newbie heads spinning!

[Jenrat25]

Hi I'm just looking for a bit of advice. I'm long term unemployed due to illness but really want to start earning some money and eventually get off benefits. I'm currently claiming JSA, Housing and Council Tax benefit.

Due to my illness I need to work from home. I've got through to the exam stage for Lionbridge but I'm not sure what would happen to my benefits if I took this kind of job. I've also applied to Leapforce but haven't heard anything back. I'm really scared I won't be able to pay my rent / bills. I need something reliable as it will be my main source of income. I've been searching all the job sites I can find but don't seem to be getting anywhere (I haven't really got any skills).

Any advice would be very gratefully received!

Jen

 

[Jon]

Hey Jen!


@katykicker or @Chammy will probably know if your benefits would be impacted by working from home

 

[katykicker]

Hey Jen!


@katykicker or @Chammy will probably know if your benefits would be impacted by working from home

I'm not on benefits, don't think I've ever been on benefits, so I'm no expert. However, what I presume would happen is you would declare what you are making and then they would deduct that amount, or almost that amount, from what I've heard in the past.

It is a difficult one as the money can be unpredictable, Would suggest giving them a call, or even using the 'Entitled to' calculator to try and work it out.

 

[Chammy]

If I remember rightly you can earn up to £20 per week before your benefits start being affected, such as the JSA. This might have changed, it's been a few years since I was on JSA and I've never claimed the other two. After that they start reducing the amount you receive in relation to what you're now earning.

As Katy said, you're best giving the jobcentre, HMRC or CAB a call as they're all "knowledgeable" in these matters. You obviously need to register as self-employed and fill out the annual self-assessment but until then I'm pretty sure you're able to give places like housing benefit a week by week update and they can adjust benefits accordingly.

 

[Jenrat25]

Thanks for all the advice I spoke to someone at the housing office and they said they will adjust my housing benefit weekly which I didn't know about. So the plan is to earn an average of £70 a week to begin with. This means I can sign off JSA but still get housing benefit. I've just got to get through the Lionbridge exam now and go from there.

Hopefully eventually i can get enough work to come off benefits completely!

 

[Jon]

Thanks for all the advice I spoke to someone at the housing office and they said they will adjust my housing benefit weekly which I didn't know about. So the plan is to earn an average of £70 a week to begin with. This means I can sign off JSA but still get housing benefit. I've just got to get through the Lionbridge exam now and go from there.

Hopefully eventually i can get enough work to come off benefits completely!

Just to make you aware if you decided to do risk free matched betting the income isn't taxable so you can keep it all. A VERY easy way to make £500+ a month

 

[Jenrat25]

I did look at that but don't know if I could get my head around it

 

[Jon]

I did look at that but don't know if I could get my head around it

It's very easy to do @Jenrat25

Give the free trial a go and you will make around £45 risk free and see just how easy it is and have your hand held the entire way.

Sometimes doing things is a lot easier than just reading

 

[Andrew]

Hi. I'd speak to DWP about the affect on JSA as it did used to be possible to do part time work and claim JSA. They simply reduce the amount you get by the amount you earn pound for pound (if your earnings are over and above and above £20 a week). If your hours per week over a two week period exceed 16 hours per week then they will stop your claim though. Which means you'll have to start paying National Insurance (as you will no longer receive a credit for being on benefits). I'd encourage you to pay National Insurance if you do come off JSA to go self-employed as this will cover you against any future periods of sickness.

The other thing to consider is that you might be eligible for tax credits. Although they might put you on Universal Credit as that is slowly taking over the benefit system. I used to work for DWP but my knowledge is a couple of years out of date now!

 

[Andrew]

Gambling earnings have no affect on JSA but if you're on income based and your savings exceed a certain amount (used to be 3000 pounds not sure what it is now) then they will start reducing your benefit payments. Although money in betting exchanges/bookmaker accounts doesn't count as savings until you withdraw it into your account...

 

[Jenrat25]

Thanks for all the advice, I am trying the match betting but am still nervous of it!

 

[Jon]

Hey @Jenrat25

Just catching up with this as was wondering how you are getting on now and if you have tried any other ways to earn money from home online?

 

[Jenrat25]

hi, just doing surveys at the moment. I will try the match betting again when I got enough to cover the liability