Please help me understand job seekers allowence/ housing benefit.

[honeybehappy]

Hello, DP was laid off last monday and spent the week looking for work. Nothing came up so we phoned the jobcentre to make a claim for benefits and we went for an interveiw today.

It lasted about 20 mins and all i had to do was show I.D. When i asked the man what we would be getting he said DP would get about £94 a week job seekers allowence.

A friend told me she gets alot more than that a week and is on her own with 1 DC and she thinks i need to make a seperate claim is that right?

So my questions are do we still get child tax credits?

Do we wait for a letter to confirm how much benefit DP is going to get before i phone tax credits?

Can i now ask for my child benefit and if we still get tax credits to be paid weekly instead of monthly.

If i dont get child tax credits how do we live on £94 a week?

Also we currently live in my mums 3 bedroom council house( my mum, 27 year old brother, DP,me, dd1 and dd2) and when i asked the housing benefit office if they would pay some of our share of the rent they said as our name wasn't on the tenancy they couldn't pay. I phoned up the housing office who said they wouldnt put my name on the tenancy but are sending me forms to go on the council list and they will re-house us and pay the rent whilst DP is out of work. My mum has to write a letter saying she is giving us 4 weeks notice and wants us out.
So that is good news as far as i can know because that is our only real chance of ever living on our own again and living at my mums is putting a strain on everyody's relationships. Also the lady was really nice and said when dd1 starts school it really isnt practical to all be squashed in the one room.
So if we get a council house do we apply for the housing benefit or is it automatic?

I'm sorry to ask so many questions but i havn't got a clue as me(pre-children) or DP have never been out of work before.

I'd really appreciate any advice!

Hi. You'll get jobseekers allowance, child tax credit, and child benefit. Jobseekers is paid fortnightly, but I think you can have the child benefit/child tax credit paid weekly if you're unemployed.
Phone the tax credit office, they'll ask when you became out of work, and what date you put in your jobseekers allowance claim. This is so they can pay the maximum child tax credit.
When you get a house, put in a claim for housing benefit and council tax benefit, it's not automatic.
I hope this helps.

I think jpb seekers allowance is based on NI contributions but you are probably eligible for means tested ones like income support.

Try here for advice.

www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/faq_index_ben fits/faqbenefitsentitlementwhenlost_jo b.htmS
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This linkl gives you an idea of what you might be entitled to if you put in some basic info
entitledto.co.uk/

Sorry I'm not much help. Hopefully someone with more experience will come along.

ah crossed posts mashedup

thanks for the info and links!

I forgot to put that DP has told me he has not paid any nation insurence in the last 15ish years.

Will this make a difference? someone told me that means you cant claim benefits?

there's two kinds of JSA - contribution based and income based. If your DP hasn't paid contributions he will get income based JSA.

ok thanks.

Well I'm not sure. Jobseekers allowance is based on NI contributions made so everyone who has made enough contributions in the past and is actively seeking a job can claim it although there is also a means tested (ie based on your income and assets) one as well.

You would need to check how much off the £94 a week is contribution based and how much is income based to see if the lack of NI contributions has had any effect on the amount paid to you..

I think that most benefits are not based on Ni contributions made though but as I've said I'm not sure.