What benefits exist for zero hours contract work which does not pay the bills

poppy12345

For UC it will be £292.11/month standard allowance (under 25) plus help with the rent, which will be paid through housing benefit as they live in temporary housing.

Do they currently claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or (ADP Scotland)?

moneyunwise

poppy12345 said:

For UC it will be £292.11/month standard allowance (under 25) plus help with the rent, which will be paid through housing benefit as they live in temporary housing.

Do they currently claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or (ADP Scotland)?

Is UC and rent support available in this situation where they are being used as self-employed?

PIP would be for mental health support which they are currently thinking about but it is not as clear as physical - so not ruled out.

Spoonie_Turtle

moneyunwise said:

poppy12345 said:

1 https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6441186/what-benefits-exist-for-zero-hours-contract-work-which-does-not-pay-the-bills/p1

For UC it will be £292.11/month standard allowance (under 25) plus help with the rent, which will be paid through housing benefit as they live in temporary housing.

Do they currently claim a disability benefit such as PIP/DLA or (ADP Scotland)?

Is UC and rent support available in this situation where they are being used as self-employed?

PIP would be for mental health support which they are currently thinking about but it is not as clear as physical - so not ruled out.

Yes, though whether UC deems it to be gainful self-employment is not certain.  Self-employed people do get a grace period of 12 months before the minimum income floor applies, but if the person is someone who may wish to be properly self-employed in another area in the not-too-distant future then they should not use up their one grace period in 5yrs on this particular job.  However if they are someone who simply wants to be employed then using it up is no problem - but as they'll getting support through UC then they may as well give up this job and use their time to look for another one that will actually pay properly.

Newcad

I had a similar sales 'job' in 1979 - for a very short time - it's nothing new and these doorstep sales companies have been getting away with it for decades.

I actually got that 'job' through a card in the Jobcentre (remember when it used to be like that?).

Needless to say they have a very high turnover of not-staff, usually late teenagers.

Back then I told the jobcentre that it wasn't  a real job at all and went back on benefits. (I still had some fun with the tax man for being 'self employed'. In the end I just sent them all my weekly payslips, not something you get if self-employed).

I suggest that this young person gives up this 'job' ASAP, but they will probably need help to avoid UC sanctions for doing that.

The councils welfare team would seem to be the best contacts here.

sammyjammy

Newcad said:

I had a similar sales 'job' in 1979 - for a very short time - it's nothing new and these doorstep sales companies have been getting away with it for decades.

I actually got that 'job' through a card in the Jobcentre (remember when it used to be like that?).

Needless to say they have a very high turnover of not-staff, usually late teenagers.

Back then I told the jobcentre that it wasn't  a real job at all and went back on benefits. (I still had some fun with the tax man for being 'self employed'. In the end I just sent them all my weekly payslips, not something you get if self-employed).

I suggest that this young person gives up this 'job' ASAP, but they will probably need help to avoid UC sanctions for doing that.

The councils welfare team would seem to be the best contacts here.

There will be no sanctions, self employed and earning next to no money.

Muttleythefrog

As above... sounds to me like one of those MLM marketing companies... dodgy... I don't suppose they are required to recruit new people under them and earn a part of their commission? If so they should get out. These 'companies' should be shut down. They may well be better off on benefits and looking for a paid job.

JonVarnas

Newcad said:

I had a similar sales 'job' in 1979 - for a very short time - it's nothing new and these doorstep sales companies have been getting away with it for decades.

I actually got that 'job' through a card in the Jobcentre (remember when it used to be like that?).

Needless to say they have a very high turnover of not-staff, usually late teenagers.

Back then I told the jobcentre that it wasn't  a real job at all and went back on benefits. (I still had some fun with the tax man for being 'self employed'. In the end I just sent them all my weekly payslips, not something you get if self-employed).

I suggest that this young person gives up this 'job' ASAP, but they will probably need help to avoid UC sanctions for doing that.

The councils welfare team would seem to be the best contacts here.

I "had" one of these jobs about 20 years ago: basically going door-to-door trying to get people to switch energy supplier. I say had because I did one day shadowing a guy from about 1pm to 10pm and he made about three sales all day. I never went back.