Hi, wonder if someone could clarify this for me - I contacted the job centre a couple of weeks ago now and answered a load of questions over the phone in respect of claiming JSA and Housing Benefit. The next appointment they could give me was next monday. Just wanted to check that, pending approval, I will receive both the JSA and the Housing Benefit as from the date I spoke to them on the phone and answered all their questions to instigate the claim a couple of weeks ago?

Should be ok, but don't expect any money in a hurry - I started a claim for JSA 5 weeks and 1 day ago, and still haven't had any money, but have had a letter saying I should get some...

QUOTE=Jonesy;2475080]Hi, wonder if someone could clarify this for me - I contacted the job centre a couple of weeks ago now and answered a load of questions over the phone in respect of claiming JSA and Housing Benefit. The next appointment they could give me was next monday. Just wanted to check that, pending approval, I will receive both the JSA and the Housing Benefit as from the date I spoke to them on the phone and answered all their questions to instigate the claim a couple of weeks ago?[/QUOTE]

Flippin shambles isn't it, still no luck on the job front then maramcp? I simply can't believe how difficult it is to get a job in such a big city. I'm tearing my hair out........ and God knows, I'm doing all I can.

I'd be tempted to follow up the housing benefit claim by paying a visit to Howden House and checking that they have been advised by the DWP. If they haven't then your claim for housing and council tax benefit could be delayed.

Sounds like a nightmare getting any unemployment benefits quickly - how do people manage if they lose their jobs suddenly?

Sounds like a nightmare getting any unemployment benefits quickly - how do people manage if they lose their jobs suddenly?

I'm a case in point - they don't manage well at all! For starters, I contacted the job centre a couple of weeks ago and the next appointment they had for me to visit them was monday of next week...... and I understand I'll have to wait a fair while longer for the whole thing to be processed. Nightmare.

I am scared that they need two lots of security guards before you can even get to look at job vacancies in the Job Centre...

Admiration and amazement that people manage to work there without going crazy - I don't think I could.

But I have another interview this afternnon, so fingers crossed...

Good luck to you too Jonesy.


Flippin shambles isn't it, still no luck on the job front then maramcp? I simply can't believe how difficult it is to get a job in such a big city. I'm tearing my hair out........ and God knows, I'm doing all I can.

You will need to claim housing and council tax benifit seperately from JSA. The DWP deals with JSA Housing and council tax benifit are dealt with by local council.

The Job centre should send you the forms but its best to get your own forms from Howden house or your localo area housing office.

Called the Jobcentre today, they tell me that both the JSA and Housing Benefit will apply from the date I first made contact with the job centre, it'll just take a while to process and will then be backdated. Relief.

Called the Jobcentre today, they tell me that both the JSA and Housing Benefit will apply from the date I first made contact with the job centre, it'll just take a while to process and will then be backdated. Relief.


I went for my interview and the next week they had put money in my bank. So don't worry.

I used to work in Housing Benefit and I've a couple of pieces of advice for you. The claim should go from the date of First Contact made, which in your case is when you contacted the Jobcentre. Also, if you are a tenant of a de-regulated landlord and you were able to meet your rent costs prior to claiming then you should have no restrictions applied to your claim for the first 13 weeks (provided you haven't claimed recently). My reason for pointing these out is that the Housing Benefits system is complicated to administer and consequently mistakes are made, and I'm afraid these are two of the most common which can mean you losing out on money you are entitled to receive.

In relation to when you might get paid, Sheffield used to be one of the worst performing authorities in the country with average processing times of 55 days so I would suggest you contact them to see about entitlement to an interim payment.

Titanic, thanks for your insight. Could I just ask a couple of things:

"Also, if you are a tenant of a de-regulated landlord and you were able to meet your rent costs prior to claiming then you should have no restrictions applied to your claim for the first 13 weeks (provided you haven't claimed recently)."

May I ask what you mean by 'no restrictions applied'?

Secondly, I'm 22 and living in a shared house under a joint tenancy with a private landlord. The answer to all of the questions I was asked in relation to my current position was 'no' - that is to say I have no savings, am not earning and am not in credit with the bank (just finished uni, and still overdrawn, as are most graduates). Given the situation, what sort of percentage of my rent am I likely to receive? Maybe it's hard to say without knowing more, though given my complete lack of savings, credit with the bank, and income, I'm hoping I'll receive a decent slice. Cheers.

Oh, EDIT - And who exactly do I contact in Sheffield in terms of maybe sorting out something in the interim until I get the benefit? DWP?

Hi there,

Sorry I’ve just picked this up!

You’ve raised a couple of points, which I will attempt to address separately in order to help ensure you get the right amount of money owed.

To simplify a De-Regulated tenancy is someone who is the tenant of a private landlord, but not a Housing Association, typical examples are people like yourself who I assume to be living in Student accommodation.

De-Regulated tenancies have their rent referred to the Rent Officer who is someone independent of the Council, he makes a valuation on the property and then Housing Benefit is restricted to that valuation. For example, your contractual rent could be £60.00 per week but the Rent Officer may say it is only worth £45.00 and you’d have to find the difference.

However, (and this sometimes gets missed) if you were able to meet your rent previously and you have not claimed Housing Benefit in the previous 52 weeks then your restriction should be deferred for 13-weeks to enable you to try and find alternative accommodation.

In relation to an interim payment, you can ask the Benefits Service to make you a payment pending the Rent Officer decision coming back, they are compelled to do this under legislation but you may need to push them by quoting Regulation 91 (3) to them.

The other important factor is the means test, from the information provided you should be entitled to the maximum amount of benefit provided you have no partner or other adults living with you.

To summarise:
You should get the maximum amount that the Rent Officer allows
For the first 13-weeks you should be getting the full contractual amount if you could meet the rent previously
They should be making an interim payment to you

Hope this helps, get back to me if you need any more clarification.

Much indebted to you, thanks ever so much. In relation to one of the last things you mentioned - I have just graduated and live with 3 other lads who are all still students and will be continuing their courses in september - this being the case, everything you have suggested remains unaffected I imagine? It is indeed a private landlord.

Does the rent officer actually visit the property to make a valuation in respect of the 'value' of the property per person per week (or whatever other unit) or is it done on the basis of what area you're in, council tax band or similar?

Again, many thanks, this really is a massive help, very good of you to take the time to respond.

Unlikely they will visit, I think they have a percentage that they must visit but most are valued based on similar properties in the locality.

A couple of other points to note though: The Rent Officer may value for the whole of the property and you will get a percentage share of the valuation or if you have your own contractual liability they will value on your rent for your property, these can have a significant impact as generally individual rent liabilities are more than one combined rent. Also, should you disagree the valuation you can request a re-determination butbe advised the second one can go down as well as up.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for that - I should get the full amount for the first 13 weeks though, as the previous poster suggested?