UC + JSA = NO FREE HEALTHCARE! Can I stop taking NSJSA now and restart later?

Davidmayer2

Having been on furlough for 6 months, my employer phoned me on 28th August to say they were making me redundant.
Having under 2 years employment there, I was contractually entitled to one weeks notice.
As I had no idea, I spoke to a friend who works at the Job Centre and she advised I would be entitled to both New Style JSA and UC.
What she neglected to tell me was that for every £ of JSA I received, 67p would be deducted from my UC. 
On 11th September, having completed (more than) one weeks notice, I put in claims for both NS-JSA and UC, as well as to my Council for Council Tax support. 
I told them I was expecting a final paycheck for one weeks furlough pay, plus accrued holiday pay.
However, on Thursday 17th September, my employer made a much larger payment into my account, than I was expecting.
I phoned my employer, and they had decided to pay me 4 weeks pay plus all my holiday pay, and a letter was coming with my P45 which would explain this.
The P45 arrived the next day, and this confirmed that my actual leaving date was 24th September. 
I contacted both JSA and UC first thing on Monday 21st September, to say that I needed to revise my leaving date and claims to start on 25th September. 
I phoned JSA, who told me it was no problem, they would amend my start date, but I would have to wait another 7 days from 25th before I was eligible for NS-JSA.
I contacted UC via a written message on my Journal to explain the situation and that my claim didn't need to start until 25th, not the 11th September. 
The following day, my Work Coach called to discuss my work search, and during the conversation, I specifically asked whether I should withdraw my UC claim and make a new Claim from 25th Sept. "No" She said "It should be Ok".
However, on 11th October, I received a UC Statement, which said I would get NO Universal Credit because my final paycheck was included in my (incorrect) assessment period 11th Sept - 10th October. 
I've complained both in writing on my Journal and verbally to my work coach that UC should have changed my assessment period to run from 25th Sept to 24th October, but they will not change this.
My next payment date is 17th November, which means I will not have had ANY UC for the first 7.5 weeks of unemployment. 
I asked for a Mandatory Reconsideration and got a reply from the UC Customer Service Manager to say she would look at my complaint.
After 8 days of "looking at it", I decided to chase it again, and was told that I needed, wait for it.......... a Mandatory Reconsideration from a "decision maker".
8 more days wasted. And what use is a "manager" if they can't make a decision? 
This isn't just a case of not getting the UC that I am entitled to, it's also seriously affecting other areas of my budgeting. 
Because I didn't get any UC, the council have also refused my claim for Council Tax Support - that alone is costing me an extra £70 per month. That I don't have.
My Power Supplier won't give me the £140 winter discount, because I didn't qualify for UC. 
I broke 2 teeth during furlough, and had to wait 3 months for a dental appointment. I need 2 crowns next month but guess what?
I'm not eligible for free dental treatment, because NS-JSA and UC together put me over the £435/month you need to qualify. 
After 40 straight years of working and paying (a lot of) tax and NI, I'm disgusted to find that the state safety net is nothing of the sort.
!!!!!! have I been paying NI for? 

 Anyway, after all this my question is - can I suspend my claim for NSJSA for a couple of months to get my monthly income below £435 and then restart it later after I've had the dental treatment and other freebies which far outweigh the loss of £110/month JSA.

Sorry this post is so long but inside my head, I'm screaming.

And in space, nobody can hear you scream. 

calcotti

Davidmayer2 said: What she neglected to tell me was that for every £ of JSA I received, 67p would be deducted from my UC. 

That’s incorrect. For every £1 of JSA you receive £1 will be deducted from UC.

Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, there is no mechanism to change the start date of the UC claim once it has been made so I don’t think you’ll get anywhere with that.

You can stop your JSA claim at anytime and reapply later if you wish (although if you will be getting UC which is greater than JSA then there is no financial gain by claiming both).

poppy12345

Davidmayer2 said:

I contacted UC via a written message on my Journal to explain the situation and that my claim didn't need to start until 25th, not the 11th September. 

I've complained both in writing on my Journal and verbally to my work coach that UC should have changed my assessment period to run from 25th Sept to 24th October, but they will not change this.

