Working under 16 hours...where's the incentive?

[Flickyhecky]

After spending ages finding my Birth Certificate i joined a few agencies in town, one of them gave me some work just 3 days later. I enjoy what i do, it's under 16 hours a week and gets me out of my flat for a while.

 

I get between £50 and £55 a week doing this and have been signing on as usual and filling out the forms detailing what hours i've done, so they've no scaled my benefits down from £130ish a fortnight to just under £40 a fortnight, so basically they've taken the amount that i earn from my wages from my benefit...is that how it works?

 

My council tax and housing benefit have been suspended for a while because of it, it's being delt with now, but is their any other financial help i can get as i feel as if i'm now working for nothing.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

After spending ages finding my Birth Certificate i joined a few agencies in town, one of them gave me some work just 3 days later. I enjoy what i do, it's under 16 hours a week and gets me out of my flat for a while.

 

I get between £50 and £55 a week doing this and have been signing on as usual and filling out the forms detailing what hours i've done, so they've no scaled my benefits down from £130ish a fortnight to just under £40 a fortnight, so basically they've taken the amount that i earn from my wages from my benefit...is that how it works?

 

My council tax and housing benefit have been suspended for a while because of it, it's being delt with now, but is their any other financial help i can get as i feel as if i'm now working for nothing.

Unfortunately, some employers have grown lazy, and expect a job applicant to accept any job which does not sufficient salary in the expectation that the taxpayer can bump up their income through Working Tax Credit or similar.

 

My advice would be, in future, when you consider any job offer, make sure that the job will pay sufficient, and allow you to at least pay your living expenses.

 

If it doesn't, then pass up on the offer... the employer will soon get the message that they cannot employer Slave Workers at below the Market Rate for the job.

[estellyn]

agency work can sometimes lead to a full time permanent job. I had several jobs when younger that started out as agency work, but then I was offered a job by the employer. My husband also got his last job from doing agency work - he had about 3 months of odd hours here and there and then was given work where he impressed the employer and they interviewed him for the full time position. The benefit of the agency work, is that the employer has already seen how well you work.

 

Your housing and council tax benefit should get sorted out, and if you go onto income based JSA, will not stop unless the JSA stops.

[flumps1976]

If you are a sinlge person then the income disregard for part time work is £5 per week.

As the othes have posted part time work can lead to full time permanent work so if you enjoy what you are doing stick with, also if you give up the part time work you may face a sanction for giving up the job.

[san_d]

I started as a part timer and now I am full time, at least till Xmas.