28 Years Working - Now On JSA

billyjojimbob

After working for the past 28 years, I'm now on JSA at £60 per week.

Luckily no mortgage/rent, but here's my basic outgoings (calculated weekly equiv)

Elec/Gas £15
Water £3
Council Tax £15 (still paying at the minute)
TV Licence £3
Road Tax £2.50
Car Insurance £3.25
House Ins £3.75
Petrol £5

Which leaves £9.50 for luxuries like .............Food

Am I missing something?

What do they class as poverty levels etc?

dmg24

That sounds about right. Good job you haven't got a mortgage!

mitchaa

You don't need a car, that is an unnecessary expense.

Why would you need to pay council tax?

Why dont you pay housing? Do you own your own home outright or are you a council tenant who has rent paid from by the government?

Probably an incentive to get down to tescos and stack shelves or walk into the nearest mcdonalds to flip burgers.

Anything better than being on JSA.

billyjojimbob

mitchaa wrote: »

You don't need a car, that is an unnecessary expense.

Why would you need to pay council tax?

Why dont you pay housing? Do you own your own home outright or are you a council tenant who has rent paid from by the government?

Probably an incentive to get down to tescos and stack shelves or walk into the nearest mcdonalds to flip burgers.

Anything better than being on JSA.

a) I knew someone would.

I bought my car new 5 years ago. It's paid for.

So you become unemployed and therefore have to sell your car?

Believe it or not, I've used it to drive to interviews. And I can't claim anything for petrol either (10p/mile), because it was within an 11mile (RADIUS) "local area".

b) I don't NEED to pay Council Tax, until they sort the CT benefit out, I HAVE to pay it.


c) I managed to pay my mortgage off last year through hard work and saving.

dmg24

I don't think anybody is telling you to get rid of your car, more so that you cannot class it as an essential item when you are on such a low budget.

Although you are supposed to pay council tax until you have been awarded CTC, assuming your claim does not take long to process, you will be ok not to pay it for e.g. a month. It will not have any effect on your credit file. Therefore I would not class it as an essential item.

Whilst you are not lucky to be having to claim JSA, you are very lucky that your outgoings are not considerably higher. The fact that you have any money left over after essentials puts you in a distinct minority.

Good luck with finding a new job x

lil_me

Good luck in finding another job soon, I don't think most who call people 'dole mongers' realise quite how hard it is to manage on the allowance (means tested is lower) when hard times hit.

billyjojimbob

:DCheers all.

Little morale boosts do help.

tightrs

i am sure if you had been lazy/idle all your life and knew the ins and outs of the system legally or more often illegally you would be collecting lots more lolly, as you have been a hard working forward thinking individual who has genuinely fallen on hard times prepare to be hounded and payed very little until you take any job going to get you off benefits.
i really feel sorry for you and hope you get a great job in the near future

olly300

billyjojimbob wrote: »

After working for the past 28 years, I'm now on JSA at £60 per week.

Luckily no mortgage/rent, but here's my basic outgoings (calculated weekly equiv)

Elec/Gas £15
Water £3
Council Tax £15 (still paying at the minute)
TV Licence £3
Road Tax £2.50
Car Insurance £3.25
House Ins £3.75
Petrol £5

Which leaves £9.50 for luxuries like .............Food

Am I missing something?

What do they class as poverty levels etc?

You've missed of telephone costs and broadband costs plus anything else you need to go job hunting or have the interview.

Apparently you can get the Job Centre to pay for stamps however I don't know anyone who has bothered.

Oh and they don't expect people on low incomes to have any insurances. :mad:

Pobby

It really is a mockery JSA.I seem to remember,in the 70`s,it was related to the earnings you were making when employed.

It seems very unfair when someone I know,not working and without a partner,at the time with 2 children but has since given birth to a third child was telling me just how much she gets after HB and CT had been paid.Even she said that she thought it quite a lot of money.

billyjojimbob

2 interviews tomorrow.

6 more applications in the pipeline.

Let's see what happens .....................