Double redundancy and Housing benefit

Cashtyke

I was recently made redundant from my job and informed the tax creds and made a claim for housing benefit which i am still in the process of making as i try and get the 101 things they ask for handed in.
Now my partner has just been made redundant which means we will be on the dole in a few weeks time after notice pay runs out.
What exactly am i supposed to do about our claim for HB?
Do i continue to gather info (just waiting for my latest bank statement) and hopefully i will have it backdated for the last few weeks i have had no help for. Then what do i do when my partners notice pay runs out.
Do i have to go through the entire process all over again? Or can we just adjust it?
Any thoughts?

patricia1066

You are being very practical and calm about this. Benefits will keep you so busy that you will hardly have time to look for work!

This changes more than just your Housing Benefit.
At present, you are claiming/about to claim contributory JSA as your partner is in work. Now that he or she is also in the notice period of redundancy, you can as a couple apply for meanstested JSA. This will depend on the savings and redundancy payment that you hold, but they cannot include holiday payments, which are treated as earned income.

Your Housing Benefit will be affected by these changes. Make it easier for the assessor, by detailing the dates on which the changes take effect. This may make it quicker for you to get your benefit. If you dont get any benefit after waiting 2 weeks, then either complain that as you have provided all evidence available to you its reasonable that you should get an assessment and a payment on account. Or you may wish to seek advice from CAB or a law centre who can act to get it dealt with quickly. Let your landlord know the reason why the rent is delayed and what you are doing to pay the rent now, as otherwise he may take possession proceedings . Is it a private sector landlord or public?

1 - You received notice with last pay period ending ---
2 - Your partner received notice with last pay period ending ---
3 - Your joint savings etc at date of application for HB.
4 - Your joint savings at date(s) of each change, eg due to redundancy payment.

Evidence of the changes will be required.

Good luck with all the changes, hope some are for the better.