Benefit help to move home for work

[Psychoduck]

Hi everyone,

 

really hoping someone can help here, as I have a friend with a problem. He's been in work for 25 years as professional golf instructor. This includes work here and abroad, he came home 8 years ago and work was still good. However, one golf course and two driving ranges have shut in this area, and he can no longer find work. This has been the case for 18 months. He is 49 years old, and currently has to live with his mother in a small 1 bedroom bungalow sleeping on the sofa.

 

He has researched where he can work, and Reading seems to be ideal for him. There are 12 courses and ranges within walking distance of the main town, and he has been told he would be able to give lessons at 6 of them (he's waiting on responses from the others) Great so far.

 

Except he needs to get down there, and set up. He explained this to the job centre, who told him to check a budgeting loan.

 

Budgeting loans wont give money for rent. He tried a crisis loan, they wont give money for rent deposits. Only rent if you are short because of a miss-payment. HE can't register with the local job centre of reading and sign on, to start getting housing benefit there whilst he sets up, unless he already has a home there.

 

Today, when trying to explain this, despite having work available for him down there. The Job centre flat out said 'tough' and that he will have to hope something shows up around here.

 

That seems ridiculous to me. There must be some help he can get? some group he can join, some sort of loan or grant he can apply for... and I was hoping one of you VERY very smart people could point him in the right direction

[Nystagmite]

Is there a rent deposit scheme within Reading council?

[debt4get]

this govt talks the talk but unfortunately as your friend is finding out doesnt do the walk bit...there is very little help out there now, and they expect you to stand on your own 2 feet...that said, as Nys has said is there a rent deposit scheme in reading...if he has been signing for 26 weeks without a break there will be a £100 back to work grant, but this is also due to end soon next year...so much for making work pay!! I have had to go a month with no income except the hundred quid and boy its been difficult...the so called help for people returning to work is non existent..

[flumps1976]

Off the top pf my head there is no help available from social fund or the JCP to fund relocation costs.

The rules for budgeting loans are strict as they are for community care grants.

https://www.gov.uk/community-care-grant/eligibility

https://www.gov.uk/budgeting-loans/eligibility

crisis loans won't be able to help as it isn't an immediate crisis.

The flexible support fund will be hughly unlikely to be able to help as that is very limited and that is there to help overcome any barriers getting the customer back to work usually interview clothing or in some circumstances help obtaining birth certificates or a duplicate certificate but not for moving expenses or relocation costs.

[debt4get]

as i said flumps....bu**er all!! its a sink or swim......once your of JCP books any help available is negligable

[Nystagmite]

Yet, it's going to cost more for someone to stay on benefits. Mad.

[Slatted]

This is the type of situation that should be reported in the Press....there is too much about how lazy people are and how they do not want to work but nothing about the struggles of those who find work but cannot get at it....and the lack of help that the Govt spin wants to make everyone believe is there.

[flumps1976]

All the help available currently is being removed from April and as far as I am aware the press are aleady aware of that.

[Psychoduck]

Thanks for the help so far, everyone.

 

I had assumed he would find it tough to get help, I just hoped there was something I was unaware of. I'm in a bind myself too. I claim ESA as a joint claim with my wife she is the main claimant. When we signed up, they asked who the main claimant would be (3 years ago) we said it didn't matter, and they chose her cause she had a higher income. As time has gone on, I am ready to return to work, on a part time basis, she is still not ready.

 

So I phoned the job centre to see what help I could get. I was not even allowed to talk to anyone, because I'm a partner, not a main claimant. In order to speak to someone, my wife had to phone and get me an appointment. I then went, and when I got there, they told me they can't speak to me without my wife present to hear everything that is said. So I went back with my wife a week later, and basically got told if my wife was to work part time, that's fine we still keep benefits to help us out, there's a £40 a week return to work option if we go over 16 hours, or she can keep benefit for up to 12 months if she works under 16 hours, whilst re adjusting to work with the idea to get her to full time by the end of that year.

 

If I go work for anytime... we lose all benefits, and we're entitled to nothing. All claims are cancelled, and we would have to resign up for housing benefit and council tax benefit.

 

Now I've been told that a chairty that I have volunteered at (cant get any jobs, so in desperation I've worked a full shift here for a month to get some experience) that they want to promote me to Assistant Manager, with the idea of me managing the store in from August next year. Except I can't do it, because I asked the job centre, and they flat out told me I am not allowed to accept it because it would put me in a worse situation than I am in.

