Should I apply for UC or JSA

[kevintheorangecarrot]

Due to relocating to my husbands new job, I am no longer employed. Neither of us claim any benefits but my husbands income is not really enough to cover everything. It will be very tight! If I'm looking for work, is it worth going for contribution based JSA or UC as I have a toddler under 5. I want to work and I will be looking for work but what one will pay more?

Universal credit if you have a child I'd suspect.

A UC application would be a means tested household one so your husband and yourself would need to confirm ID etc and then a certain amount of his income taken into account to determine the monthly award. JSA contributions would be for you only and if your contributions record is satisfied you would get fortnightly JSA payments for up to 6 months at £146.20 per fortnight.

It depends whether your husbands income is high enough to mean you would get little or no UC. If this is the case then it would be more beneficial to claim contributions based JSA as that is non means tested and not affected by savings or your partners wages. Universal credit entitlement will depend on your rent, your age, your child's age etc.

Theres a new style job seekers that you can claim in this instance. It replaces the contribution based one, meaning you have to have so much ni contributions or credits. I think any way.