Can you still get JSA working for the first month as I have to work a month before i get paid

From Benson13

Hi there, and welcome to CAG. I'll move this post to the Benefits Forum where you should get more responses.

The basic answer to your question is no, you cannot claim JSA for your first month at work. Depending on how long you have been claiming, you may be entitled to a Job Grant and an extra four weeks of Housing Benefit (if applicable). Note, though, that these provisions will end on 31st March. When do you start work, and when did your JSA claim begin?

wonders how that change will "help people into work", especially those who have kids.

Your claim for JSA will end the day before you start work.

How they expect anyone to even afford the month in fares let alone live, is beyond me. There should be something even if its an interest free loan to pay back over a length of time, having wages in advance only leaves a continuing hurdle, and I cant see many employers being happy to give too much anyway. It wasn't marvellous before with 2 wk benefit but better than nothing and manageable, and at least the 4wk housing/council tax run on was available. Just not seeing how this govt are doing anything for the real people in this country. Making it pay to be in work? really?

So they expect you to lose your house whilst working your month in hand?

If you are not on the work program you can ask for help with travel costs to get to and from work until you receive you first wage, it is a discretionary fund that is available but very limited and receipts have to be provided to show that the money has been used for the intended purpose.

It may not cover the full cost of travel either.

Dyfed,

People starting work can request a housing benefit and council tax benefit run on - until the end of this month!! Not sure what happens after April 1st. Also, once working (especially if you're in a lower paid job) take your pay slips in, view will re-calculate your housing benefit each month.

As I said before I'm not sure how it will change come April 1st!!

Feebee_71

As I understand it as from April there is NO run on of any kind.

As JSA is paid retrospectively JSA will run partly into the first months work.?

With the Housing Benefit, would a contract suffice in proving the hours contracted to work? If one has to wait till the first payslip which is a month ahead and then the long wait for Housing Benefit to work out the recalculation it could take three months with my council!

Yes my council is slow too, it took about 3 months to sort out when I moved home last year. If I found myself in the situation of a new job I would write and inform council re rent and council tax, obviously cant pay what haven't yet been paid by new employer, but would of course be constantly in arrears unless paid two months in one month to get ahead. They seem to demand payment in advance for rent and council tax here. A neighbour of mine gets a letter every month telling her she is a month behind and it rattles on about debt and losing your home blah blah blah, and every month she pays a month, but its still in arrears since she started work last year. Bonkers!! Whatever the govt says, she really isn't better off in work apart from the fact that she hasn't got the dwp on her back.

Dyfed,

 

People starting work can request a housing benefit and council tax benefit run on - until the end of this month!! Not sure what happens after April 1st. Also, once working (especially if you're in a lower paid job) take your pay slips in, view will re-calculate your housing benefit each month.

 

As I said before I'm not sure how it will change come April 1st!!

 

Feebee_71

Thanks. Will be interesting to see if there are any changes in April. Its disgusting that people are not helped more.

Yes my council is slow too, it took about 3 months to sort out when I moved home last year. If I found myself in the situation of a new job I would write and inform council re rent and council tax, obviously cant pay what haven't yet been paid by new employer, but would of course be constantly in arrears unless paid two months in one month to get ahead. They seem to demand payment in advance for rent and council tax here. A neighbour of mine gets a letter every month telling her she is a month behind and it rattles on about debt and losing your home blah blah blah, and every month she pays a month, but its still in arrears since she started work last year. Bonkers!! Whatever the govt says, she really isn't better off in work apart from the fact that she hasn't got the dwp on her back.

No she has the council on her back now.

Yes my council is slow too, it took about 3 months to sort out when I moved home last year. If I found myself in the situation of a new job I would write and inform council re rent and council tax, obviously cant pay what haven't yet been paid by new employer, but would of course be constantly in arrears unless paid two months in one month to get ahead. They seem to demand payment in advance for rent and council tax here. A neighbour of mine gets a letter every month telling her she is a month behind and it rattles on about debt and losing your home blah blah blah, and every month she pays a month, but its still in arrears since she started work last year. Bonkers!! Whatever the govt says, she really isn't better off in work apart from the fact that she hasn't got the dwp on her back.

Hi Ruby

Would that mean say for instance I start a new job April 1st, now my HB is paid retrospectivley so rent in on the 1st April- next rent due may 1st. Then I inform the Council of my new job the 1 april- I would still get May rent paid along with May etc even if late due to their slow working. I won't loose out on any months?

There is no replacement for the run on payments from the 1st April and I have not heard that tere is anything in the pipeline to replace te payments with anything else.

I think it is to do with the introduction of universal credits (albeit that there is gap in removal and intoduction of said benefits/payments).

I think HB is the same as JSA and paid in arrears so the payment made on the 1st April covers you for the month of March, so declaring that you start work on the 1st aril will definitely mean no payment of HB run on and you may be liable for full or partial payment of you rent from the 1st April onwards.

Thanks for clarifying the situation flumps

no run ons? blimey, I thought that was a fairly new thing, seemed quite fair, hadn't picked up on that little titbit. No crisis loans either and on Universal credit being paid a month in arrears, oh what fun.