.

They will have him working overtime without pay too, probably.

Are you SURE that this is unpaid? What type of work is it?

DSS wont believe that it's unpaid and will stop your money for that week too.

Check!

He is an IT Networking engineer.

I hope they don't take advantage and make him do unpaid overtime(especially when the baby comes)

DSS are still paying us JSA while he is on the trial (thank goodness)

donna

LittleVoice wrote: »

Mortgage Insurance Protection, I believe in this case.

Sorry, i should of said. Its Mortgage interest payments. The DSS pay the interest on your mortgage after you have been on JSA for 9 Months or more, which was a real relief as we were getting into a sticky situation having to pay the mortgage out of our JSA.

donna

Thanks for all your help so far.

I went to JC yesterday and they did a better off calculation as follows:

Weekly income:

Child tax credit - £81.13(don't understand as only get £78.79 now!)
Working Tax credit - £22.19
Child benefit - £30.20
Earnings - £218.80 ( i assume this is after tax and NI)

Total weekly income = £352.32

What do you think?

seven-day-weekend

Yes, this is quite usual. My son is just finishing a two-week trial at Matalan and continues to receive his JSA whilst doing so (Matalan do not pay him anything).

He should know on Monday whether there is a job for him or not (keeping everything crossed!).

OP, I hope it works out for you , I don't know whether you will be better off financially, although one would hope so. I just believe that it is better not to be dependent on State Benefits unless you have to be (because you have to jump through so many hoops to get them and the benefits can be removed on a whim). I also believe as another poster said that it is much easier to get a job once you've got a job (if you see what I mean!).

Wishing you well.

donna

DSS BETTER OFF CALC (as done by JC+) Based on 14k wage + 2 dependants

CTC - £81.13
WTC - £22.19
CB - £30.20
Earnings - £218.80

TOTAL WEEKLY INCOME = £352.32 X 52 DIVIDED BY 12 = £18,320.64
TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME = £18,320.64 IN WORK

CURRENT ANNUAL INCOME

JSA - £4755.40
CTC - £4097.08
CB - £1570.40
CTB - £1064.39
MIP - £3148.08
MILK TOKENS - £145.60
SCHOOL MEALS - £197.60

TOTAL ANNUAL INCOME = £14,978.55 ON BENEFITS

£3,342.09 BETTER OFF BY WORKING MINUS PETROL APPROX £10 PER WEEK