You won't be able to do that because you've already claimed UC and the regulations mean that any new claim made within 6 months means you keep the same assessment periods. I believe this is done to stop people from ending their claim and starting another claim to change their AP.

You've received your earnings from your employer, which means you're not entitled to UC for that month. As difficult as it is, it's correct and requesting the MR or Tribunal isn't going to change that.

[Deleted User]

Surely now you have four weeks pay instead of 1 you can manage on that until the next UC payment? 

Spoonie_Turtle

I'm not eligible for free dental treatment, because NS-JSA and UC together put me over the £435/month you need to qualify. 

The reason you didn't qualify for help with health costs was your income, not the JSA.

You should be able to apply again for Council Tax support, and possibly for the Warm Home Discount if you explain your situation has changed and you no longer have income (though usually you have to also qualify by reason of disability or having a very young child).

You weren't entitled to UC because of your earnings for your assessment period, the dates of which are correct because it starts when you submit your claim. There is no provision for changing those dates or for postponing a claim because it is income-based not employment-based (whereas JSA is dependent upon not being in full-time employment as well as not earning more than a certain amount), so their decision is correct. It is a means-tested benefit and it appears you received the means to live during that AP:
"I told them I was expecting a final paycheck for one weeks furlough pay, plus accrued holiday pay.
However, on Thursday 17th September, my employer made a much larger payment into my account, than I was expecting."

Depending on whether surplus earnings apply, you will be eligible for help with health costs and Council Tax when your income is deemed to be below the relevant threshold. And as mentioned, you may also become eligible to apply for the Warm Home Discount - but make sure you definitely do fit the criteria for your particular energy company first.


Edit: just to clarify, the threshold for help with health costs is for earnings - earned income. It does not include your actual benefit amounts because those vary by circumstance, and JSA is classed as unearned income. So it is your wages from work that put you over the threshold, not anything else. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/help-with-health-costs-for-people-getting-universal-credit/
The eligibility checker (I was curious to see what terminology they used) specifically calls it 'take-home pay'

Was your take-home pay for your last Universal Credit period £435 or less?
Take-home pay is used to work out your Universal Credit payments.

JamesPeter

You maybe eligible for help with NHS dental (and other) costs via the NHS Low Income Scheme if you do not automatically qualify via means tested benefts etc.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/

Davidmayer2

MarkN88 said:

Surely now you have four weeks pay instead of 1 you can manage on that until the next UC payment? 

It will actually be 7.5 weeks from losing my job to first getting any UC. How does that help anyone? 

poppy12345

Davidmayer2 said:

MarkN88 said:

Surely now you have four weeks pay instead of 1 you can manage on that until the next UC payment? 

It will actually be 7.5 weeks from losing my job to first getting any UC. How does that help anyone? 

Regardless of whether it helps or not, you're not entitled to any UC for your first payment because of the earnings you received during your assessment period.

[Deleted User]

Davidmayer2 said:

MarkN88 said:

Surely now you have four weeks pay instead of 1 you can manage on that until the next UC payment? 

It will actually be 7.5 weeks from losing my job to first getting any UC. How does that help anyone? 

Bluntly. It’s called budgeting. 

Davidmayer2

MarkN88 said:

Davidmayer2 said:

MarkN88 said:

Surely now you have four weeks pay instead of 1 you can manage on that until the next UC payment? 

It will actually be 7.5 weeks from losing my job to first getting any UC. How does that help anyone? 

Bluntly. It’s called budgeting. 

Budgeting with what? To budget, you first have to have some money. That wage was spent before I even got it. It immediately went to clear a credit card debt because I won't be able to afford the monthly payments on benefits - which most reasonable people would consider to be prudent money management. Except smartass condescending fools who think they know it all.

Davidmayer2

calcotti said:

Davidmayer2 said: What she neglected to tell me was that for every £ of JSA I received, 67p would be deducted from my UC. 

That’s incorrect. For every £1 of JSA you receive £1 will be deducted from UC.

Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, there is no mechanism to change the start date of the UC claim once it has been made so I don’t think you’ll get anywhere with that.

You can stop your UC claim at anytime and reapply later if you wish (although if you will be getting UC which is greater than JSA then there is no financial gain by claiming both).

So I may as well stop my JSA claim right now? There's no "benefit" in claiming it. Which was my original question :-D