Claiming benefits whilst on the bench

[BolshieBastard]

Ah, the JSA Project! Was I glad that came along when it did. Got me out of a very sticky political situation on the War Pension Computer Project which may have cut my testing career and later decision to go contracting dead in its tracks.

Funny, all the main players on WPCP were women and Im certain most of them were lesbians or in some sort of female equivalent of the masons.

Anyway I digress. On JSA if you did get knocked back for contributions based JSA and had absolutely no income, you can claim JSA under the 'hardship' regulations. I know cos I tested that bit of the system amongst others.

At the dole office, they'll try and fob you off with either not paid enough contributions or too much a savings pot. But you can still claim JSA under the hardship provisions.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Ah, the JSA Project! Was I glad that came along when it did. Got me out of a very sticky political situation on the War Pension Computer Project which may have cut my testing career and later decision to go contracting dead in its tracks.

Funny, all the main players on WPCP were women and Im certain most of them were lesbians or in some sort of female equivalent of the masons.

Anyway I digress. On JSA if you did get knocked back for contributions based JSA and had absolutely no income, you can claim JSA under the 'hardship' regulations. I know cos I tested that bit of the system amongst others.

At the dole office, they'll try and fob you off with either not paid enough contributions or too much a savings pot. But you can still claim JSA under the hardship provisions.

Well its Thirty something quid extra a week plus the council tax rebate plus after 3 months they will pay the mortgage.

As soon as the snow lifts I'm off to Citizen's Advice Bureau to see what I can do with our £21,000 credit card debts.

[RichardCranium]

Something I have learned: if the amount of benefits they say they will give you is less than you expected, query it straight away.

I didn't (I could not and still can not get my head around how they work it out) and have been deducted £30 a week for 14 weeks now because of how they interpreted the answer to a question. It should have been picked up when I signed on, but they had not been doing their job properly at the Job Centre and so it wasn't noticed. Now that I have queried it, I have a 44 page form to fill in to see if they will rectify it. And no, the correction will not be backdated because "the claim is determined based on the information you provide and you signed to say it was correct".

(Yes, I did say a 44 page form, not a 4 page form.)

I wish I knew a proper full-time benefits scrounger who could check all this stuff for me.

[kobie]

Re:Claiming benefits whilst on the bench

hi,

"Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Jobcentre Plus can pay this for up to 182 days. It’s based on how much National Insurance you have paid in the last two tax years. Generally, self-employed contributions will not help you qualify for contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance."

Its based on the fact that you have paid "class 1" NI contributions, its not means tested and lasts for 182 days....looks like its the same amount as well.. 64.30.

cheers
Kobie.

[RichardCranium]

Also, there is Working Tax Credits if your spouse's income is low.

Also, there is Help with Health Costs.

Beware: do NOT trust the DWP and other government help lines. Their advice varies between poor and wrong. Do your own research online.

[psychocandy]

I remember claiming JSA years ago when I went a few months without contract. As someone else said, staff have got no idea about contracting so its hard work to get understood.

But, they did pay....

Its not much but you're entitled to it if you've paid your NI.

[contractor79]

Thank you, contractor79.

My pleasure, glad to know I've been able to help someone

[MonkeyMagic1908]

I also got some surprising numbers out of that web site. Thank you for that link.

'Cos I'm stupid.

My plans for tomorrow have just changed...

Ta muchly.

I claimed, not jsa, but esa, sickness benefit, its wasn't much, but better then a kick in the love spuds..........

Mind my back to work 'medical', by the DWP for a fecking joke, cluless, brainless twats