Self employed & Housing Benefit

**kellsbells** · 13-01-2008, 01:08 AM

Hi all, I may be posting this in the wrong thread here, but at nearly 1am I am really stressing and really need some help please.

I left my job at the end of Oct and was on income support until I passed my inspection (approx 1 and a half months) and then became self employed once I was registered and received my certificate on the 21st december! ;-)

I thought I was doing the right thing by advising inland revenue that I am now self employed, I came off income support (as I am now am able to claim tax credits being self employed) and I am now awaiting for children to start, I was & still am claiming housing/council tax benefit and they have just written to me to say my benefit is now suspended as I am self employed and they want me to fill in a self employed exependiture form and want to see my bank statements, which is fine as I haven't even started yet and can prove that I haven't earn anything, but I am really worried as I am in a private rented house and if I don't pay the rent on time I will be granted an eviction notice within 3 days of non payment of rent!

I am going to the council on Monday (I only received the letter Friday) with my bank statements and to fill in the expenditure form, but it is asking for estimated income? As I have no children as yet and could have a phone call tomorrow or not get any work for 6 months? Does anyone know if they will pay towards my rent as my income isn't any more than if I was on Income support it's just a change of circumstances and if they base it on my estimated income how do they expect me to pay my rent if I'm not earning?

I am really sorry for this long winded thread but as I said before it's 1am in the morning and I can't sleep through worrying about it, any advise on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Kellsbells

**miffy** · 13-01-2008, 07:13 AM

Sorry Kellsbells i don't know the answer to this one but didn't want to read and run.

I think you are doping the right thing by going to see them on Monday and if you're not sure it's going to be sorted by rent day I'd let your landlord know as this isn't really your fault.

Can you go back on income support until you get some work??

Miffy xx

**nat1664** · 13-01-2008, 08:35 AM

Im glad some one has asked this as I was wondering myself too.

I think you will defentley get some houseing benfit but I dont think you will get the full wack!!, Im going down the council nx week too to ask if I can get some help as Im only earing about £7 a week at the moment...not good

Hope they help you Kellsbells....I know at my council you have to give blood sweat and tears before they give you anything!!

Good luck

Nat

**chubbymummy** · 13-01-2008, 09:03 AM

hi kellsbells

i do hope you managed to get some sleep last night

i don't really know the answer to your problem but i'm sure there will be someone on here that can help or reasure you.

go to the council with all the information that you have, bank statements etc, if it was me i would even take your regestration certificate and contracts to show that you are regestered but have no children on your books,

take anything you think will be of use as proof that you are not getting any income from being self employed as yet

all the best for tomorrow i know when your in situations like this 24 hours can seem like a long time........thinking of you ......hope you get it sorted

**LittleMissSparkles** · 13-01-2008, 09:09 AM

i dont know either im sorry but i hope that your ok and get it sorted soon, thinking of you xxx

**sarah707** · 13-01-2008, 10:14 AM

TBH I wouldn't have said anything to anyone until I was actually earning money... but it's too late to worry about that now...!

What I suggest you do is tell them you're registered and advertising but you're not actually working yet, you have no idea when the phone will ring and you might have come off the benefits too early. Then ask what they can do to help you. I cannot for one minute imagine they will let you be homeless!

The problem is, you cannot get tax credits until you are working (I think it's 16) hours a week... they top up your income, rather than pay you, iyswim.

Good luck and don't worry about it too much... if your books are right you'll be able to show a healthy loss already after paying out for the first aid course and some toys / equipment etc and not earning anything, so they will see you are dedicated and wanting to do the right thing...

Hope this helps

**deeb66** · 13-01-2008, 12:16 PM

I don't really know what they will do but I think you are doing the right thing by going to see them.

Obviously depending upon what the council says it might be a good idea to contact your landlord immediately if you are not going to make the rent on the day that it is due rather than wait for them to contact you about non payment.

**kellsbells** · 13-01-2008, 12:58 PM

Thank you all for your replies! It is very much appreciated, I'm have already been to the council last week with my certificate and my working families tax award letter.

The amount I get from tax credits is more or less the same amount as income support, I am going to the council again tomorrow with my bank statements, a self employment expenditure form and if I have no joy I shall tell them I am going back on income support as I'm not earning anything.

Serves me right for wanting to do the right thing really! In future I shall cover myself before declaring anything.

I shall also ring my estate agents tomorrow, but because I am a private tenant, I don't think they really care what happens with my housing benefit, they want paying on the date due or they take action, this is clearly stated in my tenancy agreement, but hopefully if it is just a case of the housing benefit being a little late then they might not like it but it might work out all ok, we will see?

I shall update you all tomorrow with the outcome! Thank you all again for your replies!

Kellsbells

**deeb66** · 14-01-2008, 01:30 PM

How did you get on today?

Was the council any help?

You might be surprised at what the estate agents says.....have you contacted them?

**angeldelight** · 14-01-2008, 01:31 PM

Hope you got on ok today

Angel xx

**charleyfarley** · 14-01-2008, 01:49 PM

Just catching up, sorry I didn't see it sooner.

Did you get it sorted today? I really hope so.

Carol xx

**Blaze** · 14-01-2008, 01:52 PM

Just wondered how it went?
Tasha

**kellsbells** · 14-01-2008, 04:07 PM

Hiya, Yesterday when I was round my mums, my uncle dropped in with his girlfriend who actually works for the local DWP, she is a lone parent advisor. She advised me to go back on to Income support and re-claim (doing a rapid re-claim as it has been within 12 weeks since coming off benefit) So that's what I did today! and I now have an interview tomorrow, I then have to take the proof to Housing benefit.

She also advised me that unless I'm earning more than £100, it's in my best interest to stay on Income support and just advised me to let Income support know and show them copies of my contract to prove my income is less than £100 and to only go self-employed once I'm permanately earning over £100, she also told me that unfortunately if you are on Income support the DWP have a tendancy to make you go self-employed because they want to lower the amount of people who are on Income support as it looks good for their office!

Anyway I'm doing all I can, so now I just have to wait and see what benefit they award me during the time I said I was self-employed, but at least I have sorted it out so I'm not occuring anymore debt!

I just want to say a huge thank you to you all for your support and concern, it's much appreciated!!!

**angeldelight** · 14-01-2008, 04:10 PM

Glad you got it sorted out

All sounds very complicated

Angel xx

**deeb66** · 14-01-2008, 06:24 PM

As Angel said....glad you got it sorted out

**nat1664** · 14-01-2008, 06:31 PM

Good news

, that might be an option for me soon I think Im going to give it another week then Ill go and see what they say x

**LittleMissSparkles** · 14-01-2008, 06:42 PM

good job you was at your mums then, glad you have sorted it all out, good luck xxx

**ruby** · 14-01-2008, 07:37 PM

hi
sorry we didn't notice this post before just wanted to say we are glad that you have sorted things out

good luck

Cathy and Rachel

**sarah707** · 14-01-2008, 07:58 PM

I'm really glad you got it sorted! Now you can relax and look for children without panicking and taking possibly the wrong ones...

Always good to have the option to say no!