About to lose my job...... Entitled to JSA?

[Leicesterdave]

My job will terminate on the 12th March. My partner works FT but on £970/Month after tax. We're majorly worried, I have 3 interviews lined up but obviously no guarantee of employment.

We've no kids either. Are we entitled to JSA or similar? I can't see us needing it for more than 4-6 weeks (hopefully!!)

[Anonamoose]

As long as you didn't quit your job I think you're okay.

To on entitledto.org.uk (might be wrong but google entitled to and should come up) it will tell you what you can claim.

Good luck on the job hunt.

[Bisonhead]

Go to the job centre as soon as you can and put everything in motion. It can often take quite a while to get all the paperwork through. They also need to know the details of why you are leaving, when and what you are doing to find another job.

Hopefully you wont ever need to claim and you will get a job before then, but you just never know.

Always best to prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Also worth signing up for housing benefit as well. You really dont want to miss mortgage/rent payments...wont do you any favours mentally/emotionally.

Best of luck dude! I hope you bounce back quickly

ETA - I have been unfortunate enough to be in this situation twice in the last year...give me a PM and we cna chat about it offline if you'd rather

[Engineer1]

I'm in a similar situation I am at risk of redundancy - there is one person doing the job (me) and my current job will cease to exist replaced with a higher level job, so I either apply and get that role and a pay rise, or possibly another job in the company or end up with nothing.

[andy-xr]

Are you contract or full time PAYE?

How long have you been there?

Is it a redundancy process?

Are you working notice?

Check when your holiday period starts/ends to see whether you've accrued holiday (if PAYE) as you're entitled to that either in lieu or take it as part of the leaving process

The Jobcentre were really good to me when I went to see them. There's a discretionary £300 fund to help you find work over and above JSA/Housing/Council Tax payments that can be made. I used most of that for travelling to interviews, Jobcentre gave me a rail warrant which I took to the train station and they made it into a ticket. There is help there if you ask/look for it.

Edited by andy-xr on Wednesday 26th February 09:42

[GadgeS3C]

andy-xr said:

The Jobcentre were really good to me when I went to see them. There's a discretionary £300 fund to help you find work over and above JSA/Housing/Council Tax payments that can be made. I used most of that for travelling to interviews, Jobcentre gave me a rail warrant which I took to the train station and they made it into a ticket. There is help there if you ask/look for it.

The jobcentre can be very variable depending on the individual you deal with. Some will look down their highly capable and qualified nose at you, others are good people trying to help.

Don't expect them to know what's available to you. Do your homework and push back if they say no.

I had a period of JSA after redundancy and my adviser told me about the £300 allowance. I mentioned this to a friend in a similar situation and their adviser insisted nothing was available. I managed to negotiate them paying for quite an expensive qualification.

If you don't ask...

BTW - sorry to hear about your situation and good luck.

Edited by GadgeS3C on Wednesday 26th February 11:22

[Jonathan27]

Do you have much in savings? I was in the same situation back in 2008, and couldn't get JSA as I had savings above the freshold allowed by the rules. luckily I was in work agin a month later.

[MickC]

Jonathan27 said:

Do you have much in savings? I was in the same situation back in 2008, and couldn't get JSA as I had savings above the freshold allowed by the rules. luckily I was in work agin a month later.

Assuming you have been in work and paying your NI long enough, you should be eligible for 'contribution based' JSA even if you have savings over the threshold - only for 6 months though. Contribution based JSA does not automatically qualify you for other benefits like 'income based' JSA does either.

[andy-xr]

One other thing to mention about JSA, it's paid every fortnight and stops on the day you go back into work, which makes the first month a long one in money terms. Whatever you can save up for now will help when the jobseekers stops if you dont have savings to fall back on.

[Rude-boy]

MickC said:

Assuming you have been in work and paying your NI long enough, you should be eligible for 'contribution based' JSA even if you have savings over the threshold - only for 6 months though. Contribution based JSA does not automatically qualify you for other benefits like 'income based' JSA does either.

This.

G/f has had a few ups and downs workwise in the last few years with a number of short term employments and contracting. She has significant savings and I earn a fair bit more than your partner, but she was still entitled to basic contribution based JSA, even if it was minimal.

Don't forget that there are a number of very well hidden little extras you can also apply for such as a contribution towards the cost of new clothing for interviews and so on. If you are up against it you may wish to look at this.