how does this work????

[lotsafun]

ive just signed on the dole after being out of employment for 2 years whilst caring for my daughter, to be honest i didnt even think id be entitled to anything until i made a online query on direct.gov but i recieved a call last wednesday asking me to go down to the job center and officially register or something. I was then told to sign on on the monday morn, which i did also. What my query is, is that ive not recieved anything in writing about how much im entitled to etc or when im going to be paid. How does this work????? ive never signed on in my life or recieved any benefits so i dont know what happening

[mike11111]

You may well not be entitled to anything, but you need to sign on to keep your NI credits up to date.

[lotsafun]

is that what they mean when they say stamps????

[mike11111]

An old-fashioned term, but basically, Yes.

[lotsafun]

ok thanks xxxx

[ummmm]

How old is your daughter?

[DrFilth]

you can get help and info from your local cab office

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/cabdir.ihtml

[lotsafun]

shes 2 ummmm, when she was born both myself and my partner came to a agreence that i would stay at home with her even though i wanted to work as childcare costs are ridiculous and he would work. But we are finding it seriously hard to cope, weve got no option but for me to go back to work now. So far ive applied for 16 jobs and have had 14 rejections, even asda rejected me lol. im not that stupid that i couldnt work in a supermarket!!!!!! phew rant over lol

[ummmm]

lotsafun....have you applied for working tax credits and child tax credits?

You are not expected to go back to work with a two year old.

[4getmenot]

you beat my record!

[lotsafun]

yeah we get child tax credits with my partner earnings but not to sound like a ungrateful greedy bitch its not enough, we are is still really struggling to get by and obviously the longer im off work its going to get worse. And to top things off my partners jobs isnt safe at the moment iether. I went on to direct.gov to see if we are entitled to any additional help and thats where i came across the job seekers allowance thing. I applied thinking 'why not' ive worked since i left school apart from the 3 years when ive had my children. Its not looking like we are entitled though, ive ''signed'' on but still not heard anything back from them, i thought by signing on you are entitled to money but if its stamp based i cant see how that is benefiting us at all, i JUST DONT KNOW HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS AT ALL REALLY DO I????? LOL

[ummmm]

Have you applied for WTC...?

[lotsafun]

when our daughter was born we had to make a new claim and child tax is all were entitled to as my partner earns just above the lower paid amount apparently. After tax he brings home approx £250 a week give or take a couple of quid. and we get £82 a week tax credits, it may sound alot but once youve taking your living expenses out of it your not left with much but hey thats life eh?

[hc4361]

You don't need to sign on to get your 'stamp' - you are already getting it.

"Contributions do not have to be paid if home responsibilities protection is awarded (in receipt of Child Benefit for a child aged under 16"

http://www.newcastle....k/core.nsf/a/wr_nicon

[ummmm]

It doesn't sound much to be honest...

So on £330 pw you are paying all bills and supporting 4 people?

[lotsafun]

i know i sound really stupid but i have no idea what that means, i just dont get this system at all lol. i assumed that as ive worked since the age of 15 and have paid contributions and has my partner, im looking for work and i have 2 dependants that i should be entitled to it too.

[ummmm]

What that means is that as you are bringing up children you are not expected to sign on to get your stamp covered. The fact that you get child benefit is proof.

[lotsafun]

oh right i get it now lol. I wonder why ive not recieved anything then????? think a trip to job centre is need ed to have it explained to me i think. Its not alot is it ummmm, i feel so bad on my partner hes working all the hours he can get and its still not enough, i wont lie its put a strain on our relationship too. Thats why i so want to get back to work just to take some of the pressure off him

[ummmm]

Have you actually done the WTC calculator?

[lotsafun]

yeah we did that before we applied and it said we would get less than what we actually did in the end. That another system i dont understand. When talking to friends about all of this they told me that i can actually work up 16 hours and it still wouldnt affect our tax credits

[ummmm]

I don't think it works like that.

As a single parent you have to work at least 16 hours to qualify. You're claiming as a family unit so your husband is already doing the 16 hours while you are doing the child care. But as his earnings are at the lower end of the scale for a family of 4 you should be able to get a wage without it effecting your tax credits. You don't have to work 16 hours....you can work 1 hour or 20 hours...or more. It's about how much you earn as your husband has the qualifying hours covered.

Did that make sense?