Advice needed

pompeylady41

Hi,
At the moment i am a part time worker still signing on.
If i get offered a full time job and i turn it down and my jobseekers allowance gets suspended will my housing benefit stop?
I know it stops for them to look at the claim, but im really worried that they will stop it altogether.
Thanks.

Fran

Edit - skip this post and go to next one!


I'm not sure your Jobseekers would be suspended for turning down a job. If you do get Jobseekers suspended I'm not sure about Housing Benefit because you would presumably still be entitled but not receiving it. Housing Benefit is dependant on income so whether you are receiving JSA or not it would still be worked out in the same way and I think you would need to report a change in circumstances rather than start a new claim again.

Emmacw

potentially yes.

As you are claiming JSA you are required to be available and actively seeking full time work. It is not designed to top up your part time work wages.

If you turn down, refuse to apply or deliberately act in a way to stop an employer offering you a job then you can lose your JSA for upto 26 weeks under Refusal of Employment.

If JSA stops/sanctioned then HB won't pay unless you get JSA hardship as your HB is based on receiving JSA.

You can get HB whilst working part time and not getting JSA as its a means tested benefit but if it is linked to a JSA claim it will stop immediately the sanction is applied and you would have to reapply for HB.

If you are sanctioned then hardship is not usually payable for the 1st fortnight (and you usually can't get a Crisis Loan either) which means HB won't pay for that period unless you get a new claim in based on part time wages only.

regards

emma