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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think my brothers abusing the system

95 replies

bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:33

or is he entitled to do this.

I will cut a long story short my brother late 30s, volunteered redundancy end of last year ( completely voluntary, so chose to be unemployed) and went travelling for a bit, he came back recently and i overheard him telling someone now its the new tax year he is going to claim new JSA as he can for 6 months as its not means tested (ie redundancy payment wont be taken into account), and probably just go off travelling again.

We have always been raised in a household where you work end of , and my mum is first to call anyone else for abusing the system ( my brother is the favourite so perhaps i'm being a bit bitter)

but i don't agree with this at all, I wasn't massively happy with him for making himself redundant from a decent job just because he felt like it ( i too have a decent job but the R word terrifies me ) I think decent jobs are hard to come by these days , and its not like hes in his 50s, he graduated during the credit crunch so took him a while to get such a good opportunity.

My parents are annoying me by saying oh well good for him hes entitled to it etc etc but I just know if it was me doing it they would be going mad

sorry rant over and feel free to tell me i should get my head out my #### and live a little.

OP posts:
SunshineOnARainyLeith · 09/04/2026 16:35

If he's on JSA he'd presumably have to be available for work and in the country.

cestlavielife · 09/04/2026 16:37

How much will he get on jsa? Really enough to save?
Who will house him?
If someone is happy to do that up to them.
He can bum around but life will catch up sooner or later.
His choice.

Lomonald · 09/04/2026 16:38

SunshineOnARainyLeith · 09/04/2026 16:35

If he's on JSA he'd presumably have to be available for work and in the country.

Yes this he will have to be available /look for work, it sounds like his ideas are all pie in the sky just let him get on with it.

Pinkissmart · 09/04/2026 16:39

YABU for thinking he shouldn’t have made himself redundant. If there were redundancies then he probably wouldn’t have been eligible for the package if he wasn’t on the firing line.

Yes he’s abusing the system. ‘Unethical’ does not always mean illegal, sadly

LaurieFairyCake · 09/04/2026 16:39

It’s about £80 a week, he’s paid tax and is entitled to it

Its not the right thing to be envious of, be more pissed off at the fact that you think your parents would treat you differently Flowers

Shinyandnew1 · 09/04/2026 16:39

Where is he living? He will be expected to go to the job centre and prove he’s applying for jobs. If he has interviews and is offered them, he will be expected to take the job and will be sanctioned if he doesn’t. I can’t imagine this will be the piece of piss he expects it to be.

LassiKopiano24 · 09/04/2026 16:40

Not really any of your business tbh

needapokerface · 09/04/2026 16:41

Just let your brother get on with it, there are rules for this new JSA, how many years you have paid NI for, how much you have in savings etc.

He will also have to attend meetings with his advisor prior to his payment being made not sure how he will do that when off travelling.

I would just sit back and watch (in a comfy seat with popcorn) as it should be a good show 😂

TillyToeTaps · 09/04/2026 16:43

@LassiKopiano24 Isn’t it the business of the person paying tax into the welfare system which is giving him JSA?

Viviennemary · 09/04/2026 16:43

Job seekers allowance is a total pittance and he's contributed in tax and NI which is more than a lot of benefit claimants do.

LastHotel · 09/04/2026 16:44

He didn’t really make himself redundant. That’s not what voluntary redundancy really means. It is possible he would have been made redundant anyway but on much less money. On JSA he will have to look for work, and it’s not much money at all.

LassiKopiano24 · 09/04/2026 16:44

TillyToeTaps · 09/04/2026 16:43

@LassiKopiano24 Isn’t it the business of the person paying tax into the welfare system which is giving him JSA?

It’s not his sisters business to judge him for taking redundancy or what he plans to do after. He doesn’t have a job so can apply for JSA just like the rest of us could, he isn’t breaking any laws as far as I can tell?

Rhaidimiddim · 09/04/2026 16:45

When I was on JSA I had to sign off on the one occasion I left the country, and wasn't paid for the time I was abroad.

Why don't you just trust the system to deal with him? It will apply the rules thst are in place, pay him the pittance that is JSA and insist he jump thru the required hoops before they even pay that.

And, you know, good for him for taking the chance to do something other than slog, before he gets too old.

