Have I missed out on benefits for years?

[frazerd]

Can anyone advise me on whether having worked for the last 6 years in a care home for a maximum of 15 hours per week my wife has never claimed any benefits, but she has been advised that she could have claimed as she worked less than 16 hours per week. I work full time, with an average income of circa £28,000. Neither of us has ever claimed anything in our lives (we are both 61), but would be interested to know if she has missed out?

[dotty.]

what sort of benefit do you think you may have qualified for? do you have children under 18 living at home in full time education?

[friedgreentomato]

You earn too much for working tax credit.

[furrypusscat]

Doubt there was anything you could claim.

[Richard1966]

The confusion here is that an individual working less than 16 hours can in theory claim Job Seekers Allowance if they are actively looking for work for the remainder of the week. However they cannot claim this as part of their Contribution based Job Seekers Allowance only the means tested JSA and in yoru case your income would act as a barrier to any claim.

[EDDIE51]

Possibly housing / council tax benefit if your rent was high enough but that can only be backdated for 6 months.
As you are now both 61 you can claim pension credit guarantee, that gives you full housing/council tax credit and around £230 a week cash , it may be worth checking if it would be worth you claiming.

[factor-fiction]

I don't think those would apply in this case though, eddie, as frazerd is still working and earns circa £28000 pa

[ummmm]

It's a household income, not individual, so your wifes wages would be added to your 28k.