I need advice on claiming benefits. Husband just lost his job.

nervousnelly_2

I'm a stay home mum (have been for the last 11 years). Husband had a well-paying job but he got the sack yesterday. It was instant dismissal. Now he will probably find it difficult to find another job in the same type of industry again, and even if he does manage to eventually, it is going to take many months as there aren't many of those jobs around, so he's now looking for jobs - any job really. Most probably a low-paid one. He's looking into taxi driving as well but I'm not sure if he'd be better off doing a low-paid job or taxi driving. My CV is shot because I have not been working for so long and I married really young so never had anything more than entry level job experience in the past.

I'm not sure how to even start claiming benefits. We have never claimed, and don't know what we can get. I'm getting panic attacks at night, can't sleep thinking about what will happen to my 3 kids.

Good thing is we do not own a house, so don't have to worry about losing it. We are renting a large 2 bed flat privately and it costs about £550 a month, so quite cheap. I would imagine housing benefit would help pay for most of the rent. I checked on the Local Housing Allowance calculator for where I live and it says that the amount of LHA I can get is something like £121.15 a week and I'm eligible for a 3 bed accomodation. Although we are actually eligible for a 3 bed flat/house, we really don't want to have to move if possible. We like where we live and have good neighbours and amenities. Not to mention moving will be a pain as we have an upright piano which my daughter loves playing and I think we won't manage to move that due to cost.

The local CAB is closed until Monday I think.. and I will wait till then to go ask them but as I am anxious all the time, I really hope to get some faster answers from you helpful people here... I have the following questions to ask :

How do we even start claiming benefits? Do we go to the Jobcentre first, or the One Stop Shop? Or do we have to go to both? I think he can claim JSA while he looks for work, and although our WTC has been stopped for some time because of his previous salary, I imagine we can get it again now that he is not earning.

How long does it take for the benefits to come through once we start the claims process? And how is housing benefit paid? To us or to the landlord? Because we don't really want to have to inform the landlord that we're in financial difficulty now, but we will if we have to.

Also not sure what other benefits we can get. What about free school meals? And money for uniforms? What about utility bills? Do we get help with those as well? And how do we apply?

I'm thinking of looking for work as well but not sure if the high cost of childcare is worth it if all I'm going to get, if I'm lucky, is a minimum wage job. My youngest is 5.

Also, I have a credit card. I owe £1700 on it, but I really don't think I should be paying it off now that we're not employed and even if we get on benefits, I really don't think I should be using benefits money to pay it off. Is it possible to declare bankruptcy or something like that to stop paying the card?

Indie_Kid

If he's worked for the last 2 years, he can claim contributions based JSA. This lasts for 6 months. I do believe this can still be done online. He can claim housing benefit and council tax support at the same time.

Torry_Quine

Indie_Kid wrote: »

If he's worked for the last 2 years, he can claim contributions based JSA. This lasts for 6 months. I do believe this can still be done online. He can claim housing benefit and council tax support at the same time.

However he will probably be sanctioned for his JSA as he was sacked and this can be up to six months.

zagfles

Torry_Quine wrote: »

However he will probably be sanctioned for his JSA as he was sacked and this can be up to six months.

Could the OP claim income based JSA instead if this is the case?

OP the other thing as well as JSA & LHA is tax credits - are you getting them already? If so they'll increase, if not claim now. If you get income based JSA you'll get max tax credits straight away, if not you may have to wait till April depending how much your OH earned this tax year. Max CTC for 3 kids is £167pw. Obviously child ben as well.

Torry_Quine

zagfles wrote: »

Could the OP claim income based JSA instead if this is the case?

OP the other thing as well as JSA & LHA is tax credits - are you getting them already? If so they'll increase, if not claim now. If you get income based JSA you'll get max tax credits straight away, if not you may have to wait till April depending how much your OH earned this tax year. Max CTC for 3 kids is £167pw. Obviously child ben as well.

No he couldn't get income based instead as the sanction is for JSA not the type. As he will be claiming for both of them anyway it would be contribution based with income based add on for her.

mummyroysof3

Fill in the jsa form online straight away. Phone up for a form for help with council tax and find out how to apply for help with rent. Get rid of a anything that you aren't in a contract for such as sky tv or mobiles. Work out how to get the most put of food you have in to lessen spending and reduce gas and elec usage ASAP. As your children are at full time school it might help to look into some college courses to be able to help in you finding a job. Hope some of this helps. We are in a similar situation, inbox me if you would like someone to chat about it too.

nervousnelly_2

Thanks for the replies. He was dismissed for gross misconduct. He has appealed but I think it's unlikely he will get the job back again.

I had no idea he will be denied jsa for 6 mths if he was dismissed like this. I was planning to remain a stay home mum because I know all I'll be able to get, if I'm lucky, is a minimum wage job, and I really can't understand how we can afford the childcare for 3 children if we both worked. Are tax credits really enough to help us pay for childcare?

zagfles

Torry_Quine wrote: »

No he couldn't get income based instead as the sanction is for JSA not the type. As he will be claiming for both of them anyway it would be contribution based with income based add on for her.

I asked whether the OP could claim income based JSA (rather than the OP's husband claiming), to avoid any sanction. Of course he could still look for work as well.

nervousnelly_2

So based on what has been said, can I just confirm a few things?

Does it mean that we won't be getting any benefits at all for 6 mths from now, because he was sacked so suddenly? That is a very scary prospect. We have no assets and no family support to help with paying the bills and stuff.

Also, my husband has just submitted a JSA claim online for himself. But when he is asked to attend the JSA claim interview, will I be expected to go with him and claim as well? The thing is, he put down there in the claim that I am not actively looking for work. Not sure if it's possible to amend the claim. So do I have to turn up at the JSA interview with him and we both look for a job?

nervousnelly_2

I really don't want to !!!! my landlord off by going into arrears. But if they are not going to help us out with benefits because he was sacked suddenly, we would end up going into arrears not able to pay the rent. It's making me very worried now.

Torry_Quine

zagfles wrote: »

I asked whether the OP could claim income based JSA (rather than the OP's husband claiming), to avoid any sanction. Of course he could still look for work as well.

You're right, I missed that important point! Yes she could presuming that they haven't got savings which it appears not.

nervousnelly wrote: »

So based on what has been said, can I just confirm a few things?

Does it mean that we won't be getting any benefits at all for 6 mths from now, because he was sacked so suddenly? That is a very scary prospect. We have no assets and no family support to help with paying the bills and stuff.

Also, my husband has just submitted a JSA claim online for himself. But when he is asked to attend the JSA claim interview, will I be expected to go with him and claim as well? The thing is, he put down there in the claim that I am not actively looking for work. Not sure if it's possible to amend the claim. So do I have to turn up at the JSA interview with him and we both look for a job?

Not all benefits will be subject to sanction such as HB for instance.