Reply to: Claiming benefits whilst on the bench

[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

[contractor79]

Thank you, contractor79.

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

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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]

Would I be correct in assuming that your parents still live in the house and that they are not paying a commercial rent?

If so it is likely to be a gift with reservation and will be ineffective for IHT purposes (ok provided the TR1 was properly done you will own 25% of it on their death but the esate will still be asess for IHT on it's value including your 25%).

Edit from your later post I assume the TR1 was not done and your potential interest will come after any legal charge(s). but has a formal deed of gift been executed and stamped? (It doesn't need stamping, a simple note will suffice but is potentially easier to challenge).

I believe this will satisfy as a "future interest".

There are no documents - nothing for me to worry about - ta anyway

[ASB]

Just been researching this, I was going to submit a claim for Council Tax Rebate, but I don't qualify.

With good intentions and hoping to minimise inheritance tax, my parents many years ago put 25% of their property in my name so I have more than £16,000 of 'capital'.

I hope I'm not on the bench too long as the 'capital' disqualifies me from claiming JSA income based benefits which allows claims for Mortgage Interest after 13 weeks.

Would I be correct in assuming that your parents still live in the house and that they are not paying a commercial rent?

If so it is likely to be a gift with reservation and will be ineffective for IHT purposes (ok provided the TR1 was properly done you will own 25% of it on their death but the esate will still be asess for IHT on it's value including your 25%).

Edit from your later post I assume the TR1 was not done and your potential interest will come after any legal charge(s). but has a formal deed of gift been executed and stamped? (It doesn't need stamping, a simple note will suffice but is potentially easier to challenge).

I believe this will satisfy as a "future interest".

[BlasterBates]

Yup I was very punctual at claiming dole, when I was entitled to it. The first time was during the University holidays, the infamous loophole, and then when I was sacked after a bankruptcy, straight down to the dole office.

[RichardCranium]

Interesting to note that during the last downturn most contractors were reluctant to seek any state assistance as they seemed to view themselves as entrepreneurial types therefore would not be seen dead near a Dole Office. This time around there seems to be not compunction whatsoever (quite correct in my view)

It happened last time (if by last time you mean 2002/03) too. I remember; I was one of those too proud to claim until my father-in-law all but dragged me to the Job Centre and made me go through the process. (We were in really deep financial trouble at the time and I had been led to believe company directors couldn't claim benefits.)

And this time round, there had been loads of threads containing arguments on here for about 9 months about the rights and wrongs of claiming; that fizzled out around the time this thread started. Eventually the argument went from "It is immoral and taking the piss" to "Oh, tulip. This is getting really bad now."

So there has been consideration, arguments and at least over half a year's dithering for many people who could have been claiming earlier. People who have been benched for many, many months and who have consumed their war chest.

The morals and ethics haven't changed it's just that you probably didn't see the arguments and we're already well into this downturn.

[lje]

Isn't the £94.30 for a couple? I'm on £64 something as a single person, I got quoted the 94.30 when I was considering having my now-ex partner live with me.

It all depends...

If you are on income based JSA then it's something like £94 for a couple and £64 for a single person. However, if you can get contributary JSA then for you would get another £64 for an individual. Contributary JSA doesn't get reduced for a couple so you would each get the £64 every week.

To get contributary JSA it doesn't matter how much you have in savings but you need to have been paying national insurance of the last couple of years. Also, it only lasts for 6 months.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Interesting to note that during the last downturn most contractors were relucatant to seek any state assistance as they seemed to view themselves as enterprenuerial types therefore would not be seen dead near a Dole Office.

This time around there seems to be not compunction whatsoever (quite correct in my view) is this due to the length fo the turndown - or the cavalier attitude of the Bankers fleecing the public purse - or perhaps the New Ice Age - (that would make it the eighth Ice Age ) - anyway leaving the apocalypse aside - any thoughts from the panel?

[northernrampage]

Hi
If on the bench, presumably you wouldn't pay yourself a salary.
Could you therefore sack yourself from your limited company, declare yourself unemployed, and claim benefits?
I found an interesting website
http://entitledto.co.uk/

mine works out as:-
Means-tested income entitlements
JSA £4,917.07 £94.30 JSA (income-based).
Means-tested bill reductions
Council Tax Benefit £999.57 £19.17 You should not have to pay Council Tax as you qualify for full Council Tax Benefit.
Total Entitlements £5,916.64 £113.47 weekly

not bad huh?
why aren't YOU claiming when you're on the bench?

Isn't the £94.30 for a couple? I'm on £64 something as a single person, I got quoted the 94.30 when I was considering having my now-ex partner live with me.

So your benefit if you're on your own is the 64, plus your council tax (and housing benefit if you have savings under a certain amount and rent a property).

It's still worth doing, but it's not 94.30 just to you.