When to inform Benefits that I have a new job starting October

catgotmytongue

Hi


I was offered a job yesterday which starts on the 29th Oct (after half term, it's in a school).

At what point to do I inform the benefits people. When I start or when contracts are sorted. If I inform them too far in advance will I lose out or will it make things easier to work out?

Thanks

x

osdset

Best to leave informing them until the last minute because you will still be expected to search for work and fulfill your JSAG until you have officially signed off, put a foot wrong before then and it's a sanction.

epitome

I agree with above, last minute is best but before it starts.

If you are on JSA you have an ES40 signing booklet if you look inside that you will see there is a section to fill in when you start work.....You should fill it in so that you say your last day of JSA is 28 October and hand it in to the jobcentre, but I would also phone JSA Benefit Centre (not Jobcentre) and ask for a note to be entered on your file that you have handed in your ES40 to the jobcentre and are requesting a claim closure from 29 October.

catgotmytongue

Ok thanks althoughI don't get JSA, I get Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, DLA (for my son), Carer's Allowance and Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit. Do I have to inform them all separately of my change of circumstances or are they linked? Is a week before enough notice?

epitome

Ok, you need to phone IS Benefit Centre (nearer to the date - not now) to tell them to close from 29/10/13

Your HB & CTB will be informed by IS and they will be closed - but if I was you I would phone the council seperately - you don't want an overpayment as it is still your responsibility to tell them seperatly and not rely on IS to do that for you.

Inform Child Tax & Child Benefit (just to be sure) you may be eligible for Working Tax credits so you should phone them for advice.

You should inform Carers Allowance seperately and if this will be more than £99.50 a week earnings your CA will stop.

The week before will be fine.... What is your IS payday?

bestpud

epitome wrote: »

Ok, you need to phone IS Benefit Centre (nearer to the date - not now) to tell them to close from 29/10/13

Your HB & CTB will be informed by IS and they will be closed - but if I was you I would phone the council seperately - you don't want an overpayment as it is still your responsibility to tell them seperatly and not rely on IS to do that for you.

No need to tell Child Tax or Child Benefit but you may be eligible for Working Tax credits so you should phone them.

You should inform Carers Allowance seperately and if this will be more than £99.50 a week earnings your CA will stop.

Why won't she need to tell tax credits?

They won't do anything in advance but she surely needs to notify them?

epitome

bestpud wrote: »

Why won't she need to tell tax credits?

Ok my bad, I don't give out advice on CTC & WTC so I should have played it safe (now edited). It was just based on my limited understanding that CTC is not affected by low wages, if CTC is affected by income then should inform them. Obviously there is an upper limit of I dunno 50,000 - 80,000 ??? but I assumed OP was not going to earn that amount. and now Child Benefit has an upper limit of 40,000 ? but that is automatically recovered in the tax system if you don't tell them isn't it?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

epitome wrote: »

Your HB & CTB will be informed by IS and they will be closed - but if I was you I would phone the council seperately - you don't want an overpayment as it is still your responsibility to tell them seperatly and not rely on IS to do that for you.

...and if you have been on IS without a break for more than 26 weeks you should qualify for an additional 4 weeks run on - where your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support will be paid for a further 4 weeks - although it should be awarded automatically - speak to your local council and ask about claiming it.

catgotmytongue

Ok thanks everyone. I will inform everyone separately just to make sure and do it 1 week in advance. I have been on IS without a break for more than 26 weeks so will look into that and WTC too

The last thing I need is an overpayment because I will need to get used to my money coming in once a month rather than here there and everywhere.

epitome

You get IS every 2 weeks?
What is your last/next payday?

catgotmytongue

the last payday before I start is the 17th