Housing benefit

[SD258]

Hello, i'm new here, i appologise if this has been asked before, I will try to keep this short and sweet!

So, I'm receiving benefits as i am a lone parent to a 3 year old. I get IS and HB and also child tax and child benefit. The whole shebang.

I'm starting work next week, but it's only 8 hours a week. I know that i get to keep the first £20 that i earn etc etc. I know i can do probably 4 hours overtime when needed, taking me upto12 hours altogether, aslong as i notify IS about the overtime and hand in my payslips at the end of the month.

I've had a small string of seasonal jobs that have been low hours, so i'm no stranger to all this stuff, the only difference with this new job is that it's actually permanant, meaning i want to stick in, impress the boss, work hard and try and gain more hours, hopefully 16, so i can go onto tax credits.

I earn roughly £72 a week for IS and housing benefit have told me that i don't need to notify them of any changes in earnings as long as i get paid IS, even if it's only 1pence.

MY QUESTION - What happens if i accidentally go over that amount?? If one week i do overtime and it goes over £72 (that's including the £20 taken off) Will it completely mess up my housing benefits and stop my claim?

I'm really worried about this happening but i don't want to get sacked or paid off for refusing to do more hours but at the same time i don't want to work too much and end up messing up my rent and all my benefits. I wish they could have just given me a 16 hour contract.

I intend on speaking to benefits and jobcentre about this. I don't start my job till next week but i just wanted to see if anyone knows anything about it as i've searched online but can't find anything to do with hat i'm specifically asking. thanks

[SD258]

bump

[SD258]

bump....currently trying to get through to IS just now ..