Sanctioned

[MiniM]

I was sanctioned recently for the second time, this time for three months. I was getting help with my mortgage payments from the DWP which they will only pay me until December as my years then up.

 

My idea is that I could cancel my claim for mortgage help and my wife could instead apply for pension credit, she will then be able to apply for housing benefit and council tax help.

 

Can my claim be cancelled but stay on jobseekers allowance? Not that I get anything at the moment. Not sure what to do, or how to do it?

[Bill Shidding]

Hi MiniM, if your claim is for IB JSA, so far as I know-

 

they will only pay me until December as my years then up.

 

S.M.I. is paid for 2 years max on IB JSA.

If you have a sanction then the SMI is also stopped, unless you are entitled to (and claim) hardship payments.

 

She will then be able to apply for housing benefit and council tax help.

 

Housing benefit is for rent. If you are on IB JSA you should get CT benefit, which shouldn't stop when you are sanctioned. If they stop CT benefit, call the council and tell them you are still claiming JSA but you are not in receipt of a benefit payment due to a sanction.

 

Why were you sanctioned?

I hope you are considering appealing the "decision".

Was it a joint claim, couple claim or single claim?

 

Bill.

[MiniM]

Thanks for the reply Bill.

 

It was a joint claim and I was sanction both times for being a day late signing on.

[Bill Shidding]

Hi MiniM, as it was a joint claim both of you have a signing day and an individual JSAG. Your partner should continue to sign and comply with their JSAG. They will continue to receive their individual rate of JSA, but they will need to arrange to have the payments made to them.

 

As far as I am aware, they should also receive the full amount of SMI as you will be jointly and severally liable for the payments. The SMI payments should not halve because one of you is sanctioned. Confirm with JCP asap.

 

If you are in a vulnerable group you should apply for the hardship payments. If you are in that group, and are successful, the hardship period starts from the first day after the JSA is stopped (payments not recoverable). If you are not in a vulnerable group you have to wait 14 days and the payments are recoverable.

 

If you have a "good reason" for missing your signing, you should appeal.

 

The "info" above is from researching a similar situation, but there are much more experienced caggers who will correct any errors with the above.

 

Bill.

[MiniM]

Thanks