Can anyone help my friend - she doesn't know where to start re claiming benefits

[weddingdress]

Her DH was working for a local company until they went into administration 3 weeks ago.

She has a few small part-time jobs totalling 16 hours per week, at or close to minimum wage.

He has been to the jobcentre and now gets job seekers allowance c. £60 per week, but surely there must be other things available until he finds other work. income support? free school meals for their 2 DSs? Job centre seems unable/unwilling to tell them who they need to talk to. Can anyone help?

working tax credits and child tax creits spring to mind.

They will probably have to wait until April, but worth filling in claim forms now so their details are on the system.

DS has not been paid anything except JSA since November, and because our joint income from April to Nov exceeds the benefit threshold, even though I only work parttime, we can claim NOTHING until April, and even then it is at their discretion as EVERYTHING is based on last years earnings.

Also, you will have had to have spent any savings over £16k if you are fortunate enough to have any by then.

Sorry to be gloomy, but the whole benefit sytstem has really annoyed me, as a family who has paid vast amounts of tax in the good years can claim nothing now

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check out www.entitledto.co.uk

SGM - my council doesn't require proof of benefits for free school meals, I just ticked the box to say I was receiving them and sent it off - apparently they do a check to see that you are. (this was in September last year)

ahh well just goes to show how different they all are

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Also make sure your friend is aware that anything over 10 pound aweek she earns will be taken off the 60 job seekers allowance.So if she earns 30 pounds aweek they will have 20 taken off the 60 JSA.
I know that isn't very helpful but didn't want your friend thinking she can earn whatever a week and her dh get full JSA.