Income-based benefits - how can I qualify? (Sorry, long message)

[hel9a]

I really need some help/ advice.

I'm on contribution-based benefits ('cos I've paid a bomb in NI over the years!).

and it seems that I can't qualify for mortgage-interest support because it is only available to those on income-based benefits. This is ridiculous!! Our income is low, it doesn't meet our expenses and the government's recent changes are supposed to help folk like us to stay in our homes! No ones actually carried out any means-testing on us and the benfits advice line just say "Oh, your husband works full-time so you don't qualify for income-based JSA." What can I do?!!!

My husband's income is below £20k and it's used up paying our bills, child maintenance to his daughter's mum and, if I could get the mortgage income support, there'd be nothing left of his income because it would have to cover the rest of the mortgage (our mortgage is more than £200k). I've used up all my savings to pay the mortgage since I became unemployed in Oct and I can't believe that I'm not entitled to the new mortgage support. Should I apply for it anyway and then appeal against the decision?

I'd really appreciate some advice from anyone who knows he ins and outs of this.

The ins and outs are too new, of course you should apply. And you should also apply for working tax credit/child tax credit if you have children.

Thank you. Will do.

If you are unlikely to find a new job soon perhaps you need to look at downsizing your home/selling and oving to rented?

I think those hardest hit are the ones who had high salaries exactly because you've taken out big mortgages and maintaining them on benefits is impossible.

Have you asked your mortgage lender to go on interest only/extend term/take payment holiday as a short term measure?