Last pay slip and JSA

Cashtyke

Do the Jobcentre expect people to live on their last wage slip before they pay any money out?
In the case of my wife being made redundant (she should be entitled to JSA income based) she has been paid calendar monthly while working receiving the wage at the end of each month. She is to be made redundant as of week ending 13/07. Therefore she will recieve about 2 weeks wages plus a couple of holiday days pay in the week ending 20/07 she has been told.
I know everyone should claim as soon as possible but will they expect that money from her last wage to last her for 2-3 weeks? She only works 2 days per week so the holiday pay will probably add up to another weeks wages in effect.
Also i think its true that you have to stand your first three days benefit anyway.
Can anyone explain if it is true that you would be expected to use up the wages first.
She is also due 6 weeks redundancy.
Thanks

Bogof_Babe

Do you mean by "six weeks redundancy" that she will get six weeks pay in lieu of notice? If so she will be expected to live on that for the next six weeks.
Sorry I can't help as to the over-all situation, as I wasn't aware that earnings related JSA could be claimed by a part-time worker. What sort of NI contributions was she paying while working?

Gaz83

So she can't claim JSA for 2-3 weeks, but is getting 2-3 weeks pay and 6 weeks redundancy pay?

Cashtyke

6 weeks redundancy (about £500) as she only works 2 days.
She hasnt been paying NI's for the last two years as she changed from full to part time work. She isnt getting any lieu of notice pay, she must work for the next few weeks.
When she finishes her last pay will be for the two weeks she will work before she leaves ie from start of month to 13th July+another 2 days pay hols.
Im just wondering when she would be able to claim any money.
Will this be when she leaves the company or when her last pay slip runs out or is it after she has used up all her redundancy?

Bogof_Babe

She won't be able to claim JSA if she hasn't paid NI contributions for the last two years.
As regards anything else, it will depend on your own income. If this is low then you (as a household) might qualify for income support and/or working tax credits.
To be honest, her best bet is to find another job as soon as possible, unless you can both afford to live on just your own wage.

Cashtyke

at the moment. I was made redundant a few weeks ago, then due to my daughter having difficulties at school had decided to home school her. My wife then found out she was to be made redundant.
She was going to work for a year while i tutored my daughter then i would return to work.
Will i have to be eligible for work too to claim IS?
My wife intends to get back to work as soon as possible but i cannot due to my obligations i have taken on at home

Bogof_Babe

I am sorry you are having all these difficulties, but tbh I haven't seen anything in your history or current situation that indicates that your family could be maintained on benefits.
If your daughter has learning difficulties then surely she should be in a specialising school, or having a one-to-one teaching assistant in a regular school.
Schooling her at home seems like more of a lifestyle choice, and as such it is doubtful whether the taxpayer would be expected to support you all.
Either you or your wife needs to be available for employment. The system will certainly not pay for both of you to be at home. As your wife hasn't paid NI contributions then perhaps she should take over care of your daughter while you get a job.

Cashtyke

people think its a lifestyle choice im not sure, I had been in full time employment for over four years but made the decision about my daughter due to serious problems she has had and took the opportunity when made redundant to start teaching her. Its just bad luck that my wife was made redundant too. My wife isnt academic enough to teach at home so i am the one who has took on the reponsibility for a year until my daughter turns 16 next June.
As for the tax payer not paying out for us well ive paid NI's for 4 years running without a break and my wife up until the last two years had done so for nine years. Also by taking my daughter out of school it means my taxes i have paid arent paying for my daughter to be taught so i feel a bit aggrieved that for a short amount of time till my wife finds work that we couldnt both be supported. Whats a welfare system for if it isnt for people like us?
I want to be back at work but feel the education system has let my daughter down and lets face it if she didnt have any hope of qualifications wouldnt she be just another jobcentre statistic?
So surely for short term help from the Govt wouldnt we all be saving the tax payer a lot more money than we take off them?

im sorry for the rant but i dont want to be misunderstood

Bogof_Babe

Not knowing what exactly your daughter's problems are, it is hard to comment on whether she should be a special case. I'd have thought that if she has a recognised learning problem then that would be in the remit of the local education authority to help her with.
I don't want to be negative towards your situation, but it does seem as if you want to effectively live on benefits as a family, for however long it is until one or other of you can find a job. If the only criteria is your daughter's situation, then paying for your family's upkeep is not the best use of scarce taxpayer-funded resources.
As for you paying in to the system for 4 years, and your wife for 9 years, that isn't really relevant. My husband and I have paid into it for 70 years between us, and still don't get a penny of it back.
I hope you can sort things out, but I can't see any way that you will get benefits to do so, unless perhaps your daughter is so unwell that she might qualify for DLA in her own right, thus opening the doors for you to claim Carer's Allowance for looking after her.

Cashtyke

Well its a sad day when a couple who have both been made redundant through no fault of their own and their daughter is failing school due to a poor education system can receive no help from a Govt that has contributed towards these problems.
im not looking for handouts but a help up. There is a difference. According to you it seems when the redundancy money runs out and if my wife has failed to find a job we will not be entitled to anything, In which case we will be on the streets then?
Seems a bit harsh to me!

Bogof_Babe

Cashtyke, you really are a maze of contradictions .

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=448353

In the near future i will be living alone as my wife and child move out to care for my mother in law.

So how will you be home schooling your daughter? Distance learning? And what's to stop you getting a full time job?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=5119825#post5119825
Is this your own daughter by any chance?