Voluntary or Compulsory redundancy?

[saintpeta]

Can I get income support or job seekers allowance if I accept voluntary redundancy? What if I apply for voluntary redundancy and don't get it and they redeploy me somewhere else in the company? I don't want to go back there to work. I am off sick at the moment and intend to be off sick until a decision is made (its because of them I am off sick) but I don't want to be fired and get nothing! This is like a complicated chess game and I think I am running out of moves....can anyone help?? I need to make a decision this week

Are you married saintpeta? I was made redundant whilst on maternity leave and found I can't claim any benefits because I'm married and i can't work full time hours (I was working 15hrs/wk before) To get jsa you now have to be able to work 40hrs a wk starting in 48hrs notice. Quite how anyone is expected to find a nursery place for two children in 48hrs is beyond me...

I think I'm right in saying that if you take voluntary (as opposed to compulsory) redundancy you may not be eligible for JSA for up to 26 weeks - see this link - after this JSA would be income-based (as opposed to based on your NI conts) so would take into account your savings (including any redundancy payment), partners income etc before you get anything

If they offer you an alternative suitable post & you refuse to take it your company could then refuse to pay redundancy (as you declined a suitable job & therefore effectively resigned)

I would seek advice from your union - or CAB if not a member of a union.

Yes Betsy, that's what they said to me. If an alternative job had come up (which didnt as it happened) and I had turned it down I wouldn't have got redundancy payout. Contacting your CAB is definitely good advice