Can I - Should I claim

debtfree1day

Thanks

I told them lasy years income, and then explained that so far this year my income not incl redundancy was around 34k

I wasnt expecting anything, but good to know

Thanks

bloolagoon

debtfree1day wrote: »

Thanks

I told them lasy years income, and then explained that so far this year my income not incl redundancy was around 34k

I wasnt expecting anything, but good to know

Thanks

With those earning this year all you will get is JSA Contributions based for £71 per week.

I claimed for 6 weeks before I found work - mainly due to my insurers insisting that I did to gain access to premiums I paid for in over 20 years. I was mortified when they gave me a sign on time of 3.30 pm (when children come out of school). They insisted I paid £29 per week for childcare to sign on.

I was very unimpressed with the help I was given due to the tax I paid and was happy to get a job PDQ so I didn't ever have to deal with them again.

I feel 2013 will work out fine for you and your job is round the corner in the new year.:)

rogerblack

HappyMJ wrote: »

You can claim JSA. Contributions based JSA will pay you £71.00 per week no matter how much cash you have. Then over the next 6 months you would live your life normally spending the £30k of redundancy money on general living expenses and repaying your debts. Credit card debt is considered short term debt so can be repaid in full with your money.

Credit card debt _May_ be considered as reasonable to repay - if it is at high interest rates.
This is, as I understand it, a judgement call by the person making the decision.
Any spending exceeding what is reasonable to someone who is scrutinising spending, with an eye to finding unreasonable expenses may be counted as deprivation of capital, and lead to you being treated as if you are still in posession of that money.

The key is 'Spending money with the significant purpose of getting (more) benefit)'.

Spending the bulk of 30K over a 6 month period is very likely to be viewed rightly with extreme suspicion.
Repaying part of the mortgage you don't have to is not generally allowed, unless there are specific circumstances for why it's not reasonable.

There is no hard and fast list.
Some decisionmakers may agree that a modest three week family vacation in the Maldives isn't deprivation. Some will decide that a Tesco Finest Pork Pie is.

HappyMJ

rogerblack wrote: »

Credit card debt _May_ be considered as reasonable to repay - if it is at high interest rates.
This is, as I understand it, a judgement call by the person making the decision.
Any spending exceeding what is reasonable to someone who is scrutinising spending, with an eye to finding unreasonable expenses may be counted as deprivation of capital, and lead to you being treated as if you are still in posession of that money.

The key is 'Spending money with the significant purpose of getting (more) benefit)'.

Spending the bulk of 30K over a 6 month period is very likely to be viewed rightly with extreme suspicion.
Repaying part of the mortgage you don't have to is not generally allowed, unless there are specific circumstances for why it's not reasonable.

There is no hard and fast list.
Some decisionmakers may agree that a modest three week family vacation in the Maldives isn't deprivation. Some will decide that a Tesco Finest Pork Pie is.

I didn't mention deprivation. I was discussing saving money. Someone on £70,000 per year is not expected to suddenly live on £71 a week. They can continue to repay debt and continue to have the lifestyle they had. They should then be able to spend £24,000 over 6 months without it appearing as deprivation. Anyway, the OP made it quite clear they will not be unemployed for more than 6 months. A person with a positive attitude will get work.

tomtom256

HappyMJ wrote: »

I didn't mention deprivation. I was discussing saving money. Someone on £70,000 per year is not expected to suddenly live on £71 a week. They can continue to repay debt and continue to have the lifestyle they had. They should then be able to spend £24,000 over 6 months without it appearing as deprivation. Anyway, the OP made it quite clear they will not be unemployed for more than 6 months. A person with a positive attitude will get work.

If £71 is all they have then they would be expected to live on it.

With £30k sat in the bank that should tide you over if frugal for approx 12 months give or take, thats alot higher than most peoples normal yearly wage.

Or you could just blow it as HappyMJ says and let the state pay your way, which ever one sits betters with you.

However as others have said I would expect a refusal of benefits for deprivation of capital and know many DM's that would see it as this.

Hopefully though you can egt your 6 months of conts based and this will help tide you over.

debtfree1day

Just to reassure everyone I have no intention of blowing my assets on a round the world cruise, or sports car and living off the state

BUT I would like to take a few weeks to find the most appropriate work I can. If I get to March time and I am struggling to find something in my field or paying the salary I am hoping for I will 'recut my cloth', drop my expectations and take a lower paid job rather than live off the state

Thanks

rogerblack

HappyMJ wrote: »

I didn't mention deprivation. I was discussing saving money. Someone on £70,000 per year is not expected to suddenly live on £71 a week. They can continue to repay debt and continue to have the lifestyle they had. They should then be able to spend £24,000 over 6 months without it appearing as deprivation. Anyway, the OP made it quite clear they will not be unemployed for more than 6 months. A person with a positive attitude will get work.

They may get work. They may also get an incurable disease, win the lottery, or be hit by lightning.
None of these are certain.
And your expectations differ from the guidance manual for working out if a claimant has deprived themselves of capital.
Paying debt which is required by law, and is currently due, or you will face default/debt collectors is allowed.
Paying debt which you don't have to pay down may, unless you have a reason accepted by the decision maker be classed as deprivation for the purposes of being entitled to benefit sooner.

Do you have to live on 71£/week - no.
But can you spend the money with no thought to the future and simply justify it if the time comes by 'oh, I thought I'd have got a job by now' - no.

rogerblack

bloolagoon wrote: »

The system is wrong, I appreciate there are cut offs but to ask someone who is used to having £70,000 PA to live on the bare minimum is unfair in my opinion.

Arguably, yes.
But 'it's unfair' is a case to make to your mp.
Fairness is not part of the system, other than if you're lucky, and hit someone that agrees with your concept of fairness, and tries to make the rules work in that direction.

debtfree1day

went along yesterday....all good - except for when I mentioned holiday in a few weeks (pre booked many months ago)

as its out of the country I need to close my claim, and then do a rapid reclaim upon my return which sounds very complicated

anyway.....2 interviews in pipeline, 1 with a date and 1 with a date to be arranged later in the week, so may not be relevant

thanks for all your help

princessdon

Good luck with your interviews. It's an incentive to get work quickly when you get nothing else. Hope it's a good 2013 for you.