Can I get a crisis loan

[angel2010]

Hi

 

I need some urgent advice, due to several months of no work *i am self employed and not being able to claim any benefits, I am in a desperate situation. If I do not make my current mortgage payment I will have no home, I literally have no money and cannot borrow any. Can I apply for a crisis loan?

 

Thanks in advance

[leemack]

Hi Angel2010, Why can't you claim other benefits? Is it due to income, savings, working partner, etc?

[angel2010]

I have nothing but still technically self employed so thats what I was informed but I have little knowledge of benefits as not had to do this before. I have applied for over 40 jobs in the last 2 months but in the meantime not sure how I live.

[leemack]

I think you can be technically self employed and still apply for JSA - you're actively seeking and available for work. Maybe someone else with more experience in this area will be able to chime in.

[angel2010]

Thanks for your replies, do you know if I can apply for a crisis loan?

[leemack]

If they see an entitlement to another benefit that you should be claiming, they generally will refuse you a crisis loan.

[angel2010]

Ive just completed a JSA Claim, cant get tax credits due to previous earnings so will see what happens.

[ErikaPNP]

Now that you have applied for JSA, you can apply for a Crisis Loan for alignment to benefit, and can do this over the phone (freephone), with a decision the same day. They will only consider immediate living expenses such as food/gas/electricity. They are not able to consider mortgage payments.

[angel2010]

Thanks for your help, do you know how much I can apply for? Its just ive never done this before and dont know if there is a limit etc.

[ErikaPNP]

You can apply for up to £1500. They will ask you how much you think you need until your benefit comes through, but ultimately they will make the decision on how much they award. They will only pay you until your next available resource is due or expected. They don't usually award more than 14 days in any one period for living expenses, so if you get to that period and still have no money you can apply for another one. The maximum amount they will award you for immediate living expenses is equivalent to 75 per cent of the Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance (income-related) personal amount appropriate in your circumstances.

 

As a rough guide, if you are a single man aged over 25 with no disability, no savings and no income, your personal allowance for income based JSA would be £65.45 per week. 75% of this is £49.09 per week. If a Crisis loan was payable to someone in these circumstances for immediate living epxenses to cover a period of 4 days, they would work out the daily amount of JSA:

65.45 is the weekly rate, divided by 7 days = 9.35 daily allowance. They would then multiply this by the number of days the CL is to cover which in this example is 4 days, so: daily allowance of £9.35 x 4 days = £37.40. They would then take it at 75% and 75% of £37.40 is £28.05, so the amount of crisis loan would be £28.05 to cover 4 days.

 

Be aware that the example is only a very rough guide. You may get more or less, depending on what it is you need to cover and what (if any) other resources you have in addition to your personal circumstances and the period it is to cover.

[angel2010]

Would it be better to apply in person? Just spent 30 minutes in a phone box and just continually waiting. Is it worth going to the job centre.

 

Thanks

[ErikaPNP]

You can't apply for a Crisis Loan for living expenses in person; the jobcentre don't process Crisis Loans. The offices which process Crisis Loans are all call centers and closed to the public. If a person has had more than 3 Crisis Loans in a year (not including alignment to benefit), they must attend an interview at the jobcentre but other than this, you can't apply at the Jobcentre.