 

If I was the main claimant, I'd be fine, but because I'm not... despite being able to work part time... I'm told tough and I have to stay unemployed. What kind of crap government tells people who want to work 'tough' and makes them stay on the dole?

[estellyn]

If your friend is on an income based benefit, then he couuld apply for a community care grant - he just has to be creative with what he's asking for, realise that he'll initially be turned down and then challenge the decision. He would fit into the 'exceptional pressure' category, as he has lost his home, job for no fault of his own and is living in over occupied accomodation. Budgeting loans do pay for help with removal costs, and in Flumps' link, also says rent. If the forms are the same as they used to be, you tick a few boxes, apply for the maximum and they pay what they can. As he tried applying, or has he received 'advice'?

[estellyn]

Thanks for the help so far, everyone.

 

I had assumed he would find it tough to get help, I just hoped there was something I was unaware of. I'm in a bind myself too. I claim ESA as a joint claim with my wife she is the main claimant. When we signed up, they asked who the main claimant would be (3 years ago) we said it didn't matter, and they chose her cause she had a higher income. As time has gone on, I am ready to return to work, on a part time basis, she is still not ready.

 

So I phoned the job centre to see what help I could get. I was not even allowed to talk to anyone, because I'm a partner, not a main claimant. In order to speak to someone, my wife had to phone and get me an appointment. I then went, and when I got there, they told me they can't speak to me without my wife present to hear everything that is said. So I went back with my wife a week later, and basically got told if my wife was to work part time, that's fine we still keep benefits to help us out, there's a £40 a week return to work option if we go over 16 hours, or she can keep benefit for up to 12 months if she works under 16 hours, whilst re adjusting to work with the idea to get her to full time by the end of that year.

 

If I go work for anytime... we lose all benefits, and we're entitled to nothing. All claims are cancelled, and we would have to resign up for housing benefit and council tax benefit.

 

Now I've been told that a chairty that I have volunteered at (cant get any jobs, so in desperation I've worked a full shift here for a month to get some experience) that they want to promote me to Assistant Manager, with the idea of me managing the store in from August next year. Except I can't do it, because I asked the job centre, and they flat out told me I am not allowed to accept it because it would put me in a worse situation than I am in.

 

If I was the main claimant, I'd be fine, but because I'm not... despite being able to work part time... I'm told tough and I have to stay unemployed. What kind of crap government tells people who want to work 'tough' and makes them stay on the dole?

 

What you've been told is a load of crap. You can work up to 24 hours a week as a partner, BUT, you don't get the advantage of the permitted work scheme, which is what they were talking about for your wife. You will have a disregard on your earnings and the rest will be taken into account £ for £ on your ESA. You don't have to reapply for HB and CTB - who told you that? Your claim doesn't get cancelled, you just inform the authority of a change of circumstances. If you still receive any income based ESA then your HB and CTB won't be affected at all, you receive the same as now. If you earn enough to come off ESA completely, then after a disregard, there'll be a taper of 65% on your HB and CTB.

 

Is your wife in the WRAG or support group? Do either of you receive DLA or could you? Were you allocated to WRAG or support group, or were you just on the claim as a partner? How many hours a week do you intend work and what will your net income roughly be?

[Psychoduck]

If your friend is on an income based benefit, then he couuld apply for a community care grant - he just has to be creative with what he's asking for, realise that he'll initially be turned down and then challenge the decision. He would fit into the 'exceptional pressure' category, as he has lost his home, job for no fault of his own and is living in over occupied accomodation. Budgeting loans do pay for help with removal costs, and in Flumps' link, also says rent. If the forms are the same as they used to be, you tick a few boxes, apply for the maximum and they pay what they can. As he tried applying, or has he received 'advice'?

 

 

He just had 'advice' from CAB and then his JC advisor. I'll tell him about community care grants tomorrow.

[Psychoduck]

What you've been told is a load of crap. You can work up to 24 hours a week as a partner, BUT, you don't get the advantage of the permitted work scheme, which is what they were talking about for your wife. You will have a disregard on your earnings and the rest will be taken into account £ for £ on your ESA. You don't have to reapply for HB and CTB - who told you that? Your claim doesn't get cancelled, you just inform the authority of a change of circumstances. If you still receive any income based ESA then your HB and CTB won't be affected at all, you receive the same as now. If you earn enough to come off ESA completely, then after a disregard, there'll be a taper of 65% on your HB and CTB.

