Transition from income support to JSA

murtle1981

Hi all,
I'd been on income support as a carer for the past 4 years but after a review of my partners DLA care award he got knocked down to lower rate care so I lost my CA back in Jan.
DWP do an 8 week run on thing so I continued to get income support until 19th march. I knew it was about to end (but they never told me a date) and that I'd need to claim JSA but they said not to worry about it until I got a letter which I got today (on a weekend when JCP is shut!) saying that I was no longer entitled to IS from 19th march which was almost 2 weeks ago. I'd have been getting paid this Tues coming but obviously I won't be now so it would be fair to say we're going to to broke next week. Why do JCP insist on sending letters after your benefit has stopped rather than warning you just before so you can get the ball rolling with something else?
Anyway I've applied online for JSA so just got to wait for a text saying when my new claim interview will be. I'm hoping to God that its next week as we've 3 kids to feed and bills to pay.
Will I sign on for the first time at that interview or do I need to go back? How long do claims take? Is the transition from one benefit to another quicker than say going from employment to JSA?
Any help much appreciated. Thanks

pmlindyloo

murtle1981 wrote: »

Hi all,
I'd been on income support as a carer for the past 4 years but after a review of my partners DLA care award he got knocked down to lower rate care so I lost my CA back in Jan.
DWP do an 8 week run on thing so I continued to get income support until 19th march. I knew it was about to end (but they never told me a date) and that I'd need to claim JSA but they said not to worry about it until I got a letter which I got today (on a weekend when JCP is shut!) saying that I was no longer entitled to IS from 19th march which was almost 2 weeks ago. I'd have been getting paid this Tues coming but obviously I won't be now so it would be fair to say we're going to to broke next week. Why do JCP insist on sending letters after your benefit has stopped rather than warning you just before so you can get the ball rolling with something else?
Anyway I've applied online for JSA so just got to wait for a text saying when my new claim interview will be. I'm hoping to God that its next week as we've 3 kids to feed and bills to pay.
Will I sign on for the first time at that interview or do I need to go back? How long do claims take? Is the transition from one benefit to another quicker than say going from employment to JSA?
Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Don't forget that you can have your JSA backdated to when your CA claim ended.

Can't answer all the questions about the admin side of JSA.

Hope you're getting child benefit/child tax credits/HB and CT support.

Do phone the council about your HB and CT support as it may stop due to your IS ending.

By the way, what benefit is your OH claiming?

murtle1981

Hi! Thank you for your quick reply.
Yes we do get CTC, CB, HB and Council tax benefit. Where we live the DWP notify the council of any changes in our benefits so ill be ok on that part.
My partner does not get any benefits-i claimed income support for both of us. Someone mentioned that he should claim ESA rather than me claim JSA?
I did not know they would backdate JSA from when my CA stopped? From CA stopping, income support continue to pay you for 8 weeks (it's called a run on) so I've been in receipt of IS from 13th jan when I had my last payment of CA until 19th March. It's only now that they have told me to start claiming JSA.

pmlindyloo

murtle1981 wrote: »

Hi! Thank you for your quick reply.
Yes we do get CTC, CB, HB and Council tax benefit. Where we live the DWP notify the council of any changes in our benefits so ill be ok on that part.
My partner does not get any benefits-i claimed income support for both of us. Someone mentioned that he should claim ESA rather than me claim JSA?
I did not know they would backdate JSA from when my CA stopped? From CA stopping, income support continue to pay you for 8 weeks (it's called a run on) so I've been in receipt of IS from 13th jan when I had my last payment of CA until 19th March. It's only now that they have told me to start claiming JSA.

Sorry, I put that badly. They will pay from when IS stopped.

Is your partner unfit for work?

If he is then he could claim ESA (as long as doctor will give a fit note) and you can be added to his claim.

Otherwise it will have to be a joint claim for JSA.

murtle1981

I've asked on my application for JSA to have my payments backdated from when my IS stopped so hopefully they will backdate it. They asked why I wanted it backdating so I told them it was because my IS stopped on 19th March and I have only just got the letter telling me this (10 days later!)
It's ridiculous. No wonder people are on the bread line. They need to inform people of changes BEFORE they happen rather than after so that we can make another claim and make sure we're not without money.
I hope to God they sort this out quickly, fingers crossed!

murtle1981

Sorry yes, my partner is unfit for work, he has rheumatoid arthritis and spondylitis on multiple levels.

mummyroysof3

Have you appealed the dla result if you don't agree? ESA for him might be be better than jsa for you