DP now out of work - is this all the benefits we would get??!!!!!!!!!

[Ivegotaheadache]

DP has found himself out of work and for the first time ever he hasn't been able to find another job quickly (he works in construction and I'm a SAHM).

This is the first time that I've known him to be out of work and there's just nothing around at the moment so very reluctantly he went to the dole office today.

Apparently he will get jsa which I think is around £60 per week, and then I will have to apply to the child tax credit people and claim some more money.

I did the benefits calculator online and would be entitled to about £74 per week ontop of the jsa.

Can this be right?! For 2 adults and 3 children we would only get £135 per week? With no extra income?

It's just to tide us over until he, or I, get a job-but just wondering if anyone claims benefits in a similar situation and number of people what do you get?

Thanks!

it is right, my BIL has just moved and had to leave his job so is job hunting now, it was easier for him to not tell tax credits and just live off those than go on JSA, they are living on £265 a week currently till he gets a job (4 DCS and Sis and BIL!)

We only get £45 per week child tax credit at the moment - not really possible to live on that I think!!!

that sounds about right.

do you rent?

if you rent you should get full housing and council tax benefit.

if you do not rent, you will need to find another way to pay your mortgage for a little over 26 weeks.

make sure you get the council tax benefit applicatin in, then if your dc are school asge free school meals etc can take a bit of the burden too.

mortgage isn't paid, which can cause big problems obv.

If you ring them - child tax credit, you may get more as i get more than what it says on the net!

Not much more though!

My BIL said that you can get the interest paid on your mortgage! Don't no how this works though!

'My BIL said that you can get the interest paid on your mortgage! Don't no how this works though!'

yeah, after 26 weeks.

until then, you need to find an alternate arrangement to pay.

Most insurance policies will pay 26 weeks. Good ones will pay a year (but the dole office obviously will not pay your mortgage if your insurance co. is doing so).

Yes people are always astonished by how low dole levels are.

Hope your DH finds something soon.

Child benefit 43.90
Child tax 130.62
JSA 94.00 for a couple
If you rent you will have housing benefit,you will also get council tax rebate.

Not sure how you worked tax credits out,but the above should be about right.Hope your DH finds a job soon.

You will get 94.00 a week from jsa this is paid each fortnight.

Child tax credit and child benefit is usually paid weekly.

Get in touch with CAB and they will advise you on housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Hope you find something soon .

Thanks for all your replies, trying to work it all out is getting confusing!

Thanks for the calculations mommy6, I hope your figures are correct as they are a bit better than what I had worked out!!

We have a mortgage, and I had heard that the dhss pay the interest on the mortgage but didn't realise it was only after 6 months!! We'll be buggered well before then!

Tbh, it's not really an option to be out of work for that long. I will have to do what I can and my dh is talking about going away to work if nothing comes up here.
Hopefully something comes up soon, he's trying everything, everyday.

I've been to the job centre and in the websites but I may have to look into full time jobs and see what there is.

I am so sorry that this is happening. Is there any way you can both look for work and then whoever doesn;t get work stays at home even if that is just a temporary arrangement.

Actually they wont pay the interest on the mortgage for 39 weeks and will only pay up to £100k. This will change from april though down to 13 weeks and £175k

i think TSAP makes a wise suggestion.

just go for whatever you can. perhaps even with the two of you swapping shifts, since you've got a mortgage to pay and there won't be any help forthcoming with that if you are on benefits for a while.

Can you arrange a payment holiday on the mortgage, or extend the term to reduce the monthly payments?

This is why they strongly recommend income protection when you take ou a mortgage.

I am always wise for other people, it is just myself I am useless for.

also speak to yur lender they may allow you a payment holiday or at least let you switch to interest only temporarily.

and apply for council tax benefit.

until then, PLEASE pay your council tax no matter how hard it is.

that's one area you don't want to get in the hole.

Is important to talk to lenders; our house was in dh's name, they wouldnt talk to me but he was too ill to talk to them- took ages to sort.

ivegotaheadache, with that great attitude something will come up. part time overlapping can be great with kids ime, and sometimes the solutions to tthese things (in our cae anyway) bring better lomg term outcomes.

Thanks for your replies.

I'm looking at full time jobs just in case nothing comes up for him.
I do feel sorry for him, he's worked so hard to get where he is so it would be easier for me to get a job in tesco than for him, iyswim.

He's applying for everything and he's got the benefits interview tomorrow so at least there'll be something coming in.

We will speak to the bank about a payment holiday, I'm hoping it shouldn't be a problem as we've nebver taken one before.

We're really kicking ourselves for not taking the mortgage protection. As soon as he gets another job, it'll be the first thing we do!!

We didn't see this coming though, even though the construction industry has slowed down a lot the job he was doing wuoldn't have been affected by it really.
Basically they got someone else in to do the job for less money and there's nothing he can do as he was there for only 10 months.

It makes me mad though as the company took him out of a job on the promise of more money ect and shafted him.

But that's life I suppose, onwards and upwards and all that other rubbish

Hi,

I'm in construction. If you want to cat me with some details of what your husband does i may be able to give you some leads?

For example, the company i work for is currently looking for salespeople with a construction back ground. You don't have to have a sales background, just need knowledge of the scaffolding and access industry.
That would come with company car and fuel card. Good basic salary and bonus scheme.

Just to make it clear.... i don't work for a recruitment agency so am not touting for business! But i do know quite a few people on a national basis.

Don't forget to speak to electric and gas suppliers too - they have special reduced "social tariff" for those on benefits which should at least help keep those bills down.

Actually, they pay the interest on your mortgage after 26 weeks if you haven't remortgaged. If you have remortgaged, then it becomes 39 weeks. There is a big form(booklet)to fill out and if you don't put all the info in it that they want, you end up getting another booklet to fill out. I couldn't produce all my receipts for 'the cost of the bath, wash basin, taps etc...' from 7 years agoso, big tip there. DON'T get rid of any receipts for home improvements - just in case!
Also the 26/39 weeks is after receiving 26/39 weeks worth of income support.

Hope it all works out ok.

Income protection for mortgages is pretty useless normally. Doesn't work for people working on short term contracts etc (I presume this is likely to be the case here). Trouble is, lots of people only find out that it's completely useless for them when they've already paid out loads. Too late for the OP anyway, but don't take it out without treble checking that it would actuall protect you.