Help with JSA (Claim Declined)

[Cari]

Hi All, This is going to be really long and I apologise, it's my first post on these boards so I hope I have posted in the right area, I just don't know what to do anymore and am hoping someone will be able to help me.I am 24 years old and was at University, studying to be a Nurse, as such I was entitled to an NHS Bursary of £500 per month which I received on the third Friday of every month. Due to failings on the part of my University I have failed the course and as such been asked to leave the University, so on the day that I knew I was being asked to leave University I put in a claim, over the phone, for JSA, that was 6th July.Since then I have attended three appointments and was supposed to be signing on for the first time this Friday, although I had to push it back to Monday as I am attending a wedding. I applied for a 'Crisis Loan' as I have not had a bursary this month due to leaving University and my JSA hasn't started yet but the claim was denied as they said my partner should be supporting me, despite making it clear when claiming that he was paying all of my bills as best he could, alongside paying all of the rent and utilities but that we didn't have enough money to go around and that I am now having to go to Lunch Clubs and food charities to feed us. My partner works full time but for minimum wage and doesn't claim any benefits.This morning I received a letter to tell me that my claim for JSA has been denied because I have not made enough National Insurance contributions for April 2010 - April 2011, which I know I haven't as I was living on an untaxed Government bursary, which I told them when I first claimed. I rang them today to ask what to do and they told me I could apply for non-contributions based JSA but because I live with my partner there is no point as I will get nothing. It really upset me that there appears to be no help for me and when I started to cry the person put the phone down on me saying that "there's nothing to do".I know nothing about benefits, nothing about what I can claim, and have nothing to live off at the moment. My phone has been cut off, I can't pay rent, utilities, I am getting my food from charities... I can't live like this but I don't know what to do. Any advice or help would truly be appreciated at this point because I am becoming desparate.

[Nystagmite]

Have you put in a claim for housing and council tax benefits?

[Sparks_]

Your partner isn't claiming working tax credit?

[Cari]

Hi,No I haven't as I was told I would be ineligible for both as I am not on a tenancy agreement for the property I am sharing with my partner as it is his house and I have moved in, and that as I have only just moved in I am not eligible for council tax benefits as he is still registered as a single occupant and gets a discount, despite the fact that I am now registered on the electoral roll etc at this property.

[Cari]

Your partner isn't claiming working tax credit?

 

Hi, no he isn't. He's never needed to as he's always had enough money to support himself and didn't want to claim benefits when he doesn't need to.

[flumps1976]

So is your partner working 2 hours or more each week?

If they are then the decision is correct and you won't be entitled to receive any JSA Income Based due to his work and he will be required to support you as a couple on his wages.

You are already aware that you don't qualify for the Contribution Based JSA due to not working in the required tax years.

 

You may need to get your partner to make a claim for help with housing benefit and please make sure the counci ltax is adjusted to show that you are in the property as if he is receiving the single person discount this may not be correct and the last thing either of you want/need is a demand for the money owed from when you moved in to become a couple.

 

Hope fully this link may show if you are entitled to any additional financial help via the local authority or tax credits as a couple.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

[antone]

Hi, no he isn't. He's never needed to as he's always had enough money to support himself and didn't want to claim benefits when he doesn't need to.

 

It seems to me that he should revisit this now. WTC could, if he qualifies, be very helpful since he's currently required to support both of you on minimum wage. You say you are 24, how old is he?

[antone]

So is your partner working 2 hours or more each week?

If they are then the decision is correct and you won't be entitled to receive any JSA Income Based due to his work and he will be required to support you as a couple on his wages.

You are already aware that you don't qualify for the Contribution Based JSA due to not working in the required tax years.

 

 

{Bolding mine}

 

Flumps, did you mean 24 hours?

[flumps1976]

I did sorry :o

[antone]

I did sorry :o

 

The evil typo strikes again

[Cari]

Thanks for your replies, yes he is working more than 24 hours, he works a full time working week (approx 37.5 hours p/w) but he cannot support us both on minimum wage. We have made the council aware that I am living in the property, I am assuming that soon he will no longer receive the single person discount and will have to pay for both of us. He is 37. I can ask him about WTC, I'm sure he will apply for it but depending on how long it will take, we'll still be struggling until it is sorted out.

[antone]

Aged over 25 and working 37+ hours per week, WTC may well be a possibility. As a couple, you might also qualify for Council Tax Benefit as mentioned above, though you would probably need to get the single adult rebate issue sorted. If he owns the house, Housing Benefit won't be possible. You or he should investigate these things as soon as possible, since it would appear the decision to deny you JSA was correct as per the law. Not saying it's a good law, mind, but the people who process benefits can't do much about that.