Anyone signed on the dole while benched?

[Cyberman]

Just to say thank you to everyone, this thread kept me entertained yesterday afternoon, Cyberman was really on form. I find it hilarious how he antagonises everyone.

As for signing on, in 2001 when my contract expired I went 3 months without even thinking of setting foot in a job centre.
But as the weeks went by I became more and more desperate, I'd bought a flat recently so my bench fund was very limited, and the situation was dire on jobserve.
After 3 months I was faced with having to sell my car, and either furnish my flat with items from Argos or starve to death.
One morning I sat crying at the shame of what I was about to do, but I wiped the tears from my eyes and told myself that it was for the greater good, it wouldn't be for long, and I had to look after number 1.
Reluctantly, I had finally decided to go permie.

People feel antagonised because they are ignorant and thus insecure with their guessed answers and get proven wrong, whereas I have the answers through actual experience. People who do not learn through experience are fools. Ignorance can be cured but stupidity, not !!

I was like you in 2001/2, and lived off my savings and endowments, not being aware of the full options. I did get NI credits because I did sign on, but I was unaware of the P45 option. I certainly do not feel guilty explaining the options to people as I was very close to meltdown, and I would not wish that on my worst enemy. It is experiences like that, that really make you appreciate the good things in life.

[Cyberman]

Well this has polarised the team! I wanted to learn people's views - thanks to everyone who contributed.

I can see there are a lot of questions raised, but I'll stick to the "should I" aspect which despite 100 replies still comes down to personal choice

I actually don't want to claim - its a lot of effort for not much cash, I have money anyway and at least I have some self-esteem to carry into conversations with future potential clients.

The one nagging voice in the back of my head (or is that the mother-in-law ) is what happens if this goes on for 2 years as suggested above? I don't think it will... if it does it wouldn't just be me signing on!

You will regret not signing on if you are entitled to. It is not just cash but NI credits, and maybe later means-tested housing benefits and council tax rebate. That adds up to a lot of money in a very short time.

[TheBigD]

...unless you are signing on merely to get your mortgage insurance to kick in of course (my understanding is that you have to sign on, not neccessarily receive any benifits, in order to activate mortgage insurance?).

I'm probably wrong though?

Nope, your absolutly right (well, with my mortgage insurance anyway). I've recently checked this out as I'm on the bench in 2 and a half weeks, and not having much joy securing my next gig.

[Grinder]

You will regret not signing on if you are entitled to. It is not just cash but NI credits, and maybe later means-tested housing benefits and council tax rebate. That adds up to a lot of money in a very short time.

Until the cash in the company runs out, I'm still paying myself a salary and therefore NI - so those benefits would not be affected.

...unless you are signing on merely to get your mortgage insurance to kick in of course (my understanding is that you have to sign on, not neccessarily receive any benifits, in order to activate mortgage insurance?).

If I was paying mortgage insurance, and had run out of money, I would not only be eligible for benefits, but would also (with a clear conscience), claim on my mortgage insurance. After all, insurance companies are just playing on the probabilities - premiums compensate them for the risk that the insured 'event' wont happen.

[PM-Junkie]

Oh dear - it's one thing to quote cyberdork (which lots of people have asked the assembled not to do because so many of us have him on ignore)....but to be quoted in the same post as him is the end.

I now have to spend the rest of the day cleansing myself. Thanks.

[Grinder]

Apologies - I'll bear that in mind.

[ratewhore]

Oh dear - it's one thing to quote cyberdork (which lots of people have asked the assembled not to do because so many of us have him on ignore)....but to be quoted in the same post as him is the end.

I now have to spend the rest of the day cleansing myself. Thanks.

Look at you all grown up. Well done...

[BrowneIssue]

What a load of crock!

It doesn't matter how much you have in the bank, if you have paid NI then you get JSA of £60 per week. If you don't have much in savings then you can apply for means tested benefits.

Please do not spout opinion as fact.

Up yer arse with a pineapple.

Circa 2001 I signed on when I had been on the bench for many months and both me and MyCo were utterly skint. I was re-telling what they had told me at the time: having money in MyCo or savings more than some limit would prevent me getting anything other than them paying the NI.

After about 10 weeks I started getting £48 per week.

[NotAllThere]

Should've fought them harder. They'll tell you what they think the rules mean. If you chose to go along with that, then it was your choice to have a large spiky fruit up your botty.

[mossman]

What a load of rubbish Ardesco has posted on this thread. I've paid hundreds of thousands of pounds in tax over the last ten years. If I claim
sixty quid a week for 6 months, I'll be getting a total of fifteen hundred quid - a tiny fraction of the money that the scumbags have stolen from me over my contracting career. I will not be getting anyone else's money - I'd have to live to 100 and be claiming all that time just to get back half of my own money.

I'd love to live in a country where there is no such thing as direct taxation, and no state benefits either, but that's not what we have. Claiming fifteen hundred quid when you have no work for six months is no different to taking advantage of tax allowances that enable you to pay fifteen hundred quid a year less tax, something I'm sure Ardesco is happy to do.

Certain state benefits are not means tested, including state pensions and the first six months of JSA. Alan Sugar will be entitled to a state pension, and will probably claim it. Live with it.

The only useful information posted here has been from Cyberman. The only thing I don't understand is what constitutes the company being dormant. Doesn't the fact that it is not trading mean it is dormant?