our house

[Spent2much]

Just worked out what we take from business each month and its less than what we would recieve from jsa and mortgage help.

One big problem we have here is that for the past few years we haven't paid NIC so would we qualify for any help ?

We haven't decided to close the business yet but its looking that way , but we just don't want to take that step and end up with absolutley nothing at all .
This has been the worse year ever its not made us much and we haven't seen it improve so far . Only slightly the past few weeks but its back down again and worse .

Does anyone know if we can claim anything ?

[Pixie]

Re: business is bad again

I'm not sure regarding self-employment but I know you can get income-based jsa and contributions based jsa. You obviously wouldn't qualify for contributions based but I'm not sure about income-based.

Have you looked at direct.gov.uk? There is an online benefit adviser Benefits adviser service : Directgov - Do it online

It may be worth making an appointment to see someone at the local jobcentre.

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

I'm not sure regarding self-employment but I know you can get income-based jsa and contributions based jsa. You obviously wouldn't qualify for contributions based but I'm not sure about income-based.

Have you looked at direct.gov.uk? There is an online benefit adviser Benefits adviser service : Directgov - Do it online

It may be worth making an appointment to see someone at the local jobcentre.

Hi, thanks, i have looked on the benefits adviser online and it dosen't help. Hubby phoned Job centre plus but they couldn't help either , apart from advising that hubby could possibly claim income-based, not sure what the difference is but will have a search and see.
I also did the online benefits calculator on turn2us but income-based isn't an option it only gives the option of income-related and income support.

[Pixie]

Re: business is bad again

Contributions-based is based on your NI contributions (I think for the previous year).

Income-based,as it says, is based on the income you have coming in eg if you received interest on savings or perhaps rented out a house, this would be deducted from your jsa.

There's no difference between the two in the amounts payable.

It's ridiculous that the jobcentre is unable to give you any advice on what you can claim.

Maybe go and see Citizen's Advice Bureau and see if they can help?

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

Contributions-based is based on your NI contributions (I think for the previous year).

Income-based,as it says, is based on the income you have coming in eg if you received interest on savings or perhaps rented out a house, this would be deducted from your jsa.

There's no difference between the two in the amounts payable.

It's ridiculous that the jobcentre is unable to give you any advice on what you can claim.

Maybe go and see Citizen's Advice Bureau and see if they can help?

I just filled in the form on the gov website and clicked get results and it said 'sorry this is unavailable' i could have screamed .

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

went to C.A.B yestrday and it seems we can claim income related jsa, and we would get some help with the mortgage, but we would have to find £40 a week towards the interest as the help is only on a rate of 3.63% .

We are thinking of letting the house go because even with the help we would't be able to keep it . jsa is £111.45 a week so out of that we need to pay £40 , dosn't leave much to live on .

The other option is this .
if we let the house go we can get a 3 bed house for around £360 a month and we would get £49 of that paid if we kept the business going, we would be able to manage with the working tax credits . It's the only option now we have tried everything to make ends meet and to keep the business going , it seems the mortgage is too expensive even on interest only .

Strange how the government help rent while in work but not mortgage.

[PlanB]

Re: business is bad again

Just a thought, but have you considered letting out your house to cover the mortgage for a couple of years while renting somewhere else smaller/cheaper for yourselves in the meantime. You may/may not get HB to pay your rent on the next place but see if the maths could work A lot of people are doing this while they ride out the storm and will be able to go back 'home' when finances improve

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

Just a thought, but have you considered letting out your house to cover the mortgage for a couple of years while renting somewhere else smaller/cheaper for yourselves in the meantime. You may/may not get HB to pay your rent on the next place but see if the maths could work A lot of people are doing this while they ride out the storm and will be able to go back 'home' when finances improve

thanks , but our mortgage provider won't allow us to rent it out , we are with kensington and they have this in the terms and conditions. The housing benefit is a huge help for us and it will keep us from losing the business .

[PlanB]

Re: business is bad again

You don't have to tell Kensington you're renting it out. Set up Royal Mail re-direct and they won't know a thing

You can still get HB even if you've got a property rented out because HB is means tested, so if your tenant's rent simply covers your mortgage and you don't make a profit then you have 0 income from it. You can also get HB as self-employed based on your income "forecast". Always good to provide a bad forecast

You'll still get WTC as self-employed based on a prediction too.

My bio isn't "Been There Done That" for no reason

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

You don't have to tell Kensington you're renting it out. Set up Royal Mail re-direct and they won't know a thing

You can still get HB even if you've got a property rented out because HB is means tested, so if your tenant's rent simply covers your mortgage and you don't make a profit then you have 0 income from it. You can also get HB as self-employed based on your income "forecast". Always good to provide a bad forecast

You'll still get WTC as self-employed based on a prediction too.

My bio isn't "Been There Done That" for no reason

i never knew that, wow thank you .

[PlanB]

Re: business is bad again

i never knew that, wow thank you .

Well you do now

[Spent2much]

Re: business is bad again

You don't have to tell Kensington you're renting it out. Set up Royal Mail re-direct and they won't know a thing

You can still get HB even if you've got a property rented out because HB is means tested, so if your tenant's rent simply covers your mortgage and you don't make a profit then you have 0 income from it. You can also get HB as self-employed based on your income "forecast". Always good to provide a bad forecast

You'll still get WTC as self-employed based on a prediction too.

My bio isn't "Been There Done That" for no reason

If my son rented my house could he still claim HB ?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: business is bad again

My bio isn't "Been There Done That" for no reason

I thought it was cos you'd literally been there and done that

[kilasuit]

Re: business is bad again

Plan B your housing expertise is amazing. All the help you give us all here including myself is as always spot on.

Spent yes he could if you draw up a formal agreement so that the hb dept at council can see its an actual rental not just a let live sort of thing. I looked at this all a few yrs back when my mum was looking to sell her house.

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: business is bad again

Plan B your housing expertise is amazing. All the help you give us all here including myself is as always spot on.

Agreed, she knows her cookies mate - as we like to brag, we have those that know here - not armchair solicitors

Thanks planB - as always