Rant about Jobseekers Allowance...

[MrsBojangles]

Was notified by work a couple of weeks ago that my hours will be reduced to 12-15 h per week with leading to redundancy on 15 December.

So reading up on jobseekers allowance I though, cool I can sign up as I work less than 16 h a week. Went there, filled in lots of forms, had my jobcentre plus interview etc.

Got letter this morning stating that they can'[t pay me because 'you have more money coming in than the law ays you need to live on'

WTF!?! Helloooo... to be able to work I have to pay childcare, but that's obviously not taken into account! rant rant rant

Still can in to sign up every 14 days to potentially get NI credits. However as my status will change to unemployed soon it looks I'll have to go through the whole procedure again. ARGH.

Rant over thanks

is the childcare not taken into account with the tax credits instead??? I know that if you earn a certain amount then the job seekers dont pay you but you are entitled to free prescriptions etc as it is under 16hrs.

wouldn't tax credit top up your reduction on wages..?

way to lay you off just before xmas though..

ah but I don't qualify for tax credits because dh earns to much

Boss hasn't got much choice but to lay me off. No work and company going down the gurgler

Relocating in February anyway so not too annoyed with boss, but jobcentre... argh

went to sign in/up today and they handed me a part-time job to apply for... which is so NOT within my framework and field of expertise... my faith in the jobcenter has yet again not been strengthened

without wishing to be horribly controversial - jobseekers allowance is there for people who need a buffer while they are searching for work. if your partners wages exceed tax credit amounts, there is an expectation that he would support you when you are not working.

There are two types of JSA - one that is based on income (JSA income based) that you wouldn't qualify for based on your part time income, and once you finish work, your partners income. the other is contribution based, available to everyone regardless of savings or income who has paid enough contributions over the last two tax years, but dependant on being less than the set amount ( + £10) if you're working less than 16 hours a week. if you have savings over £16,000 you wouldn't qualify for the income based type of JSA, even if you were working less than 16 hours and earning less than the amount applicable to your age. these are teh bare bones - it is a complex benefit to administer.

jobcentres do tend to get the crappier end of the job market. if you're specialised in your career field you may be better advised to try internet based job search.

it is worth continuing to sign for 'credits' - this is important regarding your state pension and future entitlement to contribution based benefits. depending on your future circumstances, it's worth claiming contribution based JSA once your current employment ends. particularly if you have a mortgage. this expires after 6 months and you would then go on to claim income based JSA - without wishing to worry you needlessly, your husband may well have very secure employment - but you could find yourself with neither of you working - in which case the move to income based JSA could help with mortgage payments.

hope this helps a little. try not to be too disheartened with attending the job centre - and wishing you luck in your job search.

persephosnaps... I appreciate your view, however I hold the view... I've paid in for nearly 15 years so am 'entitled' to a little bit back. It's not as if I want to be on it indefinitely, I love to work. And as for internet search engines.. I'm on all of them

Just find it a bit 'unfair' that they do not consider my outgoings for childcare. Granted my dh can 'carry' both of us, however why should I pay out more on childcare than I earn? So really if they base my 'allowance' on my pat-time (less than 16h) income then they really should allow for childcare cost Otherwise how can I work and live? or why should my dh be 'penalised' for me wanting to work? Not sure whether I'm making sense here LOL

appreciate your view entirely mrs bj (sorry!) it's not really my view, more the official view. thing is, it is meant to be a subsistance level, so if you have more coming in than the subsistance, it cancels out the benefit.. i fully appreciate that you wouldn't give up your established childcare because you're not working, because decent childcare is bloody difficult to get, you wouldn't disrupt the kids care because you're not working for a while and hope to get work again soon.

you should get contribution based JSA after you stop your part time work ( incidentally, if you get holiday pay or pay in lieu of notice, you won't get JSA for the period that represents - eg 2 weeks holiday pay owed means no JSA for two weeks.

again, good luck with the job hunt. if you get any problems with the contributory JSA once you claim, do post again and i'll try to advise.

do you work for the job centre?????

sadly yes. 19 years. I'm one of the nice ones. honest!

I currently do specialist decisions on jobseekers allowance - things like self employed/second properties/etc. i do the benefit side of things rather than the job broking/job club new deal type of thing. happy to give general advice, point people towards regulations etc. feel free to ask. If i don't know something, i can find out. I have some income support knowledge as well, a bit rusty, but i know where to look etc.

Thanks Persephone ... may I also ad after having met a few of the jobcenter staff you're very eloquent and well spoken can ya tell I'm in a mean mood today???