unemployment benefit

I was unemployed for a week a few years ago and I was told I could have £55 or so a week JSA. I don't think you get any more if your husband earns over £14k a year -ish.

I don't have any kids though so I don't know about that side of things I'm afraid.

Thanks Doughnut. I guess I need to call the jobcentre or something, I have literally no idea what to do. It doesn't help that my stupid sodding work STILL appear to be unable to send me a P60. Despite telling me they had, twice, and accuse me of lying when I said I hadn't got it. Tw@ts

I was in exactly the same position as you, made redundant on ML. I called the jobcentre and they went through all the details over the phone and made me an appointment with my local centre. I went in for an interview, which too approx 1 hour, and they made arrangements for me to sign on. I got the standard jobseekers allowance (£60 odd every fortnight) and for that had to sign on every 2 weeks and keep a diary of my efforts to find work. You might be entitled to the minimum tax/family credits, worth completing the form just to find out, although dealing with them is an absolute minefield of frustration, incompetence galore.

Mrs B, don't quote me on this but I think you might be able to claim income support rather than JSA as you're at home looking after dependants. It's the same amount £64.30 a week but the criteria are slightly different and obvioulsy you don't have to be looking for work, signing on every 2 weeks etc.

The job centre website is quite useful, also try the CAB.

Hope you get it all sorted

Yeah, you have to have very low earnings if your a couple if your on IS. Job seekers allowance is what you can claim at 60 odd a week.

WEES re income support - my Dad got it when we were kids as he was unemployed and living without a partner. If you partner earns over £14k a year (ish) then you won't get anything as far as I remember from my week out of work.

Hope you find something soon. What a stressful time.

I am currently out of work and when I called the job centre they said as I am a single parent with a young child I was better off gettin gincome support that JSA. I admit that cynically I thought it was because then I didnt appear on the governments unemployed figures but as others have said I assume it is really so that I do not ha eto go and sign on or prove that I am looking for work...

Looks like I'll get sod all then as MrB earns over 14k. I think what we earned together last year means we won't get anything by way of child tax credit either.

that money's all spent though. so it looks like I have to run my savings down to nothing so we can eat. MrB's salary covers only the mortgage and a couple of the bills. I cover the rest and all our food and clothes and everything else in between. so heaven help us if our washing machine blows up/car breaks down as we won't have anything left for emergencies.

You're better off if you just spend spend spend, aren't you? savers get penalised all the time.

Looks like I'll get sod all then as MrB earns over 14k. I think what we earned together last year means we won't get anything by way of child tax credit either.

that money's all spent though. so it looks like I have to run my savings down to nothing so we can eat. MrB's salary covers only the mortgage and a couple of the bills. I cover the rest and all our food and clothes and everything else in between. so heaven help us if our washing machine blows up/car breaks down as we won't have anything left for emergencies.

You're better off if you just spend spend spend, aren't you? savers get penalised all the time. And it's even worse if you live in the south east - mortgages here are so so exorbitant. we downsized to the tune of 100k when I had children and we are still paying through the nose - most of MrB's salary goes on it and he's earning what would be considered a decent wage... for a 3 bed semi.

sigh...

Also the CTC lot say I owe them 90 quid for last year's 'overpayment' despite the fact I didn't get a penny from them last year. Go figure...

MrsB, I think you will still qualify for contribution-based JSA (roughly £60 a week), provided you have been paying National Insurance. MrB's income will have nothing to do with your claim.

There is a form you can complete online (think you can access it via Direct.gov) - the Job Centre then call you back within a couple of days, go through more questions, then you'll most likely need to go to your nearest Job Centre to fill in the paperwork/arrange your signing on day.

This is based on what my mum had to do last year, so is fairly current.

Best of luck x

Mrs B - have you looked on

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

it might help you as it calculates it for you.

Re the JSA, it might be best to make an appointment to see them at the job centre. I was also made redundant on mat leave and I was not entitled to JSA because we had some savings, so do be aware of that.

Have you made sure you are getting all the redundancy pay they should be paying you?

No thats not true you will be able to claim JSA. There are TWO types of JSA. (1) income based and this is the part where your husband has to earn less than 14k/works more than 24hrs etc. so N/A for you (2) Contribution based, this mean they will look at your NI contributions over the last two years and as long as you have payed the minimum qualifying amount then you will be able to claim £64.50 a week. You do need to be actively looking for work and you need to show them them what you have done to apply for jobs fortnightly.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Employedorlookingforwork/DG_10018757

I'm not sure about JSA, IS etc but if you will be earning less than last year your TC claim can be worked out on an estimated salary for this year.

Also, I'm pretty sure that redundancy money doesn't count as income (or only what you get over £30k might be), but it might be worth ringing the TC helpline.

The bit in bold above is definitely correct, so it can be calculated for this current tax year on your H's salary only.

Definitely have a look on www.entitledto.com and enter the figures of your H's salary & put yours as £0.00. Unless your H earns over £45k (I think) then you'll definitely be entitled to *something*.

Good luck ?

I was told I could get JSA or Income Support, I believe Income support is paid weekly and JSA fortnightly and with JSA I believe you have to go into the jobcentre more often. You may still get child tax credit.

When I was out of work, I clamined Income support, I got child tax credits still and free prescriptions, dental treatment, but I'm classed as a single Mum as I'm not married.