Benefits and how on earth do you qualify?

[Nelli]

I just felt like sharing this with you all. My partner has just lost his job (again!). This means that our household income will drop by �20,000 pa. As I work full time, he cannot claim any benefits at all, not a bean, no JSA, no Income Support, No Council Tax Benefit, he can't even get help with prescriptions or anything. How on earth can the Social do this!!! (he hasn't worked long enough to get any Employment Benefit or even qualify for any redundancy pay). I just want to know why we pay our taxes for nothing!!!!

[Nelli]

I'm feeling very sad and despondent today! :-(

[treaclefight]

lots of sympathy for you nelli, i understand the frustration, when my ex left, me and three little ones were left with nothing but debts, it took 4 months to get any money and i nearly lost my house, meantime you cant even get the social to answer a question let alone help. you do have to be in complete poverty to qualify, and some years later i found that i had to take a drop in money ( from what the social were paying me) just so i could go back to work and pay taxes, the system is mad, the malicious ex instigated 6 fraud benefit investigations against me (they only ever concluded that i was entitled to every penny), which must have cost thousands to process and still they cannot help in an emergency, because they do not have the resources! i hope your other half gets a job soon, good luck in that and my best wishes for coping with the stress in the meantime :-)

[sft42]

The simple thing to do is to screw the system like everyone else.....kick him out and make him "homeless" and then the DSS are forced to pay for his housing and Income support. Why not cause as you point out your paying your taxes for nothing otherwise.

[Miss Zippy]

Sorry to hear about your partner's bad luck, fingers crossed for you he finds something suitable quickly. If the advice you've received is from the DSS, it might be an idea to visit the CAB and get some impartial advice on if there is any form of benefit available to your partner. I remember my mum had to battle to get an attendance allowance and some other benefit for my nan because they insisted she wasn't entitled to it. It makes me mad hearing of situations like yours. Most of us hit rough times financially at some point or other in our lives and it would be nice to think that in a developed society such as ours, there would be help available to people who are just experiencing a temporary 'blip' in circumstances, but who aren't (yet) poverty stricken. Best of luck and try and keep :-)

[coemgen]

Do you have kids? If so you will entitled to children's tax credits. If not try this link to see if it helps. http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/
frequently_asked_questions_about_benefits.htm#IhavejustlostmyjobWhatbenefitsamIentitle

[Merthyr Imp]

Just to point at that the 'DSS' no longer exists. It is now the DWP - although no-one seems to have noticed despite millions being spent on glossy publicity.

[Nelli]

Thanks people! you've all made me feel better. The only way I see is to 'make him homeless' as it were. THe thing is there are so many people already on benefits, and living comfortably on them, it just makes me wonder what they have and what I don't (in the way of qualifying). Treacle, I'm with you totally, the fact that you're coming out of it smelling of roses is testament to how strong you are. Like me I'm not one to let the system get me down, but somedays is seems like the world is against you. Thanks people......where there's a will.....there's a way! ;-)