bit of advice

credit_crunch_victim

my son has been told today he is being made redundant as of friday
he is being paid for next week also as a weeks notice
he has a privately rented bungalow and his girlfriend earns 12k a year,
will he be entitled to housing benefit if he registers as unemployed
he does not want to as he has worked since leaving school first an apprenticeship then he was laid off after a month, now he is being made redundant after 5 months.
any advice gratefully received

nannytone_2

inless he has paid NI in the tax years 11/12 and 12/13 he wont get conts based JSA.
he wont get income based JSA as his girlfriend earns too much.
if she is over 25 they could put in a claim for wprking tax credit.
are they renting privately or social housing?
if privately they can apply for LHA, but would only be entitled to be assessed at the one bed rate, and so may get very little, if anything.
if council property they could claim housing benefit, but again, the girlfriends income may mean they get very little

BigAunty

Housing benefit is based on income so yes, if the household income is low, then he can apply (doesn't require someone to be unemployed and getting JSA, most HB claims are now submitted by households with at least one person in employment).

Capital (such as savings, investments, etc) over 6k reduces HB entitlement while a sum of capital over 16k will rule it out.

He can identify the maximum rate of Local Housing Allowance for a 1 bedroom property in that area (if they are a couple without any children) and then enter the information in the Turn2us online benefit calculator which will take into account his partner's income.

credit_crunch_victim

LHA is 114-00 for there area and according to the turn2us calculator they will be entitled to 18-56p a week
does not sound a lot, i take it that it is because of his partners income
they 19 and 18 years old