Confusion over HB - PLEASE HELP!

Terrydog

I'll try to keep this as simple as I can :

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I was signing on and then signed off when I started a part time job. The job paid cash in hand.

Housing Benefit was suspended from the day I signed off.

I worked during the next 4 weeks.

After those 4 weeks I didn't get any more shifts. When I asked, they said that they couldn't fit in my requested shifts.

After 2 weeks of not getting any shifts, I asked them couldn't they give me any shifts at all, and they basically said that they're not going to keep me on. That was on friday 20th October.

For the last week or so I've been looking for another job, hoping to find one quickly, and then on friday just gone I called JSA and arranged to sign on again, and I have asked for it to begin from the day after my last shift.

Since my last shift a friend has given me a little bit of cash each week to help me out.

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What I need to know is the following :


I'm going to need to claim Housing benefit again. How far will they be able to backdate it? My income since I signed off has always been low enough (aka about the same or less than JSA pays).

The job that I did was cash in hand, so I don't know how I'm going to be able to prove that income. Same goes for the money that my friend has been giving me since my last shift.


Any useful advice is appreciated, thank you. My concern boils down to me needing to know if the entire period of me working + the time from then until now, can be covered by HB.

Mersey_2

When you say "I was signing on then signed off", I'll assume it's JSA (and not UC) from what you say later.


How long had you been on JSA? If more than 26 weeks, you should have received HB for a further 4 weeks in any event.


HB is based on income (and whilst a rapid reclaim of JSA will help in any new claim), before the DWP processes that, you should reapply to your council for HB, enclosing any bank statement/mini statements and any evidence you have of earned income during the period, along with a brief covering letter stating dates worked as above.

Topcat1982

Same goes for the money that my friend has been giving me since my last shift

You don't have to declare gifts.

Terrydog

Ok so as long as I tell the council exactly what I've said here, they will backdate HB to the day after I signed off? And I won't need payslips (which of course I don't have)? Is that correct?

Also if they don't count cash gifts, wouldn't that mean that technically I had no income during that period? What would I say to account for that period? I've heard of a nil income form, is that relevant?

Terrydog

Bump......

Mersey_2

Yes, detail the dates you worked and the amounts received.

Terrydog

I can certainly do that as I kept notes of every shift and how much they paid me. So you're saying that I don't need payslips? If that's true that will help a lot.

But what about the period between my last shift and the start of JSA? I can't prove the money that my friend has given me. Should I just say what he gave me or will they treat it as though I had no income during that time, in which case will they cover me for HB for that time? Sorry for all the questions but I just want to be clear.

Mersey_2

You just declare earned income from employment - not gifts from friends.

Terrydog

Apart from the money given to me, I had no other income. Will they pay HB for that period?

BorisThomson

They'll only backdate JSA and HB if you had good reason for not applying earlier.