55 years old, can't find a job & need to claim benefits - where to start?

[Greenseacat]

I am 55, live alone and I have worked for over 30 years combining permanent jobs as an employee with freelance contracts. I have a long term health condition.

I am now without a job or freelance work although I have applied for hundred of roles and got a trickle of job interviews and some good feedback.

I have to apply for unemployment benefits but I don't really know the system.

I am going to apply for contribution based JSA which I know is for six months but I have read people apply for UC at the same time but I am not sure I understand the logic? is that what I should do?

I get the basic rate of PIP for my disability. I have less in savings than the £16,000 which I believe would allow me to claim UC.

One of my biggest expense is council tax and I am not sure whether I can claim a discount if I get JSA? or is it UC?

Basically I am a bit lost.

I am really still hoping that I can get a job but I need to face the reality that a 55 year old woman with a disability is not the most appealing prospects for employers and I am getting increasingly despondent.

I am happy to retrain as well but don't have the money to do that so maybe being on UC might also help me access some courses?

Any advice from people would be much appreciated as I don't really have anyone to talk to about this and I am feeling embarrassed to have to claim.

Why are you embarrassed? Its not your fault the job market is awful. You will have loads to offer an employer. Have you tried www.restless.co.uk? They have jobs for over 50s.
Good luck op.

If you are living on your own you should get single person discount on council tax.

yes to contributions based jsa

can’t advise on UC I am afraid

Can you speak to Citizens Advice? Or look on their website site for information.

or turn2us.org.uk. They have a benefits calculator.
Council Tax reduction is separate from other benefits and is administered by your local authority. You need to contact them direct.
if you rent, then you get a housing allowance with Universal Credit. UC is assessed on a monthly basis and can top up your JSA, which only lasts 6 months.

First of all, don’t feel embarrassed. This is exactly what the safety net of our welfare system is intended for, you don’t currently have a job and need some help to pay the bills. After putting into the system for 30 years you have already contributed towards the money you are going to receive, and you have a legitimate need - there is nothing to feel embarrassed about.

Hope someone else can help with the practical aspects of claiming but just wanted to say that you don’t need to worry about claiming, if you’re entitled to the money you are exactly who it’s intended for.

Secondly while I’m not sure about the ins and outs of it all, you will be told by some on here that you should spend your savings before claiming. Ignore it. There is a threshold for a reason, you are allowed to keep an element of your savings and still receive benefits - I think it’s £6000. Over that amount, the payment will be tapered so that above £16,000 you aren’t entitled to anything. If you need eg a new boiler or a new car this might be the time to invest - you aren’t depriving yourself of assets, you’re giving yourself a stable place to start so that when you get a job you are able to get there reliably and won’t have issues in the winter with unreliable heating etc. so if your savings are over £6k I would look at that.

Would you be interested in starting a small business or doing whatever you’ve done before on a self employed basis? You can claim UC as a top up while you build up your client base for a year. Might be a good way to create your own job if you feel that your age and the limitations of your disability are making things harder for you.

Well they won’t backdate anything so phone them today. You’ll probably get an appointment in a couple of weeks but anything you’re entitled to will be effective from the date you claim - ie make the phone call.

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate the support.

To answer queries

• Yes, I have signed up to the Restless e-newsletter and have been checking their website for job opportunities and advice
• Thank you for the advice about the savings elements. I have just made a list of what needs to be done for the winter such as annual service for the boiler and some small essential repairs
• I did not know you could start a small business and keep claiming UC and that sounds like a good idea to explore as well.

I had a second interview for a job last week which gave me some hope until the employer said they were interviewing people over 3 days. I was hoping only a couple of people had made it to that stage! I should hear the result by tomorrow and then I will start my claim the same day if it is another no.

Start your UC claim online, OP, and ask about LCWRA as well if you're on PIP.If you rent and you're on UC your housing element is paid to you as well as your single adult rate.

And any savings under £6000 don't affect UC. For every £250 over the £6000 its something like £4.25 is deducted from UC, and if you exceed £16000 savings your claim will be closed.

