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Relationships

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Original poster

Dd (22) on JSA moving back home - how much rent to charge?

27 replies

Mouldypineapple · 06/01/2015 19:59

Dd has been living away initially for Uni but for the past year has been trying to get a job. For a variety of reasons she has been unable to find one and we (decision made as a family) have now decided it would be best if she moved back home and try here.

She is currently on JSA (£56 ish per week). As we are her parents she can't claim housing benefit for here, but I think as an adult she should be paying something towards the house, food etc.

So, how much?

OP posts:

Teeb · 06/01/2015 20:02

It depends how proactively I felt they were taking the job search.

If very seriously, nothing. If not at all then up to £16/20 a week.

FrogIsATwat · 06/01/2015 20:02

If she is trying her best and circumstances are against her.. minimul. A fiver? Just a token.

FrogIsATwat · 06/01/2015 20:03

X post but our amounts vary !

FrogIsATwat · 06/01/2015 20:05

Oops mis read pp! I agree with teeb

WeAreEternal · 06/01/2015 20:06

The benefit is designed to cover the claimants living expenses so I would ask for at least 50%.

Bogeyface · 06/01/2015 20:07

I would say £15 -20. Not for any other reason than it reminds her that life isnt a free ride!

If you can afford it then save it for her, if not then use it towards the food bills. Presumably she will still be better off than she currently is if she is paying electric/gas etc.

KellyElly · 06/01/2015 20:08

Nothing. She can pay her way when she finds a job. £56 per week is nothing if she's paying travel costs to interviews, buying toiletries etc.

Bogeyface · 06/01/2015 20:09

The benefit is designed to cover the claimants living expenses so I would ask for at least 50%

But how do you detemine what they are? 50% seems a lot when you consider that things like gas and electric are unlikely to increase very much when she moves in. Council Tax will remain the same and I would imagine she has her own phone. So I would base it purely on increased food bills.

LineRunner · 06/01/2015 20:11

Is she paying towards food?

mytartanscarf · 06/01/2015 20:12

Do you need it?

If so I don't understand why you are asking for it from her other than to make a point and the point you are making seems to be - you can't expect our love and support without putting a price on it.

I'll stick my neck out and say I just don't understand that point of view. In our family we didn't talk money, they were there when I needed them and vice versa.

Finola1step · 06/01/2015 20:12

If she is actively looking for a job, then charge nothing. She needs to be spending the money on getting to interviews, buying presentable interview clothes etc.

If slacking, £20 and a deadline.

MinceSpy · 06/01/2015 20:14

If she proactive in her job hunting and so using the money for fares etc I'd be inclined to charge £5 - 10 but if she thinks being home means she can do nothing then at least half.

SoonToBeSix · 06/01/2015 20:16

£5-£10 for food , jsa isn't meant to cover rent.

usualsuspect333 · 06/01/2015 20:18

I wouldn't take anything if she was looking for a job.

expatinscotland · 06/01/2015 20:19

£20 and save it for her if you don't need it

Original poster

Mouldypineapple · 06/01/2015 20:19

She is actively looking for a job but has admitted not as hard as she could be.. I pay for her phone and will do until she gets a job. So far I help with travel, clothes etc too.

Partly it is making a point about not having a free ride. We have helped her out financially a lot the last few years and I think she takes it for granted a lot really. She is in some ways quite immature but has also suffered a bit with anxiety and depression so not entirely her fault about not having a job. Hopefully with our help this will improve.

We are ok financially but I am currently out of work due to health problems and we're by no means rich so it would be helpful to have a little extra yes.

OP posts:

itsbetterthanabox · 06/01/2015 20:20

Nothing. She can pay some when's she's earning.

ocelot7 · 06/01/2015 20:22

Moving back home as an adult it's important she participates in household tasks like cooking dinner, shopping for food, cleaning etc When my son was working pt & earning very little he made dinner/cleared up every work night.

mytartanscarf · 06/01/2015 20:23

To me it seems a bit topsy-turvy to pay for a phone and travel and clothes (exceptions for birthday presents and so on of course) and then ask for £10 or whatever from JSA. :) £56 really is a tiny amount even for a youngster living at home.

expatinscotland · 06/01/2015 20:24

Stop paying for her phone. She needs to be pitching in with the housework, too.

fluffling · 06/01/2015 20:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PerpetualStudent · 06/01/2015 20:27

I would ask for nothing, but start to withdraw the 'extras' - if she can admit she's not job hunting as hard as possible, then paying for her clothes/travel etc isn't really giving her an experience of financial independence and the motivation to find something.

What support/treatment is she getting for the anxiety and depression? I've had issues with this in the past, so know how hard job hunting etc can be under those circumstances, but was lucky enough to have CBT and counselling to help me get over the worst of it - this allowed me to be confident about applications and interviews and once I was earning and doing a job I enjoyed my confidence soared.

Original poster

Mouldypineapple · 06/01/2015 20:41

We have been paying phone as she was living away (4 hrs travel away) and wanted to make sure she could stay in touch. Clothes etc some things here and there, making sure she has some smart bits, not everything. She is not a big one for clothes shopping etc, not very girly so no make up etc but has other hobbies which require a bit of money as most things do!

We were thinking maybe 25% of her money in rent. This includes food, heating, Internet... She gets her money's worth out of that! She will have to help out around the house a bit and cook a family meal a week, and a little bit of childcare for Dd2 (5), just casual bits here and there. I don't think that's unfair.
She also needs to engage in some voluntary work until she can get a regular job. She has agreed to all these things, knows she needs to pay some rent but amount undecided as yet. I have said I will give her less/no money once home. We have in some ways enabled her to be a bit too dependent on us financially therefore she needs to learn to budget better.

OP posts:

Original poster

Mouldypineapple · 06/01/2015 20:45

Re Anxiety etc. she is currently on some medication for this which is helping a bit. Previously had some counselling but a while ago.

OP posts:

youmakemydreams · 06/01/2015 20:54

She isn't getting much as it is I'm not sure I would take anything tbh.
My brother was out of work for a few months when he still lived at home and my mum didn't take money off him as he got pittance anyway. What she did expect though was a fair contribution to housework. Not just tidying up after himself but as he was not out at work he played a bigger role in maintaining the home as my mum and dad both were working full time.

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