Contributions Jobseekers + Housing Benefit/Council Tax Advice

smartysaver

Hello

I am looking at a possible redundancy at the end of the month. I work within a small family business whereby I am the sole employee, my father being the owner.
Business hasnt gone well recently and we lost a lot of money last year due to our main client going bust and owing a large sum of money. It has come to the point where he is struggling to keep me on with the pot being so low and if he wants to survive it he will have to strip back to basics and get rid of the office and myself and work from home alone to reduce outgoings to see if he can scrape something for himself.

There has been nothing confirmed in writing yet, just a nudge to say to look for another job and take any necessary time off to sort myself out with something. He has said when the time comes he will come up with some sort of redundancy plan but due to the lack of money i would be very suprised if it is any more than the statutory 2 weeks im entitled to within my 2 year employment which would be around £700 before tax due to the fact he can only afford to keep me until the end of the month.

I have a small 1 bedroom council flat where i live by myself and i pay £315.00 rent and £69 single persons council tax per month. Im 26 years old and have been in more or less constant full time employment since the age of 18 with only a week or 2 out during job changes.
I have never claimed any form of benefit in the past. I believe i have probably paid sufficient National Insurance to be put on Contributions Based Jobseekers if i dont find work before the end of the month, but from what i have been reading - if i fall in the Contributions JSA category i am not entitled to Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support for at least 6 months until i qualify for Income Based Jobseekers.
I dont have any savings. After rent, tax, household bills, car insurance, petrol, food shopping, ect ect i have usually been left with approx £200 for the month which i enjoy spending. My situation will be just like any other Jobseeker with no income but possibly around £700 from redundancy which will go towards rent/bills that are accumulating. If i dont fall into a job straight away... how do i pay my rent and council tax for 6 months when all i get £71 NI Contributary Job Seekers? Any idea how this works?

Obviously i know my car and little luxurys like a night out will have to go and im more than prepared to cut everything... but how will i cover the basics of rent and tax on £71 a week for 6 months! Help!x

p00hsticks

As this has been posted on more than one board (OP - it's not really the done thing to do this) I suggest that for simplicity all replies be made over on the other thread wher people have started to respond

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/64245347#Comment_64245347