I am claiming Jobseekers allowance and Housing Benefit. Is it worth taking on a 10 hours per week job?

housing benefit
I can’t make ends meet on my Jobseekers Allowance alone, and saw an ad for a p/t sales assistant in a shop. The job pays £5.35 p/hour, and is for 10 hours per week, with more hours at busy times. I would love to take it, but I think I would be worse off! I have heard that I can get Housing Benefit if I stay within in the 15 hours rule. And I am hoping the shop will give me 15 hours a week, most of the time.
I forgot to mention that the reason I am looking for part time work is because I have been ill for the past few years and could not work fulltime. Also I was not entitled to Sickness Benefit for most of that time. The rent on my flat is £70 per week, which is paid in full by Housing Benefit. Which means if I take a job at 20 hours a week, I end up worse off!

Sell House Quick

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April 30th, 2010


13 Responses to “I am claiming Jobseekers allowance and Housing Benefit. Is it worth taking on a 10 hours per week job?”

  1. rfc_1st_to_50 Says:
    May 3rd, 2010 at 7:09 am

    yeah u will be ok, just dont go above the maximum allowed hours or they will cancel ur benift

  2. mag3dot142 Says:
    May 5th, 2010 at 7:16 am

    I pay tax to support you?
    Get off your fat backside and work for a living.

  3. ?Maz84? Says:
    May 8th, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    Yes you can work up 16 hours and still be intitled to your benefits, so why not build on your skills, and experience by working and earning extra money

  4. Harriet Says:
    May 9th, 2010 at 11:48 pm

    Seems like a good plan. Check out other benefits though; you could be missing an entitlement.

  5. ginger Says:
    May 12th, 2010 at 6:54 am

    I would check with whatever agency you are working with to get housing benefit to make sure you can work up to 15 hours a week to maintain your benefits. Make sure they give you the go ahead in writing so you don’t have any problems later.

  6. Baked Bean Says:
    May 12th, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    it’s not worth it at all. if you make more than £45 a week, which you will do, they’ll stop your job seekers allowance completely.

  7. greenheatherbutterfly Says:
    May 15th, 2010 at 1:31 am

    consider youself sorted.

    i work part time, i support one adult who is unemployed, im trying to go back to college, he’s not entitled to jobseekers despite being unemployed for a year, ive just been to court to keep my flat and the bailiffs are coming for the council tax. by the way the housing benefit and council tax relief has not even happened yet- after a year.

    oh yeah and i get taxed fully, no help, f***ing nothing.

  8. button moon Says:
    May 15th, 2010 at 11:48 am

    you will be fine, if you take the job they might take some of your benefit off you, but it wont make you worse off, if anything it will probably stay about the same, but you wont be as bored and will have a great time actually earning some of it, if you have children you will also get working tax, which will bump it up a little more, good luck and apply for the job, if only for your own sanity and pride

  9. Karl Says:
    May 16th, 2010 at 10:29 am

    Trust me please do you really really think living off the government all your life is good??? Why not find another job somewhere else you will never make ends meet because you are not ament to get paid for being at home and it is worse if you are trying to get money off the government in other ways like housing benefit it is not designed just to try and get maxim money you should just go and get a job just in Burger King or anywhere but at least YOU are founding your life not the tax payer:)

  10. dogiafu Says:
    May 18th, 2010 at 12:01 am

    I think you will find that the jobcentre will adjust your benefit to take account of your earnings. I had a short spell of unemployment over the summer but managed to get a few odd days with an agency. Even tho’ I only had 7.5 hours in one week the benefit was reduced.

  11. suby_wrx2002 Says:
    May 19th, 2010 at 3:51 am

    i was doning the same but working 8 hours, its not worth it cuz if u work u wount get £45 a week but about less than £5 and you will have to pay some of the rent about £18. a week, plus no free dentis or medicines. if u work 15hours that work out more than £45 so no benifits only Natonal insurance credits plus more rent. if u need any help ask me or citizins advice berue

  12. Heather H Says:
    May 21st, 2010 at 11:10 am

    use this website it’ll tell you everything that you’ll recieve give or take a couple of £s

    goodluck

  13. pgraham87015 Says:
    May 21st, 2010 at 2:46 pm

    You probably will be worse off. P/T jobs are just not worth it, I was working for 16hrs a week and I packed my job up because my partner is on income support. Everything I earned apart from the 1st £20 was taken off her benefits. We still have our housing benefit, and council tax paid. For me it has to be a fulltime job before I will entertain going back to work. The problem with the Government is they can’t tell the difference between part time and fulltime. If I was working 30 hrs or more I woud be eligible for working tax credits. I finished on the 1st dec and i’m still waiting for the dss to pull their finger out and pay me from then. I actually applied for jsa (Job Seekers Allowance) when I was working, The dss told me that because I was earning more than the minimum wage I wasnt eligable for j.s.a. so you can’t win either way.