Jobseekers allowance - is it ok to wait with making a claim?

[annakendrickcanbuggeroff]

Hello, I have a couple of questions with regards to claiming jobseekers allowance after being made redundant. Can you delay claiming and if so - how long for?

My company decided to get rid of me after 9 years of service and I am considering all my options atm.

I know I will be entitled to JSA but my question is - can I NOT claim it straight away? My idea is to use some of the redundancy money to cover my expenses, rent the house out so I can pay my mortgage and go to my home country, where I can live rent free for a couple of months, and look for work there. Also, I will have the support of my parents with regards to childcare and I do not have that luxury here, as I am a single mum and dad basically offers no real help.

At the same time, I do not want to cut my ties with the UK and move back to my home country permanently - I spent half of my life in the UK, have friends and own a house here.

I was thinking that If I don't find a suitable job in my home country, I will at least get a breather from being a full-time mum and working at the same time... tbh I am drained and this redundancy is - in a way - happening in the right time.

I think that realistically I'd want to come back to the UK within a year, year and a half and I would take any job available then, but I might need to claim JSA just to survive for the first couple of weeks/months if still unemployed.

The whole idea behind it is to be independent financially and live without any benefits - I don't really want to claim JSA if I don't have to. I am in the middle of applying for the British citizenship and I am afraid that being on benefits can mess things up for me.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

If you rent out your house you need to fill out a self assessment tax form via HMRC website as this is classed as income and you may need to pay tax or declare you are below the tax threshold. Job seekers allowance or Universal credit is contributions based, so if you haven't worked in the previous year you may not be entitled to any benefits, especially if you were not living in the UK. Look at gov.uk website.

I would suggest getting this question moved to the Money section where you would probably receive more replies
or
Ask the same question in Money matters section

Just walk Into a job centre office and ask someone..I think there are two types of JSA but laws are changing yearly lately. If you leave for too long especially with brexit laws coming into place it's a gamble!

Just make sure you're on the right side of the law because a mistake of not telling HMRC or jobseekers people of your rental income can jeopardise your citizen application as you need to be of good character to be Approved for citizenship.

You will get 6 months contributions based jsa.
After that it will Be means tested