Jobseeker’s Allowance

[Lentilcakes]

Are any of your DCs (recent grads mainly) applying for JSA? He doesn’t qualify for UC currently, but I know it’s more of a palaver getting JSA as in having to apply for ‘any old job’.

He is making an effort to apply but there’s only so many grad/starter jobs on the market, I know he doesn’t want to start applying for retails/hospitality yet, he’s done it before although he’d prob do a couple of shifts a week to keep him afloat financially and mentally (although he hated working in the last pub he was in).

Well regardless of what he wants to do, he needs to suck it up and apply for non grad jobs and earn his own money like all the rest of us did! Do you really believe JSA is preferable? It’s not there to support him landing his dream job it’s there so people with no job and no fridge full of food at mum’s house can eat and have lights on. 18 months I was at a fast food joint after graduating in the last recession. It didn’t cross my mind to sponge off the state - and parents were dead so no support there either.

The job market isn’t hospitality/bar or graduate jobs…

so why can’t be look for a different job?

JSA was incorporated into UC so unless its new style JSA he's claiming he wouldn't be eligible.
New style JSA depends on his ni record.

What excludes him from claiming UC?

Not all mum's have the money to support an extra adult in the house or have a fridge full of food.

I think I would encourage him to get any job at the moment. Employers do seem far more favourable towards people who are already employed rather than those claiming benefits.

It much be hard him not having a Graduate Job yet but he does need to work to show that he has a good work ethic.

Im assuming he’s been applying for Graduate jobs since last September when lots get released. How far is he getting on in the process? Is he applying then not hearing anything or applying, getting interviews and then not being successful?

Which is why he should be applying for everything he can.

Personally I would let him claim. It’s only a few hundred quid a month, but unless it’s changed since I last had to claim it, he has to prove he’s looking for work anyway. If anything, the hassle from the job centre should be enough encouragement to get a job? Cos if he’s not seeking, they’ll sanction him and he won’t get his “free” money anyway

And has anyone else got Jobseeker by Sleaford Mods going through their head now?

he has to have paid NI in tax years 23-4 and 24-5 to be paid new style JSA. So that shows work ethic. They may let him claim credits only (no money but cover for pension) but he’d still have full job search.

If the reason that he can’t claim UC is being a full time student the same applies to JSA. If it is having more than £16,000 presumably he can live on that and have more choice in what he applies for. The only other UC thing could be immigration.

Oh give it a rest, he'll have to work until he's 90 for no state pension to pay off his student loan because he didn't get a free degree.

I think he should claim whilst also job hunting, he'll probably have a job before any 'free' money kicks in then spend the rest of his life being a contributor.