Tillow4ever · 09/04/2026 16:47

Regarding the redundancy, it was likely that he got a better package by taking voluntary redundancy. If he hadn’t, he risked compulsory redundancy with probably a significantly lower package. So I wouldn’t judge him for that.

I can’t see that he will be able to claim benefits if he isn’t in the country, and I’m sure I’ve heard/read that for JSA you need to prove you’re applying for jobs pretty much 8 hours a day, basically treating it like a full time job in itself. If he’s going to be out of the country, I can’t see he will qualify.

I’d stay out of it to be honest. You are clearly not his biggest fan, so you’re looking for a reason to hate him. Likely because he was the golden child and you the scapegoat.

reportedly · 09/04/2026 16:52

Viviennemary · 09/04/2026 16:43

Job seekers allowance is a total pittance and he's contributed in tax and NI which is more than a lot of benefit claimants do.

This.

Mumsnet can be quite funny at times. Whenever someone mentions people having several children without a job, they are often told to quit benefit bashing. However, a person who has been employed for many years and likely contributed to taxes is made to feel ashamed for seeking help. JSA is also a mere fraction of what some families get each month.

SlowSloths · 09/04/2026 16:53

I claimed jsa when I was made redundant. It was recommended I do it for the National Insurance credits.

Original poster
bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:55

Tillow4ever · 09/04/2026 16:47

Regarding the redundancy, it was likely that he got a better package by taking voluntary redundancy. If he hadn’t, he risked compulsory redundancy with probably a significantly lower package. So I wouldn’t judge him for that.

I can’t see that he will be able to claim benefits if he isn’t in the country, and I’m sure I’ve heard/read that for JSA you need to prove you’re applying for jobs pretty much 8 hours a day, basically treating it like a full time job in itself. If he’s going to be out of the country, I can’t see he will qualify.

I’d stay out of it to be honest. You are clearly not his biggest fan, so you’re looking for a reason to hate him. Likely because he was the golden child and you the scapegoat.

I love him very much, I am perhaps a bit bitter as its not something I would be brave enough to do, and also worried as he had a really good job and I know how tough the job market is out there.

OP posts:
PurpleLovecats · 09/04/2026 16:55

I mean firstly, he took voluntary redundancy but had he not, may well have been made redundant anyway.

Secondly, on JSA he will have to attend d regular meetings IN PERSON and prove he’s applying for jobs.

So you could either mention this to him or sit back and watch it all fall apart while feeling smug.

You sound very bitter.

Original poster
bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:56

SlowSloths · 09/04/2026 16:53

I claimed jsa when I was made redundant. It was recommended I do it for the National Insurance credits.

by no means and I suggesting people in these situations aren't entitled after paying in, I just feel he is not making any effort to look for another job

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 09/04/2026 17:00

SunshineOnARainyLeith · 09/04/2026 16:35

If he's on JSA he'd presumably have to be available for work and in the country.

This is correct.

Lomonald · 09/04/2026 17:04

bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:56

by no means and I suggesting people in these situations aren't entitled after paying in, I just feel he is not making any effort to look for another job

Show quote history

Once he is on jsa he will need to, he sounds a bit insufferable about it, I would just ignore him.

youalright · 09/04/2026 17:04

bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:56

by no means and I suggesting people in these situations aren't entitled after paying in, I just feel he is not making any effort to look for another job

Show quote history

Well being on jsa will give him the kick up the bum he needs to get another job as he will have to look for work and show proof of it

stapletonsguitar · 09/04/2026 17:10

If he’s claiming JSA he has to be available to work, he can’t just fill the form in then bugger off to Thailand.

suki1964 · 09/04/2026 17:13

bhgnrpusbpilates · 09/04/2026 16:56

by no means and I suggesting people in these situations aren't entitled after paying in, I just feel he is not making any effort to look for another job

Show quote history

But here's the rub, you usually have to go sign on every two weeks and show proof of applying for work

During the banking crisis , when DH was spending months at a time out of work, he had to sign for his stamp, we got no money, just the NI credit. One week he totally forgot, he went the next day when he remembered and he got sanctioned . Luckily he started a new contract the following week

Silverbirchleaf · 09/04/2026 17:14

My dh attended meetings in person every two weeks when claiming. Even if he decided to go travelling inbetween, it won’t provide him with much money.

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