job seekers allowance - help please

I'm sorry, I know nothing about Job Seekers. Pompey might be able to help though.

What a crummy situation to be in. Can you both get part time jobs on the side? Delivering Betterware catalogues? Avon? Working in a pub?

So you currently work (albeit lesser paid than your new job)?

I was thinking he may be able to top up with working tax credits if he earns below a certain amount but they would take your income into account too (same for JSA I would think) so I would have thought it would be unlikely he could claim extra.

Is there any reason he only works 14 hours a week?

He has a job so why would he get jobseekers? You might be able to get tax credits as a couple though, have you looked into that?

Hi zoomo, I'm not sure if I've misunderstood but jobseekers allowance is for people without a job not to top up people on a low wage. Have you looked at tax credits? They aren't just for families you can claim them if you're single or in a couple etc.

Also, tell me to stop being a nosy cow but why does your H only work 14 hrs a week? If you're struggling for cash could he pick up some bar work or shop work or something?

Believe me I know job hunting is hard, I was on jobseekers allowance and generally found the job centre useless!

Sure, I just always assumed it was for people with NO job though, even people on 40 hours a week could technically be looking for extra hours but that doesn't entitle them to JSA. Can you get it if you work part-time?

He only works 14hours -he was full time but he had to drop 3 days a week when he went to uni to do a masters course, when that finished his work couldnt give him anymore hours. he has been looking for work since august last year. his current employer said at the beginning of this year that they probable could give him extra hours but now they are saying no again.

he has applied for so manyjobs that its beyond a joke now. even tesco wont hire him because thye told him that with him having a masters degree he is over qualified for them and that even if they did give him a job he would leave once a better once came up. he has since removed from his cv his masters qualification.

he went into job centre last week to ask if they could print him off some jobs and the lady there told him that he maybe entitled to jsa because he works under 16 hours per week (apparently if you work over that you arent entitled to claim)

i am going to look at tax credits now and housing benefits etc.

thanks everyone xx

I think you can work 16 hours before you forfeit JSA. However, you get reduced benefit for any hours you do work. If Mr Zoomo is looking for a top-up, he would only be able to claim off two hours a week, and when he's earning £550 per month (where full JSA would be what? £250), it's unlikely he'd get anything.

That's so sad. What is this world coming to? I hope you get something sorted

What's the masters in?

JSA also "tops up" people who work part time, but it's not much. When I finished A Levels, I was only working part time for a month or so, and JSA topped it up until I got a full time job. It was only an extra £16 a week though.

Think the max you get is £46 a week, so if he's earning £550 a month already, he wont get anything.

You should be able to go onto the HB/CTB calculator on your local authority's website. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of help for couples without children as they're both means tested. I would offer to do a manual calculation of entitlement but the rates I have are applicable to the Portsmouth area and they could be different where you are [- JSA is only 71.70 per week and your partner is earning more than that even minus the CSA so they probably wont be able to award JSA.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Seeing couples like yourself struggle is the worst part of my job.