Redundancy/At risk assistance

[StevePil]

Hope someone can help
If you are put at risk of redundancy which is a concern at present, and are offered redeployment, but the salary is much less, ie 4k less per year so I decline it, am I still entitlled to redundancy payment?
I would love to stay with my company but cant afford a 4k drop in wages, already struggle to make ends meet, would rather take redundancy payment as it will cover me for 3 months out of work minimum and look for another job. Can anyone help around this law?
Thanks

[factor-fiction]

I think that if it is not suitable alternative employment you can still claim redundancy. If the �4K reduction is a big drop then this suggests it may not be equivalent work.
If you take the lower job your firm may give you a partial redundancy payment based on the �4k pa reduction in earnings.
Buildersmate is more of an expert in this area.

[dot.haukes]

also, you can claim JSA immedrately your job finishes whether your redundancy notice is up or not , you are out of work even if you have your 3 months lump sum and can claim housing and council tax benefit.

[madmaggot]

Why not take the lower paid job and meanwhile try to find alternative employment? Unless the redundancy payout is huge, which I doubt these days, it must be better than being on benefits. And if you find a job with the equivalent salary to your present one you won't have lost any pay will you.

[buildersmate]

Yes, you should state that the work is not equivalent, and force the employer to make the redundancy.
But MM says, much depends on the terms of your redundancy. One of the benefits of redundancy is that the payments are gross and not subject to tax and NI. Try and ensure that your contractual notice period entitlement payment gets rolled into the total 'redundancy severence' sum. Then it too is paid gross (up to �30k,anyway) and it enables you to claim JSA from the (earlier) date of your termination - not from the end of your contractiual notice period. This is the point that Dot is making. However I thought that Housing and Council tax benefits were a means-tested benefit - contribution based JSA is not.

[dot.haukes]

It is means tested yes, i am awaiting the pitcome, but I used that entitledto.co.uk site, which is brilliant, and really shows what people can claim.

[dot.haukes]

*outcome.
I've also realised that claiming contributions based JSA you have to actually tell the council that you have made a claim at the jobcentre, the council benefit office know you have made the claim, but do not get the paperwork, only ESA and income based JSA claimants have their housing benefit and council tax benefit claim forwarded to the council benefits claim department!!! Wierd I know.