JSA, Contribution V Income based

[Allanv]

I was talking to a friend that has lost his job, now he goes to the job centre and claims JSA but was advised to get contribution based JSA.

All well and good.

But it seems because he has had a job for a few years and paid into the system he is not entitled to free prescriptions or dental or a whole lot of assistance, but it seems if you get income based JSA you get every bit of help you require.

So looking at the gov website for benefits it seems if you have never worked you get the full state help but if you have paid in then you get next to nothing.
Failure rewarded again.


Or am I missing something.

[Trax]

It's great. Happened to me when I was made redundant a few years ago, as I had worked for nearly 20 odd years, I got paid contributary jsa (I.e based on the contributions you make intothe system). This means you just get the money, no free dental, presriptions, help to insulate the loft etc, you also stop getting anything after six months.

Income based is based on what income you have coming into the house, and is indefinate and comes with free extras, and don't have to ever have worked, or particulary have any intention of ever doing so.

After six months I received nothing, as the missus worked.


(any typos due to iPhone and stubby fingers!)

[Famous Graham]

Just get him to stay out of work for 6 months - he'll switch to income-based JSA after that anyway

[singlecoil]

Famous Graham said:

Just get him to stay out of work for 6 months - he'll switch to income-based JSA after that anyway

As long as his wife doesn't work, if she does he will get fk all.

[RizzoTheRat]

...or £16k in the bank

[Famous Graham]

RizzoTheRat said:

...or £16k in the bank

If you've got 16k in the bank, the only reason you should be signing on is to keep up your NI.

[Allanv]

Looking at the website again there is no difference between the payments ie £64.30 per week either income or contrabution based so why no assistance with dental or scripts?

Weird.

[Famous Graham]

Allanv said:

Looking at the website again there is no difference between the payments ie £64.30 per week either income or contrabution based so why no assistance with dental or scripts?

Weird.

It actually goes up in April to 65.45. Woo.

[Engineer1]

Allanv said:

Looking at the website again there is no difference between the payments ie £64.30 per week either income or contrabution based so why no assistance with dental or scripts?

Weird.

Because contribution based covers anyone out of work looking, Income based is a safety net and only pays if you are poor enough. By poor enough under 16K in the bank minimal household income, the assistance is because dental fees etc can eat up you £64.30 very quick. I was on the dole for 10 months or so, after 6 months I got nothing as my wife earns too much despite the fact that we where seriously tight on our household budgets.

[Dave_M]

Engineer1 said:

Allanv said:

Looking at the website again there is no difference between the payments ie £64.30 per week either income or contrabution based so why no assistance with dental or scripts?

Weird.

Because contribution based covers anyone out of work looking, Income based is a safety net and only pays if you are poor enough. By poor enough under 16K in the bank minimal household income, the assistance is because dental fees etc can eat up you £64.30 very quick. I was on the dole for 10 months or so, after 6 months I got nothing as my wife earns too much despite the fact that we where seriously tight on our household budgets.

Yup, as said JSA(C) is naturally based on previous conts as opposed to JSA(IB) which is determined by need (according to the criteria). This means that JSA(IB) is highly likely to be more valuable to recipients. If people have savings then they are not 'in need' and hence income related benefits are decreased/nilled. I've been out of that world for some years now but the IB varient may also passport to other benefits.