Benefits

Does anyone know how this works or have any links that sort of explain what you can get and how much and everything? Things are looking very scary at work and it looks like both of us might be unemployed soon, so now that I have ILR and could get benefits if I needed to, I'm just wondering what I could be eligible for. DH has never had to take any benefits before, either, so he has no idea what is available. Thanks for any information. Hopefully I will get a job offer before we both end up on the dole, but we'd still need some help, as there is no way my one wage would even pay our bills, much less support the both of us. 

Whomever loses their job, will need to go to the jobcentre to apply for benefits. This can also be done over the phone. You will need to give details of the salary of the person who is still working, plus details of your savings. The DWP will then work out if you are allowed benefits (contribution or income based) and how much you get. As a general guide, the government say a couple can live on £103 pw between them after rent is paid. I think this may be different if the person claiming can get contribution based benefit payments, as that is worked out on the contributions the person has put into the system over the last 2 tax years. They won't take into account any debts you have when they work out your benefits.

The three welfare offices are...the council (for rental and council tax benefits), HMRC (for tax credits benefits) and DWP (job centre) for just about every other benefit).

Depending on your age, the person who claims may have to go into a work focus group as soon as they sign on. This is also happening to people who claim they are too sick to work too, now.

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/, has lots of good advice

The moneysavingexpert site has a benefits board that has a lot of DWP staff helping and a lot of claiments too (who seem to know the system).

Perhaps ask on there to see what benefit help you should get and how to apply for it?

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=139

oh no! I'm sorry things are looking that bad. I can't tell you the relief getting my ILR was knowing that if something happened we'd still be ok.

In terms of jobseekers allowance, yes this is the job centre, you may have to go every week and 'sign on.' A co-worker's wife was made redundant and even with her payout, their savings and his job she still get something.

The local council will handle your rent and council tax. If both of you are made redundant, you should get full, if one of you is it may be less, it is worth applying either way. Where I am, the form is the same.

In terms of tax credit, if you google for a tax credit calculator you should get the official one which will tell you what you can can get in tax credit. Again, it is worth looking at this if only one of you is laid off as a decrease in income could result in a tax credit.

Your council may have a benefits help office to help you through this, again, I know mine does.

Good luck.   

Directgov has some wonderful advice on determining what benefits you may be eligible to and how to apply for them.

Here's a link to the direct.gov info on money, tax and benefits.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/index.htm

Somewhere on there is an online questionaire thingy that you can take and it will give you an idea of what you qualify for.

xpost with WebyJ

Nothing to add about benefits information, but I just wanted to offer virtual support and hugs to you both.  Hoping that you'll get a job offer swiftly!

Thanks, everyone. I am sure we could work something out. I've applied for quite a few jobs and there've actually been a good few to apply for around here, surprisingly, so hopefully I will get something. As for DH, he is kind of a manufacturing specialist and there is a manufacturing division of Hays agency that would take him on, so I'm sure we could find something for him. Plus, we are only renting our place, so if he was offered a good job elsewhere, then we could relocate, it might just make it awkward for getting our little guy every other weekend. There are things to be positive about. It's just that we have no savings to speak of and we are still in our overdraft from visa fees and the trip to the USA I insisted on last year, and that has us really worried for how things would play out in our worst case scenario. But I'm sure we could get by somehow and at least we are together.