 

Is your wife in the WRAG or support group? Do either of you receive DLA or could you? Were you allocated to WRAG or support group, or were you just on the claim as a partner? How many hours a week do you intend work and what will your net income roughly be?

 

MY wife was in the WRAG group, but she took one of the DWP medical fitness tests, and as he issues are mental health, she scored zero. Despite the fact the medical report lists all her issues that prevent her from work, because she is able to bend (or was at the time, she has since had a knee op we've now been told she should never have had) she scored 0. So we're in an appeal against that, which is due for a second hearing in January.

 

We applied for DLA a while back and got refused, but I think we should be entitled to it. After my wifes operation, she is in constant pain and is on medication for half the day. I have to stay in all morning so I can look after our young son whilst she is 'out of it'. If I am required to do work shifts in the morning, then I make sure I'm home for the early afternoon, so she can take her meds then. This also breaks our sleeping pattern, as she has to stay up through the night to do that, so her pain meds from the night before can be taken in the middle of the night, and still have some effect during the morning period.

 

I was just on the claim as the partner, I've never been told I'm allowed more than that. In fact, when I had a job interview a while back the job centre acted like they were committing treason when I asked if they could get me a shirt and shoes for the interview because I only had worn out trainers, and no suitable shirts. It's been ridiculously hard for me to get anything, even just simple advice from them.

 

If I was promoted to assistant manager, which is seemingly a lock at the moment. It would just be 16 hours a week, not sure of a wage though. But I suspect it will be minimum, as the YMCA don't pay much more than minimum even for their full time managers.

 

So what do you think I should do? and how do you think it would affect us?

[Nystagmite]

Your wife needs to appeal her DLA decision.

[estellyn]

MY wife was in the WRAG group, but she took one of the DWP medical fitness tests, and as he issues are mental health, she scored zero. Despite the fact the medical report lists all her issues that prevent her from work, because she is able to bend (or was at the time, she has since had a knee op we've now been told she should never have had) she scored 0. So we're in an appeal against that, which is due for a second hearing in January.

 

We applied for DLA a while back and got refused, but I think we should be entitled to it. After my wifes operation, she is in constant pain and is on medication for half the day. I have to stay in all morning so I can look after our young son whilst she is 'out of it'. If I am required to do work shifts in the morning, then I make sure I'm home for the early afternoon, so she can take her meds then. This also breaks our sleeping pattern, as she has to stay up through the night to do that, so her pain meds from the night before can be taken in the middle of the night, and still have some effect during the morning period.

 

I was just on the claim as the partner, I've never been told I'm allowed more than that. In fact, when I had a job interview a while back the job centre acted like they were committing treason when I asked if they could get me a shirt and shoes for the interview because I only had worn out trainers, and no suitable shirts. It's been ridiculously hard for me to get anything, even just simple advice from them.

 

If I was promoted to assistant manager, which is seemingly a lock at the moment. It would just be 16 hours a week, not sure of a wage though. But I suspect it will be minimum, as the YMCA don't pay much more than minimum even for their full time managers.

 

So what do you think I should do? and how do you think it would affect us?

 

I can't say what you should do. But 16 hours a week on minimum wage would still entitle your wife to a little income based ESA - assuming you are just on the basic couple rate at present. You should get a £20 a week disregard on your earnings, and as your wife will still be getting income based benefit, you will continue to get the same rate of HB and CTB. If you start working above 24 hours, then you'd qualify for working tax credit and ESA would stop.

 

are you disabled or long term sick? Were you having medicals too - this affects how many hours you need to work to qualify for WTC?

[Psychoduck]

I had no Medicals, like I said, it was as if I didn't exist. They wouldn't let me do anything, and at the same time, never asked me to do anything for them.

 

I was long term sick for 4 years with mental health, same exact issue as my wife, but only she had to do the medicals.

[estellyn]

I had no Medicals, like I said, it was as if I didn't exist. They wouldn't let me do anything, and at the same time, never asked me to do anything for them.

 

I was long term sick for 4 years with mental health, same exact issue as my wife, but only she had to do the medicals.

 

OK it was a long shot - you won't qualify for WTC until working 24 hrs a week, but everything else still stands. Before you start work, you can ask for an appt at the JCP, take details of what your wages will be, and they can do a 'better off calculation' for you. Hopefully you'll get an adviser with more training than the last one you spoke to.