Redundancy, notice pay, JSA and the virus

[hammeringinmyhead]

I was made redundant yesterday after 13 years. The company went into administration and is now in liquidation. I am due 12 weeks statutory redundancy from the National Insurance Fund now and 12 weeks statutory notice pay in June.

I've been advised to apply for JSA as this will be deducted from my notice pay if I qualify. However, my son's nursery closes tomorrow. How am I supposed to prove I am jobseeking when everyone is losing their jobs as it is, offices are closed so no interviews, and I have no childcare for months? I just want the 2 lump sums.

Does anyone know if the 12 weeks statutory pay I should get now means I won't qualify for JSA anyway? This would save me a headache.

Claim contributions based job seekers universal credit the day after you are made redundant
Your redundancy money is not taken into account
Up to 30k tax free
Your Redundancy money & savings are not taken into account for a certain time period
Claim on www.gov.uk

Not an expert at this, but you can show that you are actively looking for work by creating a profile on websites such as Reed, updating your Linkedin profile to available (if applicable), emailing recruitment agencies with your CV and applying to online ads. You, me, Job Centre workers and your cat know that your chances of getting an interview right now are 1% and the chance of even getting a response is around 3%.

Its not whether you can actually get a job but whether you can show you are trying.

I'm sure any benefits office will be sympathetic to the lack of interviews/offers at the current time so long as you can show you're playing the game

"Does anyone know if the 12 weeks statutory pay I should get now means I won't qualify for JSA anyway?"

You are eligible for new-style JSA, it's not means-tested so your eligibility is not affected by the redundancy or notice pay (or by any other income or savings you have). You should apply immediately.

Universal credit is means-tested and eligibility will depend on several factors.

It's not back dated, so you need to apply asap

I have applied. It just seems ridiculous that I and they have to go through the 2 weekly rigmarole, with this virus, for the same money that the goverment could just give me as part of my notice pay in 12 weeks. I don't need it in weekly increments now as I will have my redundancy pay!

It's paid every 2 weeks. Not everyone qualifies for redundancy or notice pay, so consider yourself one of the lucky ones.

I'm sure the job centre work coaches will be understanding about the limited job searching you can do atm, with schools closed and most businesses closing or doing the minimum.

Basically, I don't want to be a jobseeker for 12 weeks. I want it to be as if I were working my notice for 12 weeks then starting to look towards the end of that.

Well tough.

Yes, I know that thanks. Half my company had under 2 years service so get nothing.

What are they going to say if I say I literally cannot start working until the nurseries re-open at an indeterminate time? I can't see it going down well.

Does it not seem mad to you that I'm taking up appointments that genuine jobseekers need?

And also, my notice pay will be taxable. More money back into the pot. I genuinely don't understand why I can't just defer the money to the end of my notice period.

Well everyone is in the same boat, all jobseekers including yourself will struggle to look for work (if they have kids to look after) and to find work. No one has to attend appointments atm anyway:
"People receiving benefits do not have to attend jobcentre appointments for at least 3 months, starting from Thursday 19 March 2020. People will continue to receive their benefits as normal, but all requirements to attend the jobcentre in person are suspended.
People can still make applications for benefits online if they are eligible."
From www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-support-for-employees-benefit-claimants-and-businesses

I've already told you that they will make allowances for the current situation. What more do you want me to say?

If you want the money you're entitled to, you have to claim it. It's really not that difficult a hoop to jump through. Claiming universal credit is more complicated because it's means tested. New style JSA is easy, all they check is your NI record.

"I genuinely don't understand why I can't just defer the money to the end of my notice period."

Because them's the rules.
If you want your money, play the game.
I can't believe you're insisting on moaning when all you have to do is fill in an online form and you're going to get 24 weeks pay in total!!

Maybe, after 24 hours in tears while looking after a toddler, wondering how I am going to afford full nursery fees while not working to keep his place until the economy stabilises and I can find something, I partly just wanted a vent. I should have stuck to AIBU.

Thanks to those who just gave me the info I needed.

You're welcome!

You can't really complain that the system doesn't work the way you want it to. No, you can't wait 12 weeks and get it backdated. No matter how much you would like it to, it doesn't work like that.

If his nursery is closing will they still charge?

I'm not sure why this makes such a difference to you?