Living / surviving on JSA £72 pw

catkins

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

That had me googling as to how well (or otherwise) the local housing allowance would match the rent actually paid.

Now, I am assuming it would be accepted I am entitled to at least a one-bedroom flat (ie over 35) and I checked out two areas. My Home Area = £500 per month allowance, but rent would be at least £550 and therefore a shortfall I would be expected to cover from my personal benefit:eek:. Like just how?:eek:

Current area (recently moved to) and the housing allowance is nearly £400 per month and I should think rent I would be paying "if" is £350 per month, so it would be covered and money to spare...

The phrase "social engineering" is coming to mind here:cool: - as in get people to move from their own Home Area to a cheaper area and use the threat of "Do you want all your rent met if you become unemployed or don't you?" as a stick to make them do so.:mad:

I don't know how people are expected to manage if they have to find some of the rent plus some of the council tax (now that is not all paid).


It's not always feasible to move to somewhere cheaper and, even if you are happy to, you have to find money for the expense that can entail.

moneyistooshorttomention

catkins wrote: »

I don't know how people are expected to manage if they have to find some of the rent plus some of the council tax (now that is not all paid).


It's not always feasible to move to somewhere cheaper and, even if you are happy to, you have to find money for the expense that can entail.

You and me both:T. My mind boggles any time I start doing the maths and thinking "right....not enough money to live on in the first place, then possibly deduct some Council Tax, then possibly deduct some rent = :eek::eek:".

As you say, it costs money to move anyway and I still feel strongly people shouldn't be pressurised into moving from their home area (assuming they are still living there). In fact, I feel that all the more strongly having had to move from my Home Area myself (if for a different reason - but it was still a financial reason).

chinagirl

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Ask at Jobcentre if there's a jobseekers club that gives access to free printing/photopcopying and postage. There might be help available with travel to interviews too. In some areas you can get a bus or train pass or discount.

Try and remove a few £ from your food/household budget to try and build up a small pot of savings; even if it's £3 a week for 10 weeks that gets you £30, which is enough for an emergency clothing/shoes/etc purchase.

Local library is a cheap outing (some nowadays have a coffee machine which will be cheaper than a cafe) and colleges often have a fee waiver for benefits claimants so you could consider doing a course; there are usually some self-study courses you can do at your own time/pace eg ECDL

############
Take a flash, much cheaper

[Deleted User]

If people on JSA are getting £500 housing benefit allowance a month, then I should really pack in work and go on the dole. £500 a month rental properties are top end round my area.

Last time I used the council's online calculator I was only entitled to £13 a week.

moneyistooshorttomention

Deleted_User wrote: »

If people on JSA are getting £500 housing benefit allowance a month, then I should really pack in work and go on the dole. £500 a month rental properties are top end round my area.

Last time I used the council's online calculator I was only entitled to £13 a week.

These days (I may be wrong) I think people are basically only deemed entitled to a 1 bed flat if they are 35+.

These allowances vary according to housing costs across the country and have to do so (courtesy of varying housing costs). But yep...£500 a month in my home city would not cover one single one-bedroom flat, because they start at around £550 per month and, for that, you'd get somewhere really tiny and grotty. I simply couldn't manage those sort of rent levels myself, as a single person, and found that when I started looking for a one-bed flat to move out from parental home in my early 20s that that darn soon turned into having to make do with a grotty bedsit instead. But it is far from reasonable to expect people to have to live like that for more than a few years at most.

By the time you get up into your thirties you really do need to have a proper Home.

In my present area the housing allowance is under £400 a month for a 1 bedroom flat and I'm not actually sure whether there is such a thing as bedsits or house shares to rent in this area - as I've never seen any advertised. Hereabouts it looks to be only flats or houses to rent (unlike Home City - which has loads of bedsits and houseshares - probably precisely because it is so dear to rent a proper home).

*Chattie*

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

You and me both:T. My mind boggles any time I start doing the maths and thinking "right....not enough money to live on in the first place, then possibly deduct some Council Tax, then possibly deduct some rent = :eek::eek:".

As you say, it costs money to move anyway and I still feel strongly people shouldn't be pressurised into moving from their home area (assuming they are still living there). In fact, I feel that all the more strongly having had to move from my Home Area myself (if for a different reason - but it was still a financial reason).

ceridwen you moved to the back end of Wales because you couldn't afford the sort of Home you felt entitled to, no other reason.

I do think if you intend standing for the local council its time to stop using this Home Area as where you came from and acknowledge that Home Area is now where you stay and you will serve all your neighbours and constituents to the best of your ability.

SailorSam

There have been lots of threads on here in the past where single people estimate their food bills at £10pw or less. Other things to cutback on if you can't afford it is pet food, poor Bengo has to go. Do you really need house insurance ? buildings .... yes but contents i'd say No.

LameWolf

Meteor folks seem to be assuming your pet is a dog - is this actually the case? If so, Aldees "Earls" range of dog food is very good, and a lot less money than the branded stuff.

Prudent

Meteor wrote: »

Social Housing (one bedroom) so should be ok there.

Council Tax is a worry as I believe nobody gets 100% relief anymore which will erode my £72

No bike.

I bought a bike from a recycling project for £45 last spring. It came fully repaired and serviced and has been great.

I have just been helping my daughter sort out benefits as she has been very ill and can't work just now. I am really certain she only has to pay the water element of the council tax. Quite ridiculously they took 6 months payment in January. Thankfully backdated PIP had come through, but it would have been impossible on £72.

catkins

Deleted_User wrote: »

If people on JSA are getting £500 housing benefit allowance a month, then I should really pack in work and go on the dole. £500 a month rental properties are top end round my area.

Last time I used the council's online calculator I was only entitled to £13 a week.

The amount varies from council to council but I don't know how it is worked out. As I said, in my area the 1 bed allowance is £530 and that wouldn't even rent you a bedsit in the grottiest part.

SailorSam wrote: »

There have been lots of threads on here in the past where single people estimate their food bills at £10pw or less. Other things to cutback on if you can't afford it is pet food, poor Bengo has to go. Do you really need house insurance ? buildings .... yes but contents i'd say No.

People think they don't need contents insurance until they get burgled. Luckily when I was burgled I was insured or otherwise I would not have been able to afford to replace the tv, video recorder, microwave, toaster, stereo, LP's, camera etc