Amount your partner can earn before it effects your benefits?

dave_wood

Hi everyone,

quick question.

I have recently finished university and am in limbo, waiting to get confirmation that I have successfully passed my couse before I can apply for graduate jobs.

I currently live with my girlfriend who is a nurse and earns aprox £21,000/year

I have had a look online but couldn't find an answer to my question...

Basically, what I want to know is whether I am still able to claim JSA/housing benefit, whilst I am living with my partner who is working? Or will the DWP assess that she is earning sufficient money to support both of us and I am entitled to nothing?

I have tried to apply for job seekers online (as they encourage you to do) but I have been told I am unable to apply online and need to call them up.... Been on the phone for the last 50 mins and still on hold! Was wondering if anyone knows the answer to my question as don't want to waste my time applying for JSA if I am unable to claim in the first place!

Any replies will be much appreciated... ta!

terryw

You can certainly make a claim but your girlfriend's income will be taken into account for both JSA and HB.

How much is your rent and what is the local LHA amount?

McKneff

You need to contact them. Even if you cant get any JSA, you will get NI credits which goes towards future benefits.

dave_wood

terryw wrote: »

You can certainly make a claim but your girlfriend's income will be taken into account for both JSA and HB.

How much is your rent and what is the local LHA amount?

rent is £650 (£325 each split between us).. I think the LHA is around £90 a week.. I was in the queue to contact them for over an hour and had no joy so hung up.. their office shuts at 6pm so don't think I would have ever got through!

Thanks for the advice.. I will try call them up early tomorrow AM

pmlindyloo

You can put in your details into the benefit calculator here:

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx to see if you are entitled to anything.

Benefits are based on your household income - i.e your partner's income will be taken into account.

Based on the information that you have given I suspect that you will not be entitled to any HB/CT support.

You should sign on for NI credits but will not be entitled to JSA because your OH's income is too high. Hopefully they can help you find a job - it may not be what you want but you need to view it as a temporary measure (hopefully)

Unless you get a job I suspect that you are not going to be able to afford your rent.

If you have a spare bedroom and your LL allows it I should consider taking in a lodger or moving to a cheaper property.

sammyjammy

You can claim JSA online at https://www.gov.uk

HB58

While at Uni, did you have a job that paid above the NI threshold? You would only get contributory ESA if you have made enough NI contributions in the past 2 full tax years.

Other than that, you would be looking at income-related benefit and, as has been said, your partner's wage would prevent you from getting that.