Uc & jsa

Jayleen

Our area has just become a Universal Credit area and unfortunately after 4 years of being in work my Son has just become unemployed and I'm a bit confused about what they mean about ' new single claiments ' having to claim UC . He should be able to claim Contributory JSA instead , shouldn't he ?
I myself am on Contributory ESA in the support group and as far as I know I don't have to claim UC . There are just the 2 of us and it is my responsibility for the rent/CT.
I was wondering if the 'single' part refered to claiments that lived on their own ?
Can someone please clarify ?

HappyMJ

Your son's claim is a separate claim to your own so he'll get UC.

Would he be entitled to UC? You say he would get contributory JSA but actually income based JSA is a better benefit to claim for a single person. Contributions based JSA is better for those not entitled to the income based payment such as unemployed partners of a working couple or someone who has too much capital.

Jayleen

Thanks for your reply , but won't that mean that I have to claim UC too ? I don't want to claim UC , I would rather stay as I am because my savings would go against us .

HappyMJ

Jayleen wrote: »

Thanks for your reply , but won't that mean that I have to claim UC too ? I don't want to claim UC , I would rather stay as I am because my savings would go against us .

Your claim is not new so you stay as you are.

Jayleen

Sorry , still confused . Universal Credit is based on the household , so that would include me too .

HappyMJ

Jayleen wrote: »

Sorry , still confused . Universal Credit is based on the household , so that would include me too .

2 different households. You are a household of yourself and your son is his own household. He's no longer dependant on you.

You might live in the same house but you don't claim for him any more.

Jayleen

Paying the Rent & Council Tax he has always been classed as a non-dependant .
The ironic thing is, now that he is not working and still classed as a non- dependant he is actually more dependant on me !
If he isn't responsible for the rent or council tax and only needs to claim for his unemployment , then I really don't see the point of him claiming Universal Credit which includes the rent .
This change in the Benefits System which was supposed to make things easier has actually created even more benefits & complicated the system even more .

HappyMJ

Jayleen wrote: »

Paying the Rent & Council Tax he has always been classed as a non-dependant .
The ironic thing is, now that he is not working and still classed as a non- dependant he is actually more dependant on me !
If he isn't responsible for the rent or council tax and only needs to claim for his unemployment , then I really don't see the point of him claiming Universal Credit which includes the rent .
This change in the Benefits System which was supposed to make things easier has actually created even more benefits & complicated the system even more .

You could put your son onto the tenancy agreement as a joint tenant making him jointly responsible for the rent with you then he'll be liable for his share of the rent and can claim for his portion of the rent as part of the housing element of his claim.

Assuming just the 2 of you then your 50% share of the rent will then just be for you without any non-dependant deductions. His share will either be covered by the housing element of a UC claim or he'll just pay for it out of his wages if he's working. There'll be no need to ever adjust your claim to account for his changing circumstances.

Putting him on the tenancy agreement also has some side benefits. In the case of your death as a joint tenant he can continue to stay on in the property.

pmlindyloo

Contribution based JSA is not part of Universal Credit. Therefore your son will not need to claim UC.

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/universal-credit

Since he has no rent to pay, no disabilities (presumably), no partner, then he would not be eligible for an income based top up.

Contribution based JSA always takes precedence over income based. You do not have a choice. In this case there is nothing in your son's circumstances to make him eligible for the income based part. If there was then he would have to claim UC.

Your HB and CT support will still be liable for a non dependent deduction. Look on your local council website to see the deduction for a non dependent on contribution based JSA.

Changing your tenancy agreement is fraught with problems. You would both only receive the shared accommodation rate of local housing allowance instead of you receiving the 2 bed rate. Don't do it!

Jayleen

Thanks for your replies .
My Son has tried to apply online but it asks for your postcode and as soon as that is put in the only option available is UC . There is nothing about Contributory JSA , even though it states on the Government website that Contributory Benefits aren't included in UC ! !
We've even tried using the online Benefits calculator and according to that it's like I don't even exist !!!
They ask about people living with you, Elderly Relative , that's me , not liable for the rent , that's NOT me. If the elderly relative box is ticked they then presume that I am the non-dependant , if he says he has no non-dependants then it presumes he is living on his own and is the person responsible for the Rent & Council Tax !! It's madness , why is there no option for a head of household who is already claiming benefits ?

konark

This change in the Benefits System which was supposed to make things easier has actually created even more benefits & complicated the system even more .

It wasn't meant to make things easier for the public, just for the drones administering it.