Only entitled to contributory JSA and no other help - is this correct?

[worriedsick100]

This is a quick question for a friend of mine. I should be grateful if anyone can help with this. He is on contributory jobseekers allowance (the benefit based on the amount of NI contributions one has made) only and no other benefits. This is what he has been told he is entitled to and has been being paid about £70 ish for the last 4 weeks. That is to pay rent, council tax etc and he is at risk of losing the room he rents in a house share.

I queried this with him because he has minimal savings (I would guess £1000?) only and no other income? Should he not be entitled to some other help?

Please can anyone explain why he might only be entitled to this and not and not to any other benefits such as council tax and housing benefit? He has tried to rise this issue at the job centre but he said they were uninterested. I am concerned that he is actually missing out on benefits he should be entitled to and that they will not backdate this as and when they do look into it. I should grateful for any advice on this. Many thanks.

Has he tried the benefits calculator at www.turn2us.org.uk?

What were the circumstances in which he left his employment ?

contract work

From what you say, he should be getting HB and CT, unless he's got a partner in full time work

Presumably you have to apply for HB and CT via the local council not the job centre? He should apply for them for asap as they will not be backdated.

He'll need to apply to the council, the 'Job' Centre won't be interested. You have to be in receipt of JSA etc. before you apply for HB/CT and the council have access to the DWP claims system (why the claim has to be loaded before you apply). The council might backdate it if he explains he wasn't aware of how the system works.

I have just signed up this week for JSA income based though.

The online application form had a section to fill in the details of a housing benefit claim, and when I went to my first JSA appointment I had to take Id and my tennancy agreement which was photocopied.
So I am assuming that the job centre forward the housing benefit claim on to the council? I am going to contact housing benefits next week to get an update.

Well back to your friend I think he should go to the onestop shop and get an appointment to discuss if he can claim. I think you can claim for housing benefit online via your local council website.

Never leave things like housing benefit to the job centre always go through the local council.

I had a letter from the Council today re housing benefit and I need to produce various documents to have my claim processed.

The one I don't have yet is from the job centre confirming I have been accepted for JSA.... So you need that before you can claim your housing benefit.