Am I allowed to claim any sort of benefit at all? Really financially struggling.

Housetohouse

Hello, just wondering if I can claim any help at all please.

I am self employed selling on ebay which has completely crumbled especially this last year.
I have used all my savings to survive and now have nothing left.

A I able to claim Universal Credit or something else. Am very confused with how they word it.
I have had no success with gaining an employed job as of yet.
Only had 1 interview and I was unsuccessful and I simply have no money not even enough for food. 
So worried about paying my bills.

If anybody can point me in any direction at all as to what help is or could be out there I would be very grateful.

Thank you.

fatbelly

Maybe. Your problem is going to be the minimum income floor

https://www.gov.uk/self-employment-and-universal-credit

Grumpy_chap

Housetohouse said:

Hello, just wondering if I can claim any help at all please.

I am self employed selling on ebay which has completely crumbled especially this last year.
I have used all my savings to survive and now have nothing left.

A I able to claim Universal Credit or something else. Am very confused with how they word it.
I have had no success with gaining an employed job as of yet.
Only had 1 interview and I was unsuccessful and I simply have no money not even enough for food. 
So worried about paying my bills.

If anybody can point me in any direction at all as to what help is or could be out there I would be very grateful.

Thank you.

There are online calculators that can help with understanding, for example at entitledto.

If you have less than £16k in assets, then you won't lose anything by claiming.  UC might apply the MIF as suggested by fatbelly or may waive that if they assess a start up period.  There will also be practical help towards job searching.

Housetohouse

Yes its the minimum income floor that is stumping me unfortunately. 

I am definitely not achieving it and have no savings left at all.

itsthelittlethings

You could give up self employment and claim UC as a jobseeker.

Spoonie_Turtle

IF you are deemed to be gainfully self-employed, the MIF would only apply after a 12 month start-up period.  If it's not making you any money and you can't get it going again there's a chance you wouldn't be classed as GSE.  In that case you be classed as a full-time jobseeker and need to attend regular appointments, any courses they send you on, etc., just so you're aware.

[And just for any future readers in a similar position, nobody needs to use all their savings until they have nothing before claiming help.  The absolute eligibility cut off is £16,000, there are some deductions for savings between £6k-£16k, and savings below £6,000 are ignored.]