DH about to get the sack, I’m so worried. Can anyone reassure me that we’ll be ok please?

[Ocre729]

I can’t go into details but it’s looking very likely that he’ll get the sack next week. I feel sick to my stomach. I don’t think we’ll be entitled to anything! I earn £1300 a month for 23hrs work, our mortgage payments are £500 a month and we have one DC who’s 12.

We have £4k in savings which I think we could make last for 4 months if we watched every penny. I’ve been going through our outgoings and we’re already very frugal. The only saving I think we can make is our phones.

I just feel horrible. We’re a really hard working family, never claimed benefit before (apart from our £80 a month child benefit).

Has anyone been through this and it worked out ok?

I’m aware of that. However JSA new style will protect his contributions record and also if OP increases her wages in anyone month the JSA will still be being paid.

[quote MrsGrindah]@jessstan2 Have you even read the OPs circumstances.? There’s no such thing as unemployment benefit and certainly not just because you are unemployed. How much you’ve paid in NI, other family income and reasons you are unemployed all have a bearing on what you can receive[/quote]
To be honest I would advise op to book an appointment at CAB or read the benefit advice I have put because people are just advising incorrectly and that isn't going to help op to plan or navigate the benefits system at all.

@CornishTiger

I’m aware of that. However JSA new style will protect his contributions record and also if OP increases her wages in anyone month the JSA will still be being paid.

But you haven't taken the JSA off the amount you have quoted so op may think they would get more than they will ??

@Babyroobs Agree . Always annoys me when people post “ You will get £xxx “ in case OPs take it as gospel and base important decisions on incorrect advice.

[quote MrsGrindah]@Babyroobs Agree . Always annoys me when people post “ You will get £xxx “ in case OPs take it as gospel and base important decisions on incorrect advice.[/quote]
I did post the Uc amount but it was a very carefully done calculation and checked a few times !

You need proper information, based on your exact circumstances.

Contact ACAS and / or his union for information about his employment rights

Contact Citizen's Advice for advice on benefits - what and when you could claim.

Money Saving Expert has a facility to put in your income and outgoings which may help you see whether you could make any savings. Several relatively small changes, changing utility providers, might make a difference.

our spending is mainly in the supermarket
Re-visit what you are buying, bearing in mind that DH will have more time available so you may be able to buy cheaper, less pre-prepared options that weren't feasible with you both working. Also check whether there is any incidental spending that adds up which you could cut out, e.g. coffees, magazines.

Yes but you advise about getting CAB appointment too etc. Other posters are implying there’s nothing to worry about. And it interesting to see how the amounts quoted vary.

@Babyroobs

Thank you. But truly we are in a good place and feel extremely lucky. I doubt that I would have done prior to my husband's near miss, but now I don't see anything that has happened to us as unlucky. I just feel very very lucky! I think about those poor Syrian families traipsing across Europe,some pregnant, cold, hungry, wet, scared and exhausted with nowhere to go and think how grateful they would have been just to have a tent, let alone a caravan. I think that if your basic physical needs are met (you are safe, clothed, warm, fed, dry, watered, in relatively good health, not in pain, have company and not grieving, you can be happy or at least content. However, if just one of those basic needs is not met, it is hard to be happy. Uncertainty is definitely the most difficult/worrying aspect of any situation. And right now, the OP is in a very uncertain position. However, ironically, even if he is sacked, it will feel less nerve wracking than these next few days of not knowing. At that point a clearer picture will start to develop! And then they will be able to make choices/take decisions.

World he like to stay at work all things being equal?

Is there a hearing planned?

If he's due to have a hearing and he'd ideally like to stay he should:

Admit his mistake
Say he's learned
Apologise for any harm it's caused
Acknowledge that the employer will want to give him a disciplinary sanction, and appeal for clemency
get him to suggest e.g. Suspension with no pay / final written warning / demotion or pay cut as an alternative to dismissal

If not, then do consider other advice PPs have given.

Good luck!

The better off calculator already has factored into account that new style JSA is being received and adjusted the amount of UC.

It’s all there in the screenshots but if OP wants me to do a manual calculation I’m happy to do so. It’s not difficult.

@CornishTiger

The better off calculator already has factored into account that new style JSA is being received and adjusted the amount of UC.

It’s all there in the screenshots but if OP wants me to do a manual calculation I’m happy to do so. It’s not difficult.

I did a manual calculation and it worked out at £381.85 Uc per month. If new style JSA is taken off that it does not work out to what you said !

Hi

You will get some Universal Credit.

Couple over 25 standard element - £498.89
Child element - £235.83 (£281.25 if they were born before 04/04/2017)

= £734.72

You have earnings of £1300.

As you have a child and no rent you will have a work allowance of £503pcm which means those earnings are disregarded.

Anything over that is deducted at 63% = £502.11

So that would leave you with £232.61 UC pcm.

This doesn't take into account if you have caring responsibilities, health issues etc as you may be entitled to more.

