Is there a maximum that can be taken from benefits?

AimeesMum_2

Djshshhsvsb

epitome

How old is he? How much is the Crisis Loan deduction?

There are limits -on the primary benefit deductions- but I forgot what they are, it works as a max % but certain things are exempt like fines I think.

If the HB deduction is being done in-house by the council then I have no comment on how that affects his DWP deductions IYSWIM.

chocdonuty

The bedroom tax is not a tax, it is a reduction in benefit so no-one would be taking £14 from him directly.
The reduction from his housing benefit is likely to be the so called bedroom tax unless his income/incomings has changed recently and hb recalculated to reflect this.

sammyjammy

How many crisis loans has he had? If he is single and over 25 then his deductions equal £16 a week which doesn't seem unreasonable. If he is struggling perhaps he should look at a private tenancy where he can get a property more suitable to his needs.

He can contest the amount of deduction made both in his JSA and that of his Housing Benefit on the basis that they make it impossible to survive.

montyrebel

on the old Incapacity Benefit before it became ESA or whatever its called now I had heard that they can take everything off you but 10p, dont know how true it is though

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Regarding the Housing Benefit overpayment - he needs to speak to them and explain he is in severe financial hardship and ask for the overpayment to be reduced to £2 per week.

He needs to find out the cause of the overpayment and see if he can appeal against it.

p00hsticks

could he get a lodger ?

harveybobbles

Ask for the Crisis Loans to be taken at a reduced rate.

itch_for_a_glitch

QUOTE=AimeesMum;discussion/4629375]Hi all,
My friend claims JSA.
I'm not sure how much he is supposed to get but he only gets £110 a fortnight after crisis loan deductions - so £55 a week.
He is subject to £14 a week bedroom tax therefore leaving him with £31 per week.
Yesterday he recieved a letter saying that he has been overpaid housing benefit and is subject to a further reduction in his housing benefit of £11 per week, taking his living money down to £20 per week.
Bus fair to job centre, gas and electricity and he is now minus money and hasn't even bought any food yet what can he do?

Please don't just say get a job!! He is desperately trying to get a job and he has been applying for everything and anything but with very limited experience due to being incapacitated for the previous 4 years he's getting no luck x[/QUOTE]
£55 - £14 is, 'erm £41, so hes £10 better off already.

[Deleted User]

I think he needs to apply to get his crisis loan payments reduced , just tell him to write to them with a list of his outgoings and let them know it is causing him hardship and they should reduce the payments

Best he tries the same thing with the housing benefit overpayment as they can take less if causing genuine hardship which it is in his case

I hope things improve for him soon & that he gets enough to eat etc & might be good to pass him a link to the vouchers section of MSE and eg the grocery deals on HUKD as then a little can go a long way and he hopefully won't feel the pinch so much then ( but def get his payments reduced!! )

Everyone is 'couponing' now & checking out the reduced sections at the supermarkets at the end of the day for the best bargains eg 10p bread!! x