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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that I should be eligible for a Social Fund Loan?

23 replies

muggglewump · 27/08/2009 15:11

I'm starting a new job next week. Minimum wage, 16 hours.
Now, I have no problem working this, in fact I want to but all my money will stop, as of Tuesday. The job is monthly pay, last Thursday of the month, and it will take a few weeks to recalculate tax credits and HB, so basically, I'll be left with nothing.

I've just called the Social, to be told that as I'll be working, I'm not eligible for a loan.

Exactly what do they expect me to live on?

I'm sure my Dad will help me out if I ask, but that's not the point.

If I stayed out of work for one more month I'd get help. How exactly is this helping single Mums back into work?

It right boils my piss [/common northerner]

OP posts:
sheepgomeep · 27/08/2009 15:18

It shouldn't take a few weeks to recalculate your tax credits re working tax credits, it only took them 5 days last year when I went back to work

If your changing from a single claim to a joint or vice versa then thats a different thing, that took 3 months..

Housing benefits took weeks for me as well. We were hundreds of pounds in arrears by the time it was recalculated.

QueenOfFuckingEverything · 27/08/2009 15:19

Are you on benefits now? If you are starting work for the first time you should get an IS/HB run on for the first month,

colditz · 27/08/2009 15:19

Infuriating, isn't it.

It's like they see on your paper work you have found a job, and are so aghast at your cheek they decide to punish you.

BellBookandCandle · 27/08/2009 15:24

A SF loan is the wrong thing to applyb for - you need to ask about a crisis loan (even working people can apply for them).

If you/your partner are on benefit ask about the differnt run ons you ca get, Housing Benefit, Council tax, mortgage interest.

Also if on benefit ask your advisor about JobGrant and the Adviser Discretion Fund, depening where you live you and your cisrs you might get in work credit or return to work credit from Jobcentre Plus.

Get your tax credits re-asesed shouldn't take long.

PersonalClown · 27/08/2009 15:28

I'm about to come off benefits as DP is moving in.
I spoke to a lovely chap at the Tax credit office and he told me that if your award is substantially changing, then they try to get it changed within a week or 2 as they don't like to leave people without money.
(Let's see if the actions, match the words, shall we??)

Original poster
muggglewump · 27/08/2009 15:34

I'm not entitled to the run ons, as they are only if you have been out of work for 6 months, and I've been out of work for 5. More fool me for not staying on benefits an extra month.

My Job Center Advisor told me to ask for Social Fund, as I can't have a Crisis Loan, as it's not considered an emergency.

OP posts:
Fruitysunshine · 27/08/2009 15:36

You can apply for a crisis loan for "living expenses" which is not benefits dependant. Ring the jobcentre and they will give you the number.

Original poster
muggglewump · 27/08/2009 15:38

Yes Colditz, it's just like that.
How dare I work for a living, when I can sit on my arse and make headlines in the DM instead.

My tax credits took 3 weeks last time, HB 6 weeks, and they can't do anything until Tuesday, I can't even put the claim in now to be activated on Tuesday.
A total bloody joke if I ever saw one.

OP posts:
BellBookandCandle · 27/08/2009 15:47

Muglewump - your advisor is WRONG! Ignore them - ask for the number for applying and don't take no for an answer . Tis a bit of a bugger about the run ons etc.

one of the reasons a crisis loan can be awarded is to help meet day to day living expenses when waiting for your first wages.

There is no legal right to a CL - but apply anyway because when you have a formal decision you can request a review if it is turned down or it is less than you have asked for.

Enjoy the new job

sheepgomeep · 27/08/2009 15:58

I think your centre advisor is wrong too.

I've got a crisis loan in the past and I've been working.

You need to ring the crisis loan dept directly as it will be them who make the decision not your job centre advisor

Original poster
muggglewump · 27/08/2009 15:58

I have had CLs before, but everytime I've had to pretend to lose my purse, because it's the only time they give them.
Of course I can do that again, but I was rather hoping I'd get a loan without having to lie.
My Advisor seemed sure that I would get a social fund loan.

OP posts:
sheepgomeep · 27/08/2009 16:01

no its not mugglewump.