Bare in mind though that new style JSA is worth £322pcm and is much less hassle to claim. Any JSA you receive would be deducted 100% from UC do not worth claiming both if you are not eligible for other elements.

Remember that JCP may try to sanction your husband if he was dismissed so you may need to challenge it in this event.

@MiniMum97

Hi

You will get some Universal Credit.

Couple over 25 standard element - £498.89
Child element - £235.83 (£281.25 if they were born before 04/04/2017)

= £734.72

You have earnings of £1300.

As you have a child and no rent you will have a work allowance of £503pcm which means those earnings are disregarded.

Anything over that is deducted at 63% = £502.11

So that would leave you with £232.61 UC pcm.

This doesn't take into account if you have caring responsibilities, health issues etc as you may be entitled to more.

Bare in mind though that new style JSA is worth £322pcm and is much less hassle to claim. Any JSA you receive would be deducted 100% from UC do not worth claiming both if you are not eligible for other elements.

Remember that JCP may try to sanction your husband if he was dismissed so you may need to challenge it in this event.

Standard couples element is now £594.04 ( assuming one over 25) due to covid increase until April 2021.

380 uc per month if you earn 1300 per month exactly, will vary if you are paid weekly or 4 weekly but if its monthly that is around what you will get give or take a few pounds and it's just you, your partner and 1 child born before 2017. Mortgage means you have a higher work allowance. If you are going to apply, dont apply anywhere near your pay date and apply after your partner has had his final wage and it has been reported on his hmrc account. There is a manual calculator that is always correct on the benefit amount, provided you have all the correct details. Dont rely on entitled to etc, they are always easy out.

I really feel for you and your husband.

My job was ended with no notice on the first day of lockdown and my bosses refused to pay me, saying they all had to live on 80% and couldn't afford to 'help me out'. They said they'd need me back at some point. I kept the office going and updated resources but wasn't given any work (when lockdown was relaxed a bit they used an alternative office).

Having been ignored for a while, one of them messaged me last week to say everything 'should be back to normal in September' but they wanted to give me less hours. I weighed up my options to see if I could go without paying my bills for a few more weeks/months and decided not, because although I earn below minimum wage I do still have needs (eating being one of them). I told them I'd have to find alternative employment and they ganged up on me and said I should've done that months ago to give them time to find a replacement, and that I should've known how things going to go (even when the WHO didn't and the Government was giving constantly conflicting advice).

After years of loyal service they got together to harass me by text until I was in tears and felt like the worst person in the world. I've now been offered a new job (in a different role, above minimum wage) and can't work out why I didn't do this years ago.

OP, I hope things work out well for you both and that your husband finds a new job quickly. These horrible things that happen that feel like a completely nightmarish disaster are what brings out our power and resilience. Life will be good again.

Another different figure!

Can your partner appeal? If he has had an excellent record for 20 years it seems a bit hard of the company, everyone can make a mistake.

And higher work allowance is now £512.

If the was doing his job in good faith hard to see how you can be sacked for business problem.

I am an FD and people don't tend to get sacked where I have worked for this.

@Ocre729 hope you’re ok - sounds like it’s been a bit of a shock for you.

Make sure to ring your water company as they will have special tariffs for reasons such as unemployment that can be used for the period of lesser earnings.

I would speak to the bank and get s mortgage break or see if you can change mortgage to interest only to reduce some monthly outgoings

This happened to DP while I was on maternity leave with DS. For a couple of years we really struggled.

Your DH hasn't been sacked yet, it might still be OK and if not, claim any benefits you can and encourage DH to apply for as many jobs as possible (my DP was able to claim JSA even though he had been sacked). He worked PT as a waiter for a while and is now in the best job he's ever had and we're very happy. Things usually work out OK, even if it's hard for a bit.

@Amber2019

380 uc per month if you earn 1300 per month exactly, will vary if you are paid weekly or 4 weekly but if its monthly that is around what you will get give or take a few pounds and it's just you, your partner and 1 child born before 2017. Mortgage means you have a higher work allowance. If you are going to apply, dont apply anywhere near your pay date and apply after your partner has had his final wage and it has been reported on his hmrc account. There is a manual calculator that is always correct on the benefit amount, provided you have all the correct details. Dont rely on entitled to etc, they are always easy out.

Good advice and correct calculation !

OP, it’s worth changing your username and posting what happened with your husband’s job on the Employment board. It sounds like whatever happened has just happened and, given his length of service, there’s likely to be a lengthy process. You’ll get some advice on what to expect.

So sorry to hear your news OP. Could you cut back on Sky or Virgin package? Try to cut electricity or gas cooking charges by cooking two meals at once so using less electricity/gas.

My nephew is self employed but only for four months after working for company for 17 years. During furlough he could not claim anything as no longer employee and not enough accounts to get grant payment. He went in to see council. Council tax is paid over 10 payments with Feb and March nothing to pay. He asked council if he could have two months of nothing to pay in April and May 2020 but then pay in Feb and March 2021 and they agreed.

Could your dh sign up with an agency as they are still recruiting a few staff.