How dare you feel embarrassed!!!
I work in the public sector and I can tell you categorically that there are many, many, many people who feel zero embarrassment at all about claiming even though they have never contributed a penny to the system.
You are exactly the sort of person the system is there to help.
Get your claim in now - you can withdraw it if you get the job.

Its all done online now

https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/apply-new-style-jsa

You can claim New style JSA and Universal credit together but the JSA would be deducted from the UC assuming the UC is higher which it will be if you are claiming help with rent and / or are awarded the LCWRA element as someone above mentioned. Your Gp would need to issue a fit note to say you are not fit for work or limited in what work you could do. It really depends if you consider yourself not fit for work, you could also consider New style ESA instead of JSA. Perhaps best to speak to Citizens advice or similar. Each council has different rules for council tax support, it will depend on how much savings you have.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance

You would be better claiming new style (contributions based) ESA. You need a fit note, but if you are disabled, you may get more money than on JSA/UC. It also doesn't have any jobsearch requirements which you can look for a new job/ start self employment opn your terms.

It's hard to advise further. Do you rent? Own outright? Have a mortgage?

Like PP have said, you need to contact your local council directly to apply for council tax reduction.

Call Citizens Advice - ask what you’re entitled to, they can advise

Don’t feel embarrassed. This can happen to anyone.

Use the Turn2us benefits calculator to give an idea of what your income will be. Then call the citizens advice help to claim service who will talk you through how to get your claim up and running. Given you claim PIP you may get the disability element of UC (but the criteria are different)

UC is usually about £1 higher a month (assuming you are not claiming for housing costs) but that £1 can be important as it gives you access to other means tested benefits like free prescriptions etc.
You should apply to your local council for council tax reduction.

If OP is making all these job applications they are unlikely to be awarded LCW or LCWRA (limited capability for work benefits).

CA is the go to here. They have a service called Help to Claim. It's focus is Universal Credit but they should talk through other options as well.

If you pay rent UC can help with that, you might also get extra money for a health condition if it affects your ability to work or do 'work related activity'.

You can claim UC alongside JSA. It is reduced £/£ for JSA so you only get a quid or so UC every month but it's a turnkey for other stuff like health benefits. It will also allow access to a reduction in Council Tax. How much depends on where you live as, in England, every Council has its own scheme. Few pay all of it; most are clustered around covering 70-80%. Scotland and Wales are different and have national schemes.

If you pay water charges you may be able to get a social tarriff giving money off. Each of the supply companies have there own scheme - https://www.ccw.org.uk/save-money-and-water/help-with-bills/. If you're in an area where supply and waste water are provided by different companies you may need to speak to both.

Thank you so much everyone for the additional info and explaining how claiming UC can help opening up other benefits and to suggest an appointment with CAB.

I do believe I can work so don't really want to go the ESA route for now.

I am still waiting to hear from that second interview so I will start my claims online anyway.

Sorry you’re in this position OP, it’s looking like I may be soon as well so watching with interest.

Anything you are entitled to will be backdated to the date you call so do it asap! Also there is a built in 5 week delay before you receive anything

I have completed my online application for contribution-based JSA!

Fingers crossed I will get an appointment with the job centre fairly soon.

I got a call from the company I had the second interview with last week and I did not get the job. Again they said I did really well and got in the last 4 after 180 people applied, but that I was ''pipped at the post''...I know they are trying to be helpful but it is all very frustrating and disheartening.

But at least I have started the benefit application process.

I also have another job interview next week so I just have to stay positive that something will eventually work out.

One of my biggest expense is council tax and I am not sure whether I can claim a discount if I get JSA? or is it UC?

Council tax relief is, as someone up thread said done by the council and not UC. Each council is slightly different on how they administer this tax relief. My council you can't have more than £6000 in savings - but your council maybe different. Each council can alter how they administer this within the rules.

You should be able not claim online - do it as soon as possible - they can only say no. It will be back paid to when you claimed.

You can get low income reduction with JSA but UC will passport you through otherwise onerous means test formwork.

Check this

https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/?_gl=11chuyq0_gaNDk1ODEzNDIwLjE3ODk5MTgyNTQ._ga_E1WBSX9YR8*czE3ODk5MTgyNTMkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODk5MTgyNTMkajYwJGwwJGgw