New to benefits

iampetesmith

Hi everyone, a few weeks ago I was made redundant. For about 10 years I've been working and the only thing I've had to claim was Working Tax Credits, which was pretty simple and straightforward. Here's a bit of info about our circumstances which should help a bit...

Last year everything was going great, we moved in together ,got married and everything was fine and dandy. However, this year is when it all went pear-shaped at work. Firstly, one of the directors was made redundant. Then, I found out the company was in a bit of financial bother, so I started looking for other jobs. Then, as I expected, they made me redundant. So now a spanner was thrown into the works, and I'd have to deal with a completely alien concept to me called...benefits.

The first thing I did was tell the letting agent, they came out with a housing benefit form the next day and we took it up to the council office where it was stamped. That seemed easy enough. The second thing I did was start a claim for JSA, which was quite a lengthy online form but I was given an appointment so off we went to the Jobcentre to start this off. As we're a couple, it's supposed to be done as a joint claim so we both have to sign on which seems fair enough.

Also, I've worked for the last 10 years but the wife hasn't as she used to help look after her disabled brother at home until she moved out with me. So up until now, she wasn't claiming anything at all and everything was being funded just by my job. But now we're both actively looking for work, as the extra money from her being employed as well will come in handy.

However, I do have a couple of queries because I've never had to do this before:

The housing benefit form was taken to the council office on the 19th May, which is over 3 weeks ago and so far I haven't heard anything. Does anyone know how long this is supposed to take (it's Wolverhampton City Council) and what should happen next? Do I get some sort of letter that says how much I'll be paid and when, or does it just magically appear in my bank account?

Also, I've had a letter that says I'll be getting £73.10 per week for JSA (contribution based) but nothing yet about the other £41.75 (income based) which I assume is for the wife as she signs as well. So are we still getting a total of £114.85 or have they just decided to only pay the £73.10?

The good thing is, I have enough in my savings to pay the rent and bills for a couple of months (and I could have another job by then anyway), so if these are just standard government delays it doesn't really matter. But I don't really want to sit there and leave it either in case there have been some standard government balls-ups, which would mean losing out.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

pmlindyloo

I'll try and help.

Contribution based JSA is based on NI contributions so it seems that you have been awarded this. Savings do not affect contribution based JSA.

Income based JSA is means tested and will be affected by savings over £6000. Over £16000 and you will not be entitled.

Also I believe there is a 7 day waiting period where you will not be paid.

If you are awarded income based JSA then you have an automatic entitlement to HB and CT reduction.

If you have not claimed HB during the last 52 weeks and could afford your rent when you took on the tenancy you will be eligible for the 13 week protection period where your HB will be assessed on the full rent that you are paying and not the local housing rate. This is to give you time to get a job.

So, your JSA and HB and CT reduction claim are linked because the council will want to know what you will be claiming (either contribution based or income based) and assess accordingly.

So it could be this is what is holding it up (although the time does vary from council to council)

Have you shown the Job Centre and council your bank statements/pay slips etc?

You could ring them tomorrow and check the state of the claims in case they want some more information.

By the way, don't forget to notify tax credits of the change of circumstances.

iampetesmith

Hi, thanks that seems about right. I had to take a few bits of information with me when I went to the council and Job Centre and this included payslips, rental agreement, photo ID etc. so that should be ok, I think they needed all that to speed up the process. As for the Tax Credits, I filled it in online and told them I was no longer working from 31/5/16 (that's the date I was paid until) and I had a text from them saying it would take up to 8 weeks to process that, but that should be done as well. If nothing comes in the post tomorrow, I'll phone and ask them.

Darksparkle

iampetesmith wrote: »

Hi, thanks that seems about right. I had to take a few bits of information with me when I went to the council and Job Centre and this included payslips, rental agreement, photo ID etc. so that should be ok, I think they needed all that to speed up the process. As for the Tax Credits, I filled it in online and told them I was no longer working from 31/5/16 (that's the date I was paid until) and I had a text from them saying it would take up to 8 weeks to process that, but that should be done as well. If nothing comes in the post tomorrow, I'll phone and ask them.

You should call HMRC to end your claim to avoid any overpayments. You'll be entitled to WTC for 4 weeks from the date your employment ended.

Alice_Holt

I would suggest following the TC telephone call up with a letter confirming this.
Get proof of delivery and keep all copies of your communications.

When dealing with HB, I suggest keeping confirmation of the info you have given to them.
Keep all acknowledgements etc. Don't throw anything away - but file it.

I suggest this because DWP, HMRC & Councils can make mistakes. If you have kept a note of the information you have supplied, it helps should they create overpayments and then try to reclaim them from you.

iampetesmith

Thanks, I'll call about the Tax Credits and make sure they know about it. The last payment should next Wednesday I think. As for the JSA, I've had a letter addressed to me saying I'll get £73.10 per week contribution based which is right, but when I've used the benefits calculators it says there should be another £41.75 income based on top of that, bringing the total to £114.85. I assume the income based one is for my wife as she is also signing on and looking for work as part of a joint claim, so should she get a letter addressed to her with her payments on it or have they got it wrong? It's so confusing when you've never had to do it before.

Mersey_2

Sadly, Councils often take 6-10 weeks to set up and pay a new HB claim (even though JSA and UC are online and gateway benefits to HB, CTS, free prescriptions etc, Councils almost always require you to apply to them separately as you've done and they then check it all).


Definitely chase them up by email or in person.


In answer to your Q - you should receive both letters (confirming your Council Tax Support calculation for 2016/17 and monthly HB/LHA payments) and the BACs payment(s) . They usually don't arrive 'til the £ arrives - but that could say more about councils' postal systems [letters always seem to take 7 days to arrive from the date printed on them!]


It sounds as if they've processed the contributions-based JSA claim (ie yours from your NICs), but not yet the income-based element ie your wife's. Yes, it's a joint claim, but sadly when a single claimant or couple are entitled to both this often works this way. As it's the income-based JSA that gives an entitlement to HB, that's probably what is cause for the delay, as others have suggested.

micky2phones

iampetesmith wrote: »

Thanks, I'll call about the Tax Credits and make sure they know about it. The last payment should next Wednesday I think. As for the JSA, I've had a letter addressed to me saying I'll get £73.10 per week contribution based which is right, but when I've used the benefits calculators it says there should be another £41.75 income based on top of that, bringing the total to £114.85. I assume the income based one is for my wife as she is also signing on and looking for work as part of a joint claim, so should she get a letter addressed to her with her payments on it or have they got it wrong? It's so confusing when you've never had to do it before.

Hi, just a quick thing, take a pen and paper to take names, details of whats said, times etc.

If they update their records ask them to turn the screen around to read what been typed.

If handed over papers etc after for a photo copy

Be nice as alot of them will be nice too and you should get the right information