How To Approach Moving Off Benefits

Hello, my name's Lee Healey and I'm the managing director of Income Max, the entitlement experts. We help people to make sense of, and understand, the benefits in tax credit system. Today, we are going to tell you lots about the benefits and tax credits that are available.

Currently, the government is very keen to move people off of benefits like Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, and into work. There's lots of things for people to think about before actually doing this. Lots of people feel like they might be worse off by moving off benefits and into work.

So, what can you do if you're going to actually come off of benefits and move into work? And what are the things to think about? Well, first of all, there's lots of back to work help available to you if you've been on benefits like Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance, especially if you've been on it for sometime. For example, there might be help available for your rent. You might get the Housing Benefit that you've been getting currently for four weeks.

They call it Housing Benefit Run On. It's the same for Council Tax Benefit and there's also help with mortgage interest as well. So what you should do is try to find out if there is any help available to you when you actually come off benefits.

So what about when you've actually moved into work? Don't forget there are tax credits available. So you need to make sure that you are claiming the correct Child Tax Credit and possibly Working Tax Credit as well. Because, obviously, if you think about it, you've lost your benefit income potentially so you might want to think about replacing that with tax credits, especially if you're starting off on a low income.

It's important to recognize as well that Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit can still be claimed even if you've moved into work. Of course, they will look at your income to see if you're eligible for that but generally it is worth looking to see whether you can still get some help with your rent and your Council Tax. There's lots of other things to think about as well, especially if you're a disabled person.

If you are a disabled person who's getting benefits like Incapacity Benefit, Employment Support Allowance, or Income Support, they do have a scheme of permitted work. Now, what this is, is a way of you actually trying work out before you move off benefits in the first place. Something to think about as well is volunteering, for example.

With most benefits you are able to volunteer without it affecting your benefits at all. That can be a great way of getting into the frame of working and to try learning new skills before you actually lose your benefits. So, there are lots of things to think about when moving off benefits.

If you are a disabled person trying to come off benefits and into work, think about permitted work or volunteering as a possible option. If you've decided to actually make the jump off benefits and into work, make sure you check out your tax credits - Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. Don't forget to look into Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

And have a chance at a job censor as well just to see if there are any extra schemes or grants available that can help that transition from benefits into work. If you are really, really not sure then always seek some advice. Have a chat with the Citizens Advice Bureau or an independent advice center that understands benefits and can really help you understand how you can come off benefits and into work making this a long term, sustainable option for you.

So that's a quick guide of moving off benefits and into work. .