Money... :(

[mummy2be362]

Hi all.
Just a bit of a whinge I think. Looks like we're about to become skint.

Both me & my partner had a joint claim for Jobseekers Allowance. I've now been accepted for a new job, which is working 35 hours a week, and my fella is still looking for work.

I was told by an advisor in the jobcentre that if I went into full time work he could still claim JSA by himself, but after speaking to a friend she seems to think that this isn't the case and he won't be entitled for a penny.

This is going to seriously cripple us; we have Chloe who is 5 months old, and he also has another son from a previous relationship who he has to pay £50 a fortnight towards nursery costs for him (his ex is a bit of a nob but I won't get into that, but if he doesn't make the payment his son won't be able to go to nursery). And if he isn't getting a penny in JSA I'll have to pay for his son's nursery.

I know I'm eligible for working tax credits and child benefit, but after rent, bills, council tax and shopping, we're going to be worse off than what we are now!

I don't understand how this is right

 

[0stara]

I thought that jobseekers was literally that - money to help peopleback into work. I didn't think it was affected by partners income. Have you looked on the direct gov website? x

 

[MummytoSummer]

I'm no expert but I'm pretty certain your oh will still be entitled to job seekers allowance. I don't think it's until you've been claiming it a certain length of time and it changes to income support that it'll be an issue.

X

 

[Cupcake19]

When my partner was made redundant, he wasn't entitled to claim jsa as I worked

 

[davidjoemum]

what about housing benefit and council tax benefit?that could make easier to make ends meet.plus your wage chtc and wtc.

 

[bigbetty]

Yes your OH will still be able to claim job seekers allowance - in fact he has to in order to still contribute to his stamp for his pension. My husbands auntie was claiming jsa while her husband was working x

 

[Emmy1987]

If you work more than 25 hours a week he will not get jsa unless it's an exceptional circumstance. I looked at applying for jsa after leaving work as we'd moved and I couldn't claim as OH works 40 hours a week

 

[MummytoSummer]

I'm quite confused then because going back a few years I finished one job and had a gap of 3 months until I started my new one. My husband worked full time (nearly 40 hours a week) and earnt over £45k and I was still entitled to jsa then??? Same as my mum when she was made redundant and my dad still worked full time earning over £60k and still still got it!

 

[Sarah lo]

My MIL was claiming jsa even though FIL is working. He earns loads (hes quite high up in the RAF) yet MIL was still able to claim jsa. Mind you, she was only entitled to it for a couple of months then she couldn't claim it anymore, not sure why.

 

[bumpbear]

No, if you're living with someone or married and that person earns over a certain threshold, you can't claim any money. My mum worked whilst my dad stayed at home with us. He still had to go in every two weeks to sign on so that his NI contributions would be made, but he didn't actually receive any benefits.

 

[sequeena]

If you work more than 25 hours a week he will not get jsa unless it's an exceptional circumstance. I looked at applying for jsa after leaving work as we'd moved and I couldn't claim as OH works 40 hours a week

Exactly this. Same thing happened to us 1-2 years ago.

 

[Supermaiden]

If you work your husband can still sign on JSA but will only get his stamp and not receive payment. I was working and OH was signing for his stamp, I only got between 400-600 a month working as a care worker. So it was really tough times. (We did get some HB and CTB but I still had to pay some too).
Its not easy going into work these days. We both work, me part time and OH full time but we barely scrape by and that is with no debts. We dont have anything nice really, all we have to show for us working is a couple of 7 year old computers, a second hand laptop and an xbox360 that we wouldnt have got if I hadnt managed to get someone helpful at Argos to send me vouchers when I complained about something lol. So yeah, the best thing we have is our pride and being able to one day show our son that you have to work for a living, just wish we had more to show for it. Maybe one day.
Sorry Im ranting. Good luck with whatever you decide. Sometimes working is a good thing even though it might not be perfect financially, it gives you a lot back in terms of being out there and doing something with yourself and talking to other adults rather than just goo-goo gaga etc

 

[Laurenmomma]

I don't work but oh does he gets about £200 a week and I don't qualify for anythin! He gets wtc and I get Ctc but his £200 a week is considered excess income so don't qualify for council tax benefit and they cut our housing benefit to even less! Not get about 20 a week 3/4 less than when he was earning double! Crazy system!

 

[Vesta]

When I lost my job I wasn't able to claim JSA. They said I wasn't eligable as my then boyfriend/now husband was a full time student. Even though he didn't work they said his student loan counted as income.

 

[nugget80]

you could probably get contributions based jsa for limited time if you have paid enough in ni contributions. but as already claiming i would imagine once one of you is working then the other would get nothing...

 

[Harveysmum369]

If he is claiming Contribution based JSA you can earn up to £16,000 I think..if it's the means tested JSA then he likely won't.xx