loosing money after starting work

since2004

I am hoping I will make some sense while explaining.

I have now been in my new job for 3 weeks, after long unemployment, I got sick on my eight day so I have not been working many hours, started work on a Saturday.
Week 1: 14 Hours
Week 2: 17 hours
Week 3: 21 hours

My housing benefit stopped when I started the job, can I apply for HB for this 3 weeks anyway? I am earning 6.50/H.

A normal week I will work 35-40 hours so I was told to apply for working tax credit.
Will I get that credit from the day I started even though I didnt work 30 hours those first weeks?

I am really struggling for money now and I feel so bad that I got these really bad cold so I couldnt work.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Did you get your 4 week run on? If you have been unemployed and continuously in receipt of a qualifying benefit without a break for 26 weeks prior to commencing work you should get another 4 weeks HB?

since2004

I missed that with 2 weeks.

Another_not_new_user

I know next to nothing about benefits, but logic is a strong point and there is missing logic here that may help others advise you.


"A normal working week is 35 - 40 hours". That's what you said. In none of your three weeks at work have you worked anything near that. A cold can't have lasted three weeks. Not even a bad cold.


35 to 40 isn't possibly a contractual condition. Contracts state specific hours. Fixed hours.


If you can clarify these points others might be better able to work out what is happening.

allen35

Contact your HB office asap and request an in work claim form and submit your first five weekly or 2 monthly wage slips, you wont have all the evidence yet but submit what you have, HB may make an award based on an estimate of income.

Request the award based on 3 weeks because of your circumstances of low pay for the first 3 weeks, worth a try...

Once you are full time make sure you submit the new income details as you probably wont be entitled in the future.

Entitlement to Working Tax Credits don't stop because you are sick, did you get SSP from work for days off, unfortunately I don't think you don't get paid for the first 3 days of sickness.