my partner has just lost his job and I'm in desperate need of help and advice!!!!!

[Maciesmammy]

So my partner has been employed for as long as I can remember. Just under 1 year ago he took a new job as it was better money. Around 3 weeks ago he was offered a promotion to start on the 4th of Jan. Then last Friday, exactly 1 week before Xmas they took him in the office and said they were down sizing and the job was no longer available and so he's basically jobless. I work 28 hours per week but my wages would nowhere near cover our rent and all other bills. We are now £1300 per month worse off and don't have a clue where to start seeking advice. Can anyone help xx

Can he go back to his pre-promotion job?

If not then time to update the CV and contact recruitment agents. New Year, the job market will be starting up again :)

If he's got less than two year's service, then unfortunately there's little you can do unless you think he's been discriminated against (sex, race, sexual orientation, religion etc.). Unfortunately, with less than 2 year's service he's not even entitled to any redundancy pay - just whatever notice period his contract states.

No because they are down sizing so that job is no longer available either. He has his cv all up to date and has already had 2 interviews as he is by no means lazy and has always worked. But these things take time and I'm literally thinking of how we will pay next month's bills x

I'd second Run, has he asked if he can go back to his pre-promotion job?

Otherwise, presuming that he started work one year ago for this employer and his previous work was with a different employer, he doesn't have many options. You can be dismissed for any reason within two years, providing it's not discriminatory, which this doesn't sound. There's no statutory redundancy pay before two years, either.

I'd polish up his CV and start applying for suitable jobs. If he's got friends in similar work, ask them if they know about any opportunities, too.

Do you have any children?

He'll probably be entitled to contributions based JSA, which is £57.90 between 18 and 24 and £73.10 if he's over 25. I believe this lasts for 6 months, and then he'd need to be assessed for income based JSA, which would take your income into account - if you earn over £6000 a year, his benefit will be reduced accordingly.

Could you increase your hours at work?

I just don't know what we should do for the best. I have been advised to contact tax credits and housing benefit people. He says he will get agency work untill something permanent comes along but with agencies you never know if you will be working from 1 week to the next. I can't give tax credits income details if we don't know how much work he will be getting. It's so confusing xx

Go to entitledto and see what you could get in benefits (tax credits, hb, jsa etc. Even if you earn too much for your partner to get incone based jsa, he should be able to laid contributions based jsa as he has been working and paying NI).

If you want advice re the way his employment has been ended ACAS tend to be very helpful but as pp have said, with less than 2 years service he has very few rights. Often helps to get the advice anyway though, even if just to allow you to stop it taking up room in your head!

Yes we have 1 child x

I realise there's nothing much that can be done about him losing his job it was more advice about what to do now really. Obviously the first thing is to start looking for work again I just don't know what to do in the meantime xx

Your DP needs to apply for JSA from the Job Centre, although it's a paltry amount. Also they are on your back to make sure you are looking for work. But yes I think you should apply for tax credits (do you have children?) and definitely Housing Benefit for help with the rent. I think you should apply for the benefits on the basis that DP is unemployed and then when his situation changes you let them know. It takes an age to sort out these benefits so best to apply asap.

Is there a CAB near you. They are very good at pointing people to the right places. Hope DP gets work soon. It's such an awful time with so many people losing their jobs.

Yes we have 1 child who is 3. The thing that worries me is that I know he could get agency work pretty easy and obviously it is always better to work but agency work isn't reliable. It can change all the time. I don't no how to say it without it sounding terrible because it is but, at least if we were getting housing benefit and tax credits it would mean the rent and bills were going to definitely be paid. If he chose the agency option there is no guarantee to get the work from one week to the next xx

I think we will visit the local cab in the morning xx

Has he got a motice period? Any savings at all? If he can temp it will keep things ticking along in the meantime.

It's crap and weve been there three times, so you have my sympathy. You will get through it though. See what expenditures you can cut down on and if you can eBay some bits.

He needs to claim JSA on line via gov.uk. He can only claim once he's unemployed though, have they given him notice or was it with immediate effect? If you leave it longer, he'll just have to wait longer. Benefit doesn't go into payment for the first 7 days so it's very important he doesn't put if off, so if he claims on line today, he'll get an appointment this week but it takes on average 3 weeks to process.