So it actually WORTH the hassle and signing on?

[MrsWicket]

DH lost his job in the summer and (luckily) managed to walk more or less straight into a temp contract. This ended a couple of weeks ago and he hasn't been able to find anything else ? christmas coming, snow etc all not helping. It's the first time he's been made redundant and reluctant to sign on but is begining to wonder whether he should. Is it worth it? If he did would we get help with things like school meals or does the fact I'm still working cancel things like that out? Thanks, MW

If your partner is earning more than think 26K? -- one isn't entitled. That's what I was told as a wife. Bloody outrageous if it's only sahms affected and not sahhs.

bugger ? earn just over that. thought it would be the case. god I don't envy anyone having to go down this route ? I bet you're made to jump through hoops

He can get contribution-based jobseekers allowance of £65pwk even if you are a millionaire. If he's paid enough NI he's earned entitlement.

It will only last for 26 weeks though.

It wouldn't get you free school meals and he would have to sign on every fortnight.

i think you need to sign on . it is a way on contributing to your national insurance. if you dont sign on you ownt be contributing?

He should sign on and claim the JSA even if it is only for six months. As mention above, it means his NI contributions will be maintained. Also, if he is still out of work after 3 months, I think, he could be eligible for some free (re)training courses.

lol @ retraining courses. my arse.

after 6 months you get put on 'new deal' where someone half your age will tell you off for not finding a job yet, and offer you reiki sessions or maybe even 'work based training' (cleaning the canal for an extra £15 a week)

anyway. he should sign on for reasons stated - ni contributions, plus maybe other help depending on your earnings.

good luck

Its worth signing on - my DH was made redundan earlier in the year and found a new job within 3 months but signed on for 7 weeks in total. He hated going to the job centre every fortnight as it is in a horrible area full of your 'typical' lads who dont want to and have never worked. We reasoned that it was worth 20 mins of pain every 2 weeks for £65 a week as it counts towards your NI contributions and ultimately your state pension. I was and still am working and earn too much to get anything other than his Job Seekers Allowance, but it was still another £350 or so into the household bills. You can do the forms online and then have to go for an interview, and then every two weeks after that.

I hope he finds something soon.

seriosly I was told I could claim NOTHING DESPITE MY CONTRIBUTIONS

Well that's bollocks Appletrees! You can claim contribution-based for 6 months, then you go onto means-tested. So you'll get 6 months worth if nothing else.

My DW also hated going to the job centre for the same reasons as mentioned above. She also found the staff were not particularly helpful and she knew more about what she was entitled to than they did.

Hence my comment above about training courses. Though she had to fairly forcefully argue the case, she was eventually enrolled (for free) on to a computer course which gave her a recognised qualification at the end of it and further courses might have been available.

Fortunately though, a job came up before she had to go through the hassle of confronting the JC staff again.

PS. You can also claim travel costs for some of your vists to the JC, but you have to ask as that information wasn't volunteered.

that's really annoyed me.. prob too late as I have work now .. I'm going to phone and shout at someone

Thanks everyone. I did wonder about the NI stamp thing. As DH doesn't suffer fools gladly I fear blood my be shed when some spotty yoof tries to tell him he needs to 'retrain' when he's a fully qualified electrician with over 20 years experience...