Can you sign off JSA and still get HB, CTB and Child Tax Credits?

notechno

I was made redundant 3 months ago, and have been claiming JSA (contributions based) along with Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Child Tax Credits.

The Job Centre are getting me down, and are having me jump through more and bigger hoops, and I've been considering signing off and living off my redundancy payment.

Today they have advised that I take up voluntary work, in any field. I was under the impression that suggestions like this wouldn't kick in for quite some time yet. I am serious about finding a job, and spend a few hours every day looking, applying and honing my CVs. However, the Job Centre are proving to be a very irritating fly in the ointment and I think I may have to sign off, for my own sanity at least.

I know I won't get my stamp if I do sign off, but will I still be entitled to the child tax credits, and housing/council tax benefit?

DomRavioli

Why are you so averse to voluntary work? Gets you relevant experience in a different field if jobs in your field are hard to come by.

It would be pretty difficult to claim HB, CB is payable regardless of JSA status (income levels do apply though), and CTC is income related so would have to call HMRC for concrete advice.

Cont based JSA is usually only 6 months, so I would stick with it - what are these "hoops" that you describe?

marybelle01

I am unclear what is unreasonable about suggesting that you might like to take up some voluntary work. You are only applying for jobs a few hours a day, you say, so taking their suggestion could occupy your time and teach you new skills.

notechno

I'm not averse to voluntary work per se, but would rather it be a decision and area I had chosen myself, not something decided for me by the Job Centre.

I've not sold my soul to them and hopefully I'm still allowed to be responsible for how I live my life. If I don't want to do what they ask then I thought I was being reasonable in accepting that I will have to sign off. However, I did wonder how it would affect other help/income.

Confuseddot

Surely if your redundancy payment is large enough to live of, then you wouldn't be eligible for the other benefits or am I missing something.

notechno

Redundancy payments are viewed as capital rather than income, and payments of less than £6000 don't affect housing/council tax benefits or child tax credit. I'm not going to be able to live off my redundancy for a long period of time, it was only a short-term measure, I am hoping I'll be back in full-time employment very soon!

Voyager2002

To answer your question, it is probable that you would still receive the other benefits you mention. However, you might need to claim them again and have long waits for your new claims to be processed.

While the signing process is depressing, usually it is only once a fortnight. Just listen to their "advice"; go away and do your own thing; fill in the job-seeking diary as a work of pure fiction to tell them what they want to hear. (Just don't tick the box on Universal Job Match that enables them to see your on-line activity: you do not have to do so.) Remember that most people who become unemployed find that getting a new job takes far longer than they would have believed possible.

notechno

To be honest, the Universal Jobmatch is one of the areas that's really annoying me. I uploaded my CV onto it, as requested, and completed my profile. On my first appointment with my personal advisor (as opposed to the 2 minute signing ons) she advised me to totally re-hash my profile and saved searches, as it wouldn't be bringing up relevant jobs. This I did, and on my next appointment with her she saw that jobs were being highlighted to me from over 200 miles away. She told me my settings were wrong and to change them - which put them back to exactly how I'd done them myself initially, gggrrr.

(Now they have had permission to see my on-line activity, will I be allowed to then switch it so they can't see it - will that not be asking for trouble/sanctions?)

Then she sent me to the National Careers Service so they could help me with my CV. The lady there said there was nothing wrong with my CV, and just told me to amend it for each particular job I'm applying for, which obviously I was already doing. But now I'm under the umbrella of the National Careers Service apparently it's mandatory for me to keep attending there too!

I'm doing ok, on Weds I have my 6th interview since I finished work, which by all accounts is quite good going. I just feel my time could be better served doing what feels suitable to me, rather than ticking whatever boxes are on the Jobcentre's forms, and now the Careers Service too

Voyager2002

If you've ticked your Universal Job Match thing and want to un-tick it... I don't know. I suggest you start a new thread asking that specific question. Logically you should be able to do so...

The National Careers Service are actually pretty good. In any case, there is no obligation to go back to them unless your adviser believes that you need support from them, in which case it would be another one-off appointment.

Long appointments with senior people are relatively infrequent: now that you have had a couple it is likely that you will only have the two-minutes signing sessions for the next few months.

ArtoDeeto

notechno wrote: »

The Job Centre are getting me down, and are having me jump through more and bigger hoops, and I've been considering signing off and living off my redundancy payment.

Unfortunately the longer you sign on the more pressure there is.

notechno wrote: »

Today they have advised that I take up voluntary work, in any field. I was under the impression that suggestions like this wouldn't kick in for quite some time yet. I am serious about finding a job, and spend a few hours every day looking, applying and honing my CVs. However, the Job Centre are proving to be a very irritating fly in the ointment

No you can't be forced to take voluntary work.

Out of interest how long have you been signing on? Why don't you explain to your advisor how they are hindering you in your search. They should be doing the opposite...

notechno

I've been signing on for almost 3 months. I've already had 2 appointments with my personal advisor, with another scheduled for in 2 wks time. And I've already had 2 appointments with the Careers Service with another scheduled for the end of September. My field of work is purchasing/buying, and my CV is getting me a few interviews, so without blowing my own trumpet I don't believe I'm one of the ones that need a lot of help.

I'm not sure how well they'd take it if I say they're hindering me in my search, but the way I'm feeling I just may give it a go!