They gave us £83 last year cos our money was none existant for a month

sheepgomeep · 27/08/2009 16:03

I've never had to pretend I'v lost my purse and neither has dp

expatinscotland · 27/08/2009 16:07

It does take a few weeks to get tax credits sorted every time I've been through it.

They're such assholes and I wish I'd win the Lotto so I can set up a fund to help with stuff like this no one every things about unless they've been there themselves.

sheepgomeep · 27/08/2009 16:12

i must have been one of the lucky ones with tax credits re working tax etc. They have normally been pretty quick on that side of things..

Whenever I've gone from a joint to a single claim or vice versa then thats when the system fucks up for me though. We had no money for 3 months last year and it was just before I started my new job.

It was awful, it got us into a lot of debt

OtterInaSkoda · 27/08/2009 16:14

Would your new employer consider giving a mid-month advance, reclaiming it from future months' pay?
If you have a social (housing association/council) landlord they should be very understanding if you have to fall behind with your rent through no fault of your own.

StretchFucksTheMailDaily · 27/08/2009 16:22

You have my sympathy!

Re. benefit run on etc.. My friend was told she wasn't entitled to it as she hadn't found a job through them (jobcentre plus), she had got a job by herself!! (this was 6 years ago though) ie, she hadn't had an interview arranged by them etc.. so she wasn't entitled!

She went to her MP and she sorted it out!

Hopefully, if you already claim tax credits, then it's just a matter of readjusting it, rather than a new claim?

Good luck with the job!

Original poster
muggglewump · 27/08/2009 17:08

sheepgomeep, I've had to pretend that every time.
They just don't seem to grant them otherwise here even if you have no other money.

I have a private rental, but my landlord is OK so long as he knows he will get his money.
My Dad will help, I know he will but it's rather the point that if I didn't have my Dad, what would I do?

expat Me too. It's a shite system. I get no help because I've only been out of work for 5 months, not 6 so I don't qualify for the run ons.

Otter, they possibly would, but who wants to ask that in a new job when they are trying to make a good impression?

I really am looking forward to starting work again, and in 3 months things will be much better and really looking up in this house, but getting there is going to be hard.

Just another thing that folk (and yes, Hayley from that horrible Benefit Buster program, I mean you), don't think about, when they talk about getting single Mums back into work.

OP posts:
junglist1 · 27/08/2009 18:37

I second going to the MP. While you're at it try and get her/him to bring it up at Prime Ministers questions or something. The state of the benefits system and the incompetence of a lot of the staff is mind bogglingly ridiculous for what is supposed to be a civilised society.

mama2b3 · 27/08/2009 19:49

dont no if your entitled to claim this but when my partner returned to work part time 16hrs we claimed a one off payment of £250 to see us through the first month, we also claimed the run on for housing b. dont no how we would have managed else no family to help out =( . i cant remember what its definatly called bt think it could be back 2 work grant? its £250 for 2 adults and a child and £100 for a single person. dont no if this helps, but hope it does as its so hard getting through that first month.

NervousNutty · 27/08/2009 19:55

Are you entitled to the £250 back to work grant or is that only if you have claimed for 6mths too ??

IUsedToBePeachy · 27/08/2009 20:00

TCs have always been good to us, suppose it must vary. Well to be exact they've always done thir best: we've had problems with computer errors and the like but the people have tried their ahrdest to sort it out.

This gap between working and benefits is one of the biggest problems facing people trying to get into work, can remember it well from when DH had been unemloyed years abck and we were trying to live off maternity pay- that was hard enough and at least we had that!

Original poster
muggglewump · 27/08/2009 21:04

I am not entitled to anything to tide me over.
I will have to ask my Dad.

Hopefully TCs will sort it out quickly, but I won't hold my breath.
It's shit. If I'd stayed on benefits for another month I'd have got more help, but that makes no sense!

I had to leave my job, I couldn't afford to work less than 16 hours, and now, because I am returning to work, in the first job I have got after applying for easily 80, and going for interviews, I'm going to be living on nothing for a while.

What the hell kind of system is that?

My Dad will help me, I know he will but what about people who have no help?
They'd have no choice but to turn the job down because they can't live on nothing.

OP posts:
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