Bonus from work and housing benefit

[rockstarchick]

I claim housing benefit
I work in sales and was told I would get an annual bonus
As it stands it's £800 so I'm just wondering if I would get to keep any of it ?
It's additional money and has anyone had experience of having a commission paid job which is paid annually ? My basic rate is the same and never changes but didn't think of the housing benefit being affected as I wasn't claiming a year ago
I know if you have a varied wage you just submit monthly payslips but this is a annual one
Do I just call up and show my payslip for next month ?
I get £200 a month housing benefit so would they just say I wouldn't then claim for the next 4 months as theoretically I have earned it rather than claimed it ? Or will I owe money as I have been claiming the last 6 months ?
Thanks in advance

Not 100% but i had an employee who hated getting bonuses as she ended up worse off as her housing benefit etc got reduced.

They will recalculate your entitlement for the current month. You will probably be entitled to zero. Then when you get your new payslip for the following month, they will reassess you again and you will probably go back to where you are now

I get an annual bonus and this is what they do. To ensure no long break, I wait until the following month and supply both payslips.
This means I usually owe them the amount for that month, which they take out of my ongoing payments

Thats not to bad then I don't mind not getting it all but I really don't want to owe anything back or be worse off ?

I understand but not wanting to have less benefit when you earn more doesn’t change the fact that benefits are earnings based
You will lose some of it but I doubt all £800. In my case I just lose that months benefit, which is a similar amount to yours. You will probably still end up with £600

I’m a HB assessor. Bonuses are included as income for which ever month you received it in.

I don't mean I want less benefit I just don't want to have to owe anything back for the payments I've had ! But yes of course I'll be getting an extra £800 so of course I know I won't get to keep it all
Also I might ask for it to be paid over 2 months as otherwise I'll be taxed won't I ? My basic is 550 so if I get £800 it will take me over the tax bracket and as an annual figure I don't earn enough to be taxed so it's not that I'm dodging the tax as I don't get taxed on the basic and commission added together

Thank you bye bye
So I'll only lose the benefit for the month I receive it in? So if my bonus is £800 and my benefit is £200 for the month then I'll get £600 it that makes sense ?

You won't pay tax overall as PAYE is (generally) cumulatively based, given we are in month 6 now you aren't likely to go over the personal allowance threshold but even if you do then if you are under the personal allowance for the year then you will gradually get any PAYE deduced back in your remaining wages over the tax year.

It will impact on your NI payments, and spreading it would reduce that slightly, but from what others have posted it sounds like that would impact in more months worth of housing benefit so probably wouldn't be worth it.

Go and visit and make a statement that this is an annual bonus- take the wage slip with you ASAP

Then they will know why you have had the money, otherwise they will see through there system that you’ve had this money and just assume it’s a pay rise- unless you tell them otherwise

So you could even prewar the assessment officers that the bonus is coming - then when it’s flagged they will already know it’s a bonus

Ah ok I won't bother asking for it to be spread then
It's due next month so I'll get it then submit my payslip
Thanks for all your advice

Yes good idea I'll take the pay slip and write a statement that it's my bonus
Good idea

And tax credits do I do the same ? Know I can earn something like 2.5k more so nothing payment wise should change other than having to let them know
I've calculated my annual figure to have £1000 in it so should be ok

Hello,

I work for a HA. I'm sorry if this is obvious, but remember to pay your rent if youre getting less HB so you don't go into arrears.

Remember to pay my rent ? Or course

If you are in a full service universal credit area then it is a good idea to let HB know so that they keep your benefit in payment even if not for one month. If the claim is closed in full service area they may say you must claim universal credit if you want help with rent (unless you have three or more children).
Most of the people I see as cab volunteer are worse off on universal credit.

ucpostcode.entitledto.co.uk/ucdate

I'm not on universal credit

So from reading other replies and the last one will the claim be cancelled and I'll have to re apply ?

Surely if you make a statement and take your wage slip in pronto your claim won’t be cancelled?

Well you would think
I've moved address, went down there and gave them all the info, 4 weeks on with a suspended claim and no payment which was due Friday I've been told it's another 2 weeks as they have a backlog
I've only changed address !

Doesn’t matter whether you’ve had triplets or changed address, it’s a change and there still short staffed, so it takes time. Added to which July and August many staff away on annual leave and no extra cover as no money...

Yeah I know I understand that
Just annoying as I rely on that money and my rent comes out on 28th and it's not likely to be sorted by then
Just been an extra expensive month as moving but I know it can't be helped

It’s not just annoying, it shouldn’t be happening and putting people at risk of receiving a NOSP 👎

My rent I can afford as I always put by, it's the other bits. I know housing benefit goes on rent but I use it for running money too so this months rent I have accounted for as I borrow from other accounts etc but I'm £6 overdrawn this morning and don't have any money. I hate living like this. Never thought I'd end up a single mum, struggling to survive. I work 4 days over 5 and I bust a gut and I just feel like life's a juggle all the time
I know I should feel lucky benefits are there but I just don't know what else to do...I can't lower any of my outgoings anymore. I've just moved from a 2 bed to a 1 bed and I'm sleeping in the front room
Feeling miserable today
Doesn't help i have a head cold
Moan over x