AIBU to think that you can't be "too ill to work" but at the same time be receiving Job Seekers Allowance ?

[15stonelighter]

Surely if you're too ill to work (apparently experiencing several hard to verify complaints) then you would not be eligible for Job Seekers Allowance.

Do you not have to sign some sort of declaration of fitness to work (to be eligible for JSA) so then you can't ignore/turn down work opportunties because you're too ill to actually work ?

I'm not benefits bashing, I'm just trying to ensure someone isn't being exploited financially.

Oops didn't mean to enable voting.

I suppose the point I'm getting at is that if a person is genuinely "too ill to work" then they would be claiming a different type of benefit based on need for financial support because their illness is currently preventing them from working.

It’s what they do if, like a relative of mine, they have an illness that prevents them from working, in order to keep them in the system - the benefit just doesn’t have a different name. Once the person is able to look for a job again, they will be expecting more regular meetings with them and evidence of job applications Etc.

They do if they’re caught in the trap of genuinely being too ill to work, but being found fit to work by the ESA process.

Especially on a short term basis whilst getting themselves help to put in a new ESA application .

What do you mean by 'hard to verify'?

When you first apply for UC, you are on the basic element, but if you have sick notes then you do not have to look for work.

People get confused around the terminology of all of the different benefits types and requirements of entitlement so unless these are your benefits I wouldn't worry too much about what you have been told the benefit is called.

You can be too ill to work temporarily and get JSA. They will allow you three months. If you have an illness that last longer, then you should really be getting ESA instead. But it's all quite complicated and you should probably not try to navigate this yourself, OP.

What sort of hard to verify complaints are you meaning op?

Complaints include bad back, stress and anxiety.

JSA is £77 per week. You have to jump through hoops to get this paltry amount.

I could never ever imagine getting so worked up about someone else having to go through this.

PS watch I, Daniel Blake if you want to have an insight into how the benefits system works for people who are too I’ll to work but are expected the job seek

What's it got to do with you?

Presumably they have consulted a doctor about the above conditions?

Is the problem that you know they have these conditions but they can't evidence them? Or that you think they're making it up?

It’s very telling that you label this person’s health problems complaints. Not being listened to or believed can make people with chronic pain and mental health difficulties feel even more isolated. In turn, this can make them less likely to be able to return to the workforce.

If able to, most people would choose to have an income ( even a low income) rather than scrape by on job seekers allowance.

Or is this a cocklodger type situation?

This is quite similar to a cocklodger situation but a little different.

No GP consultation/evidence of bad back. anxiety or stress. All self-diagnosed.

They maintain they cannot contribute to household finances (beyond JSA which they spend on themselves anyway) as they are too ill to work but I'm sure that I read somewhere that you sign a declaration in respect of JSA claims stating that you are fit for work and commit to looking for work/keeping a record of your job-seeking efforts Their spouse however is on medication for high blood presssure and depression but manages to drag themselves out of bed daily and work in a reasonably well paid but stressful job. They have to in order to keep the family afloat financially although they do tend to crawl into bed of an evening and ignore housework in order have sufficient mental energy reserves for a full week of work.

The couple are divorcing and the spouse who is "too ill to work" is looking to be financially supported by their "soon to be ex" spouse after the divorce. I've pointed out the "too ill to work" spouse is telling the DWP that they're fit for work hence currently eligible for JSA but telling the court that they are too ill to work and need to be supported which seems dishonest.

You’re hopelessly outdated with anything you think you know about jsa

your last post makes you sound very manipulative

@SomePosters

I can only apologise for being "hopelessly outdated" in respect of knowledge of JSA but IMHO the person being manipulated here is my friend.

I felt ashamed of the DWP's systems when I watched "I, Daniel Blake", the feeling of utter despair caused by the benefits system. My friend's spouse has claimed JSA before and made no effort to seek any work at all but was never sanctioned, perhaps covid was a factor. It just seems at odds with the stories of how onerous the whole benefits claim system is portrayed elsewhere.

I'm trying to help my friend who is being utterly ground down by the situation they are currently in, that's all.

AFAIK you need to be "actively" looking for work to get JSA. But that just means applying for any old thing so you have something to show the job centre.

This divorce will not lead to spousal maintenance.

The issues will be child support and adequate housing.

there is no such thing as jsa and hasn’t been for some years

if you are so convinced she is being fraudulent then report her, what else are you imagining to do, turn private detective and follow her round looking for proof.

Universal credit don’t make life easy for those who have to claim it while actively looking for work.

You don’t need to step down from your high hill and sully yourself with making life difficult for benefit claimants, the system is waaaaay ahead of you.

If your friend can afford spousal maintainance then he can afford a lawyer to ensure his divorce is dealt with fairly

Job seekers allowance is no longer a thing. It is all universal credit and you get a different amount depending on circumstances

Hi OP,

The claimant could very well be getting JSA instead of UC if they're still on legacy benefits as not everyone has changed over yet. To claim this, they will likely have to be showing that they're actively looking for work BUT this isn't checked as well as it should be.
Unless your friend earns hundreds of thousands of pounds, and the claimant is a stay at home parent whilst claiming JSA then spousal maintenance is highly unlikely.
Are there any children in the mix?

That's untrue. Some people are still on legacy benefits and not everyone has moved to UC yet.
At no point has the OP bashed benefit claimants and came here to seek advice for her friend, who on the surface has been working hard despite being unwell to keep the family afloat. If it were my friend who was potentially being treated like this, I would absolutely want to check the facts and help as much as I could.

Isn’t contribution based JSA now ‘new style JSA’? So still around for some people.

There is employment and support allowance (contribution based) or uc (income based) however that is for longer term illness/disability.

Not sure of the current rules but it used to only be for if the reason for your impairment was likely to last 6 months or more. Under that it's jsa/uc depending on which you are eligible for