Is this correct, re benefits?

[whyme2]

DH came home from work saying that by next monday he will probably be out of work. I checked the jobcentre website and as I understand it we will be entitled to approxiamtely £1200 per month and have our rent covered as well. DH earns £1400 per month, we did the sums and we would be better off if he didn't have a job.
I'm really, is this right? (Not that he would want to be out of work for long etc)

Nah, unlikely unless you have umpteen children.

You'll get about £90 a week for the two of you, plus Child Tax Credit/Benefit for the DC.

I think the £1200 would be including the housing benefit.

My sister is a lone parent, and her income including all benefits is about £1300 per month.

It did sound a lot but we have 4dcs so perhaps its about right. So if it does include housing benefit we will be getting slightly less than if he keeps working.

Well 200 less. Also do you get tax credits and child benefit now, as they are extra to his income, but if he unemployed child benefit and tax credits would be included in the amount, if you know what I mean

Don't forget free school dinners/ milk tokens.

Its probably right, when me and my x were together, he worked for 6 days for YEARS for £500 a week.
He got made redundant and got a 2 day a week job, £70 a day...once all the tax credits were added on top, and the rent paid, we were NO WORSE OFF with less petro being used, etc. Mad isnt it.

We get tax credits on top of his wage, but the website seemed to me to be saying that we would get jobseekers all and tax credits and housing benefit. I'm confused and worried.

I just couldn't quite believe that he works 50 hours a week for this when we could have a similar lifestlye on benefits.

Not thatv we want to be on benefits before I get flamed, At least i know we will not be destitute.

does he not get unemployment benefit for the first x months if he is made redundant, or has that been scrapped these days? You know if you have worked for x amount of time and paid NI for over a certain amount of time, you are entitled to contributions based benefits for a short while, while looking for work? I beleive that amount is higher than income support/JSA?

isn't it supposed to be about dignity and self respect? if your dh loses his job- well thats entirely the point of benefits (and we may be in the same boat soon, contractr dh works on was lost yesterday). but choosing to live on them is another thing entirely imo- heck I live off carers (plus dh's income) and i have no choice with 2 disabled kid, even then I feel about it.

Hope you're all ok though, news like that can be so worrying.

You are best going down to the centre and speaking to someone, they will print off a breakdown of exactly what you will get. But I think the figure you mention will include your tax credits, child benefit and housing benefit. But like colditz said you will be entitled to free school meals, free presciptions, dental treatment eye tests.

look at [entitledto.co.uk]] this shows you what you can and could claim