benefits whilst on ssp

dantek

hubby currently off work due to operation.
his work has paid him full up to now (10 weeks) however hubby has to go back to hospital as still not well and employer saying he will drop onto ssp.

Hubby is bread winner on around 29k and I am on part time work at min earning around 4k a year.

We rent and have no savings.
2 kids

We wont be able to manage on £80 a week plus my wage, so is there any help we can get?

I am frantically looking for a full time job, but by the time I may get something, then hopefully hubby will be fit. And I have no chance of getting a job that pays what his does.
We probably have enough money to last a month, after that we will be very short of money

Please help!

XXJULESXX

Housing benefit and council tax reduction

paddedjohn

Has he got any holidays accrued?

dantek

I think a week owing last year and new year only started july so not accrued many days if any

paddedjohn

He is entitled to take that week owed while he is on the sick which may ease the cash flow problem.

dantek

Thanks, but that is only 1 week, what about the rest?
We need to plan ahead, dont want to get into a position were we miss a rent payment

pmlindyloo

You need to put in a claim for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.

You may also be entitled to tax credits although I suspect it will depend on how long your husband will be receiving SSP. Personally I would telephone tax credits and explain the situation and see if it is worth your making a claim. You can ask about working and child tax credits as your husband is counted as being in employment whilst he is receiving SSP.

With your husband's SSP and your part time work you will be over the limit for claiming Income Support.

You will have to budget very carefully so make full use of this site with all the information about how to cut down on expenditure.

I hope your husband recovers soon and you can all return to 'normal'.

dantek

Thanks,

But wont the claims take ages to go through?
We are hoping that he will be fit for work in 4-5 weeks but that is a doctors guess because until hes had the op we wont know exactly.

pmlindyloo

dantek wrote: »

Thanks,

But wont the claims take ages to go through?
We are hoping that he will be fit for work in 4-5 weeks but that is a doctors guess because until hes had the op we wont know exactly.

Yes, the claims may take a while to go through but they will be backdated. In the meantime you will need to be very resourceful.

Just make sure that you feed your family. Any bills and even rent can wait - just make sure that you contact everybody and tell them what's happening. Usually people are understanding if they know it's short term.

If you have family/friends that can help out in the short term then that would help.

Good luck!