Help!! Ex soldier told he's not entitled to benefits. WHATTTT!!!!!!

anamenottaken

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

I'm writing on here in the hope that someone will be able to help or point me in the right direction. My brother in law came out of the army (25 years service) last year and was fortunate to find a job. He has now been paid off and went to his local job centre, who advised he is entitled to nothing as he has his Army pension of £725 per month after tax. What tax is being deducted at source on this? Is it 20% off the lot or does some or all of his personal allowance get set against it first?

After his mortgage is paid he is left with £50.00. He has to pay maintenance to his son of £17.00 a week. This obviously leaves a defecit.

He has 2 other children who live with their Mum and live fairly close to him. He cannot provide for them financially as he doesn't have any money left for food, electricity, gas, council tax, water, etc etc.

His ex partner gets her rent paid by the government, she doesnt have to pay council tax and receives benefits for her and their children to live on.

I'm really angry about this situation, as he's worked bloomin hard since he left school, fought for his Queen and Country in countless countries and has never had a day off due to sickness in his career. Oh, forgot he broke his ankle when he jumped out of a plane, in the line of duty.

Surely there must be some kind of financial help he is entitled to to help him until he can find another job. He has paid is dues and more putting his life on the line. There's a website to check what might be available - https://www.entitledto.co.uk

I'd appreciate a response and hopefully one which may help him.

Thanks for reading.

.......................

d123

After 25 years he would have had a significant lump sum payout, odds are his savings capital exceeds the threshold for benefits.

OP what amount does he have in savings?

http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20101.aspx

And if you serve for 12 years you'll be entitled to a tax-free resettlement grant on retirement too.

Anybody aged over 40 who has served for at least 18 years gets the right to claim an immediate pension and tax-free lump sum on leaving the Army, and a second lump sum when they turn 65.

cockaleekee

d123 wrote: »

After 25 years he would have had a significant lump sum payout, odds are his savings capital exceeds the threshold for benefits.

OP what amount does he have in savings?

http://www.army.mod.uk/join/20101.aspx

Apparently none, which doesn't make sense to me?

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

He doesn't have a job, his only income is his army pension of £725 a month. He has no savings and I don't know how much capital he owes on his mortgage.

mardigrasgirl

cockaleekee wrote: »

It is not possible to give a more definitive answer without figures, but if he is eligible for help with mortgage interest, he needs to sign on for credits only for thirteen weeks, at which point he can make a claim for income based JSA (including housing costs).



Hardly a second class citizen - his income is nearly double that of other unemployed people.

I didnt open this thread to discuss other unemployed people, I'm just really concerned about my brother in law. Thanks.

skintandscared_2

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

He doesn't have a job, his only income is his army pension of £725 a month. He has no savings and I don't know how much capital he owes on his mortgage.

But what's there to stop him getting another job? How old is he?

cockaleekee

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

I didnt open this thread to discuss other unemployed people, I'm just really concerned about my brother in law. Thanks.

If you are moaning that he is hard done by, you have to accept that he is the same as any other unemployed person.

I have given you the information you need about his benefit entitlement. No one can tell you any more without further input about his circumstances.

Person_one

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

I didnt open this thread to discuss other unemployed people, I'm just really concerned about my brother in law. Thanks.

Best not get into comparing his situation with others at all then (such as his ex partner in your OP) as he's not badly off at all for someone out of work. In fact I work full time and only earn £160pm more than he's getting in his pension!

d123

cockaleekee wrote: »

Apparently none, which doesn't make sense to me?

No, it doesn't. I am aware of soldiers who are getting out at around 18 years, and from memory the tax free lump sum was around £20k.

Lets see if the OP will confirm this, it would make more sense, more than £16k savings will stop a claim for most benefits.

McKneff

Would selling the house help, he wouldnt have a mortgage payment.

Why is he paying £17 a week to his son, he should be paying it to his sons mother, its maintenance. The first thing to do is reduce this payment drastically, he just cant afford it.

Did he get a pay off from the Army, does he have no savings from that.

d123

mardigrasgirl wrote: »

I didnt open this thread to discuss other unemployed people, I'm just really concerned about my brother in law. Thanks.

What was his tax free lump sum and resettlement grant when he left?