Question for UK guys regarding Unemployment Benefit

[antibes]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I have been unemployed for 2 years and am claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Not that I would tell them, but if they found out I had 'earned' £8,000 in those 2 years through poker and blackjack - could I be prosecuted?

Am I doing the double?

I am allowed to have £8,000 in savings.

If someone won £8,000 on the lottery, I don't think they would do anything.

[cheekymonkey]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I have been unemployed for 2 years and am claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Not that I would tell them, but if they found out I had 'earned' £8,000 in those 2 years through poker and blackjack - could I be prosecuted?

Am I doing the double?

I am allowed to have £8,000 in savings.

If someone won £8,000 on the lottery, I don't think they would do anything.

I am definitely no expert on this, but if you go here and then move down to What to do if your circumstances change it clearly states that if you don't report a change in circumstance you could lose your benefit.

So, the ball is in your court.

[vinylweatherman]

It depends on whether you are a "professional gambler", or just someone who got lucky.
There is no doubt that the change in savings as a result has to be declared as a change of circumstance.
Poker might be viewed differently, as it is recognised as a profession, however, in the recent court case against the Gutshot club, it was ruled that poker was a game of luck with an element of skill, and thus is just a form of gambling.
Many people on benefits buy lottery tickets, do the football pools, etc - it is when they win enough to move them from one means tested category to another that benefits can be affected. For jobseekers allowance, availability for work is aoe of the main criteria. If poker play restricts your ability to be available for work, this will have to be declared, and you should then change the claim to income support (as you are then "self employed" as a poker pro!)

I am on incapacity benefit & an early pension. I too have kept an eye on these matters, however availablity for work is not a criteria. If I became a poker pro, I would have to declare that I was self employed and relinquish my claim. There are ways around this for certain types of work.

The most reasonable solution for this problem would to be to declare savings have exceeded £8000, and if asked, say you had a one off big win "gambling". See if there is anything you need, say for the house, car, that can bring savings below the critical £8000. If you are really good at poker & keep winning, might as well try going "pro" and see if you have got what it takes.
If the wins were Blackjack, you should have no problem as this is legally a game of chance rather than an occupation. You could also try phoning the benefits helpline anonymously to check up on the regulations before committing yourself.

[mitch]

Antibes

Money won through gambling is not regarded as Income for benefit purposes or tax purposes.

However if you retain the money as savings then it contributes to your available capital which causes your benefit to start reducing, if you are in receipt of an Income assessed benefit, once a certain level is reached.

Vinyl's Incapacity Benefit is not subject to this Capital Rule as it is a Contributory Benefit.

If someone won a million on the lottery and didn't spend it immediately they would lose entitlement to Income based benefits.

Mitch

[antibes]

Thanks, but I have no intention of telling them I have been making £80 a week on poker and blackjack.

I was just wondering if I did, would they stop my £57 a week Job Seekers Allowance or reduce it.

Comparing if I won £80 a week from the National Lottery.

[antibes]

Think I've just repeated what I said in the OP!

[mitch]

Thanks, but I have no intention of telling them I have been making £80 a week on poker and blackjack.

I was just wondering if I did, would they stop my £57 a week Job Seekers Allowance or reduce it.

Comparing if I won £80 a week from the National Lottery.

No to all those questions!

Mitch

[GrandMaster]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I have been unemployed for 2 years and am claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

Not that I would tell them, but if they found out I had 'earned' £8,000 in those 2 years through poker and blackjack - could I be prosecuted?

Am I doing the double?

I am allowed to have £8,000 in savings.

If someone won £8,000 on the lottery, I don't think they would do anything.

If you are in Ireland, as it says in your profile, how come you are claiming UK benefits?

[dealer wins]

Mitch is 100% correct antibes. I have in the past claimed "means tested" benefits and have asked this question directly to my benefit adviser. I was advised that any winnings or losses from gambling are not included in your total income and are disregarded for benefit qualification calculations.

[antibes]

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't want to ask them in case they stopped my benefit.

Feel a lot easier now.

I'm in Belfast.