What am I entitled to?

[Mochamoo]

OK So as of the 16th January I have now been back in the UK for 5 years so all the rubbish Ive been thrown about not being entitled to anything because I worked abroad should be done.

I re-applied for JSA this morning, is there any other benefits I can get to help me till I get a job?

[Happyolddog]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Your best place to start is http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Okies I've been on there and put in all our figures etc and apparently we are entitled to Pension Credits and exemption from Council Tax. So here's the question......

How do we go about claiming these ? Who do we contact ? What do we ask for ?

Never done this before so its a learning experience.

[Happyolddog]

Re: What am I entitled to?

For pension credits you want this site http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/Do...gory/DG_073267

for council tax contact your local council.

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Ta hun, and there's me thinking its one call and one leaflet pmsl.

[Mochamoo]

Re: What am I entitled to?

The housing benefit forms arrived this morning, the lady on the phone said its highly unlikly I wont be able to get it, is there any thing I should or shouldn't put on the papers?

[Mochamoo]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Ok one of the questions asks about income, now mine is £0 atm, OH's is more complicated his salary is £60k OTE which he earnt last year, but with the whole crunchiness going on at the moment he only made about 60% of his target this quarter which means he will OWE his company money. They are paid monthly on the basis that they will at least make 70% to target.

Anyway enough rambling do I put down only his base salary or do I say about the commission as well?

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Sorry hun, I've never filled in one of those forms, but at least my reply is bumping this up to the top for you.

[Guest]

Re: What am I entitled to?

You will get nothing because you cannot tick sufficient diversity boxes. In short, you are white, English and you want work, so forget getting any benefits. Now if you were a left-handed, one-armed, Norwegian, glass-blower with a thorough knowledge of contemporary dance from Guinea-Bissau or basket weaving in Namibia, whose Father never talked to you on Thursdays, you'd be laughing all the way to the bank.

More seriously, you cannot include your partner's income based on his OTE because he may not earn that. Just include his basic salary, nothing more.

[Mochamoo]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Ok so I have done an I&E based on OH's base salary (no comms) rather scary! I have stapled it to the housing benefits form and hope to god that it somehow qualifies me.

We are currently on -570 ish a month the I&E sheet is a very real picture of what could be happening over the next 3 months if things continue the way they are.

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

I've pm'd you a couple of ideas on savings hun.

Also we have a phone interview about the council tax benefit later this afternoon will let you know how it went laters.

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Mocha have you tried this site ? Office Recruit - UK Recruitment for Secretarial Admin Jobs

[Mochamoo]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Thank you Wendy and Sapphire for your suggestions they are very much appreciated.

My mobile contract ends in April so I will be moving to a payg cheapy cheap one.

Cat insurance is now as low as I can get it ( after all of expensive kittens treatments no insurer wants her)

Car insurance for me - Long story but thats as low as mine will go, OH has a Lotus Elise (which is broken so cant be sold and cant afford to fix it):yell:

Wendy like the sky idea will ask around, I have just gone up again after my last complaint about prices which had me £10 a month for several months. I am loathe to get rid of sky as we dont go out to save money and I would go banana's if I didnt have something to watch and couldnt go out. Also OH (against my wishes I might add) got Sky HD back in october so we are still in contract for the box for another 8 months.

I am mid letter writing now asking all my supplieres and mortgage company if we can reduce payments for a bit - Fab idea Thanks Sapp x

Posted HB letter... no idea how long it takes but after reading DWP website I am not hopefull

[WendyB]

Re: What am I entitled to?

So if it's broken, presumably you are not driving it, so why are you still paying insurance on it?. You might be able to reduce the level of cover, i.e down to theft only. No point in having cover for driving it etc if its just sitting on the drive or in the garage.

[Sapphire]

Re: What am I entitled to?

Don't forget if its off the road you can declare a SORN and save on the tax too.