

How much money can I earn without it affecting my partners claim for job seekers?

Discussion in 'benefits and housing' started by badong, Oct 1, 2010.

  1. badong

    badong Active Member

    My partner has been in a temporary job for 6 months and this is coming to an end. If he can't find another job soon he will have to sign on to claim jsa. I currently work but only earn on average £700 a month. I work between 21 and 30 hours a week. Would he be eligible for job seekers allowance?
    Im fairly sure we would be eligible for housing benefits but we are unsure about jsa.
    He hasn't paid a years worth of national insurance as we are both recent graduates.
    Thanks for any help!
  2. ymu

    ymu Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet

  3. badong

    badong Active Member

    blargh seems to say we can't get job seekers because a couple is treated as a single claim and on income an assessed claim we both have to satisfy the job seeking criteria (ie not have a job)

    Is this right, doesn't seem fair :(

    too risky to just say we're house mates as technically we live in a 2 bed flat?
  4. ymu

    ymu Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet

    No idea, but that sounds very wrong. You're bringing in less than minimum wage as it is.

    Do what you have to to survive, but don't let any curtain-twitching neighbours know the score.
  5. Puddy_Tat

    Puddy_Tat fishco kitty

    Benefit fraud does seem to be a popular target of the tory press and of tory governments (and i include 'new labour' in this category)

    If there is a risk of anyone who knows / lives near you shopping you, then i'd say don't. Also bear in mind that the Condem government has talked about (but as far as i know not yet implemented) getting private credit investigation companies to check benefits claims, so if you've (for example) applied for any sort of bank account / credit as a couple, you are likely to get found out.

    I would have thought (and would welcome others' views) that having a joint tenancy is not going to be evidence of being a couple, as many landlords impose joint tenancies on complete strangers, so that if one buggers off, they can go after the other/s for the rent.

    Cohabiting (for benefits purposes) is as much based on whether you live as "a household" rather than your sex lives. Bear in mind that the benefits people can make home visits, so having separate laundry baskets, individual supplies of food in the kitchen and so on will be seen as evidence of your being two single people. I don't know whether the benefits people might think to look on facebook and the like - that sort of thing didn't exist when i did benefits work.

    Obviously I am talking purely hypothetically here, not trying to encourage you to do anything naughty.

    The 21-30 hours a week mark is awkward. It's "full time" as far as JSA / income support is concerned (i.e. over 16), but not enough hours to claim tax credits (normally 30 hours)

    The 30 hours a week can consist of more than one job - might you be able to get something part time to up the hours to more than 30?

    And yes, I would suggest claiming housing & council tax benefit as soon as partner's job ends. These are not (as some people think) "all or nothing" benefits - so you will probably get something.
  6. geminisnake

    geminisnake a complex mass of conflicting ideas

    Get the forms asap, you want to hand them in as soon as your partner's job finishes. You won't be entitled to benefit for the first few days iirc.
    They'll probably want a few proofs of ID and some bank statements.
    According to the benefit checker I have from the local council you'll be entitled to both Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit as soon as he stops working. Unfortunately unless you've paid enough stamps you don't get JSA if you have a working partner.
  7. wemakeyousoundb

    wemakeyousoundb and calm again

    at £700 a month you might be getting just a little bit too much for him to get JSA or at least the full amount, but still might get HB and CTB or part thereof, you will just have to fill in the forms and see.
  8. AnnaKarpik

    AnnaKarpik Queen of all she surveys

    As far as council tax/housing benefit goes you can claim in advance of a change of circumstances, though I can't remember offhand how far in advance. Get the forms now, start sorting your paperwork. Someone already said about the entitledto website; councils sometimes have their own benefit calculators too. If a calculator says you get benefit and your application is turned down, ask them how they have calculated entitlement and/or appeal; you (probably) wouldn't believe how often benefits calculations are fucked up. Don't post the application either, if at all possible. The queue may look horrible at the face-to-face council office but your application is checked in, you're given a claim number and they can't claim to have lost it.
  9. littlebabyjesus

    littlebabyjesus Keeping his sword arm free

    Two of you in a 2 bed flat? Sound like flatmates to me. ;)

    If you declare yourselves as a couple, it sounds like you are unlikely to get any jsa, or you'll get very little. You will certainly get some housing benefit, depending on your rent. I don't know the current figures, but you'd be allowed something like £150 between you per week to live on (might not be quite that much, particularly if he's under 25).
  10. ymu

    ymu Niall Ferguson's deep-cover sock-puppet

    Split up and become fuck buddies. Keep your bedrooms separate in case they ever check.
  11. littlebabyjesus

    littlebabyjesus Keeping his sword arm free

    yep. They might check - they often don't, it depends on their resources – but if they do, they have to give 24 hours' notice. If anyone from the DSS ever turns up at your door unannounced, they are breaking their own rules and you should always refuse them entry.
  12. wemakeyousoundb

    wemakeyousoundb and calm again

    Indeed, and my tuppence worth:
    if any deadline looms (one month for handing any paperwork/replying to any queries here in lambeth) CALL THEM to check on progress, I have just found out this way that they "sent me" a request for more information on September 30th... ...it still has not arrived, you might have to hang on the phone for a while but this is better than getting a notification you have been cut off for "not supplying information" and then having to try and appeal this.
  13. past caring

    past caring The Cathars were right

    There is some right nonsense talked on this thread - I do wish people wouldn't just make it up.....:rolleyes:

    Income-based JSA (which is means tested) is currently £102.75 per week for a couple (if both are over 25 - otherwise will be less).

    Assuming your £700 per month is net, that equates to £161.54 per week (£700 x 12 divided by 52).

    There is a £10.00 disregard for earnings for a couple, so for income-based JSA, your weekly income is £151.54 per week - this is too high for you to get any income-based JSA, though you will still be able to claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

    Contribution-based JSA is not means tested. Whether you qualify depends solely upon whether you have sufficient National Insurance contributions in the years immediately preceding your claim (the rules on this are complex in terms of what years are taken into account - best thing is to just claim it - it's one of the few things the DWP virtually always get right). It is payable for six months at a rate of £65.45 (again, assuming you are over 25) after which you have to claim income-based JSA if eligible. So if your boyfriend qualifies for the contribution based version he will get £65.45 per week - this is unaffected by your earnings.

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