Benefits problem. Please help!

deathbydrum

Hi there, first post so go easy on me. My situation is this:

Myself and my girlfriend have both been unemployed since I lost my job about 6 months ago. She's 20 and I'm 31. We've been on JSA and HB.

My girlfriend has just got a job this week as a community care worker. She rang the JSA to ask for advice as she won't be getting paid for a month and immediately they told her they were cancelling both our JSA immediately and that our finances for the next month were pretty much our problem. Hmm, fair enough.

But this is where it gets dicey. Because we're living in a flat together and she has a job, I can't get JSA. Now, whereas before when I was working and she wasn't, we got working tax credits to help - but because she's under 25, my girlfriend can't apply for working tax credits and apparently I can't apply for income support because she'll be working over 24 hours a week.

So the situation now is that we have her bringing in one wage, me desperately trying to find a job and nothing except housing benefit to keep us afloat. Since she'll be bringing in about £700-800 clear a month and our bills are:

Rent = £420
Gas/Electricity = £118
Phone/BB = £25
Water = £50
Council Tax (now we have to pay it!) = £100+
Food and Pet Food = Prob about £200+ a month for both of us.

It basically looks like we're screwed.

So urm, yeah, does anybody have any suggestions as to whether or not there is anywhere we can apply to for assistance? :-S

ineed

Try using this benefit calculator, http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx to see if your able to get extra help

You might want to look at ways you can save, if you post on the old style money savers board they can give you great tips on cutting your food bill. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=33

deathbydrum

Thanks, just fed the info in and asides from the housing benefit we're getting and a possible couple of quid off our council tax bill, that's all we're entitled to apparently.

Not sure how we're supposed to live when our incoming money is less than outgoing though! We're going to be far worse off than when we were both claiming JSA by the looks of it.

georgiasdragons

Can you not claim tax credits as a couple?
If you are claiming as a couple one of you have to work 24 hours as a minimum between you.

Im not sure though?

ineed

Sorry to hear that .

I think you may need to look at cutting bills in that case. Try the forum I linked to before for very reasonable meal ideas. Do you have outstanding debts at all? Debt free wannabe forum can help you with an SOA (statement of affairs) and give great advice.

As Georgia said maybe try a joint tax credit claim (I'm not familiar with it though).

paulineb_2

deathbydrum wrote: »

Thanks, just fed the info in and asides from the housing benefit we're getting and a possible couple of quid off our council tax bill, that's all we're entitled to apparently.

Not sure how we're supposed to live when our incoming money is less than outgoing though! We're going to be far worse off than when we were both claiming JSA by the looks of it.

Possibly, but its better to be employed than sitting on the dole, Ive worked in jobs where I was worse off than being on JSA, its not easy, but she might be able to get overtime, look for a second job

And yes, its possible to cut that food bill down, even with pets as well. Im on a low income and theres only one of me plus pets and I dont spend anywhere near £200 a month on my food bill.

KxMx

If your income is less than your outgoings then the solution is to cut your outgoings.

Look at your energy usage, changing to a cheaper tariff or supplier, drop brand name food in your grocery shopping etc.

MSE has many boards for help with those things

Poppie68

For WTC the claimant needs to be 25 or over and work a min of 30 hours.

deathbydrum

Thanks for all the advice. Yeah we generally don't choose brand name food and I've changed our electricity and gas tariff two months ago so that's sorted. Pets cost a bit because we've got 7 snakes, 1 cat and several tarantulas (spiders don't cost that much to feed though!) from when I was working and bringing in a fair chunk.

Sadly at the mo, looks like the only thing to do is to pull in the purse strings more, ask family for help and if possible move from our flat to a houseshare or something because I don't know if we're going to be able to keep it.

Best case scenario I get a job (hate being unemployed) VERY soonish I guess! Thanks again for the info, if anyone has any more advice, please, please by all means let me know.

Darlyd

Can you not get a job as a care worker too? They always lookin for staff.

I think because your a couple you should be able to claim wtc give them a ring.

deathbydrum

Funnily enough I asked my girlfriend to ask and get me an application form today when she goes in (this is her second day on the job!) so fingers crossed. If not I'm just going to apply for all the care jobs in the area. Never a line of employment I'd considered before, but if it's good enough for my GF then it's good enough for me.