What’s it like being on JSA at the moment?

[spookysoul]

my main concerns are the regular appointments when I have 2 young kids at home and no childcare as I’ve lost all my free hours, and being penalised for not applying for/taking a job if the hours don’t work for me. I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle.

Contributions based?

If it's income based surely you'd be straight on to UC if you have kids.

Yes contributions, don’t qualify for anything else

I claimed JSA last year after being made redundant.

Most of the appointments were phone ones. I think I had to go into the job centre twice, maybe three times... But I think I probably could have asked for all but the first one of those to be via the phone.

They didn't try to make me take jobs that weren't suitable - as in, they weren't like 'take any job you can get'. They were very respectful of my qualifications, that I had more knowledge of my sector, etc. I just had to explain what jobs I'd applied for, where I was in the application process, etc.

Good luck!

That’s really good to know! Hopefully I can get phone appointments, although I understand the first one needing to be in person.

DH is currently on contribution-based JSA. So far all his appointments have been in person despite the fact he’s recovering from a broken ankle, on crutches and was in a cast at first. The Job Centre here is in a ridiculous location 20 minutes walk from a bus stop - luckily he was able to get a lift.

They’ve been really nice and supportive, but I don’t love that they keep making him go in person.

Are you sure you've lost free hours? There's is a grace period I discovered. How long depends on where i. Your validation cycle it falls I think.

I had to go in person every two weeks. You also can't go abroad (I'd booked before j lost my job and would lose more money cancelling it).

I am frankly staggered about how easy it is. I started keeping a spreadsheet of my applications and results, they've never even asked. Only phone calls every two weeks, no visits. Suggested a couple of job sites to me. Now they're sending me on an interview skills coaching session.

That’s a good idea. I hope I can keep it as phone calls so I don’t have to keep trying to make arrangements for the kids

Yes I’m sure of that, it’s all been looked at, and it’s school/nursery holidays now anyway.
I am hoping they will be ok with just doing phone appointments after the initial one if I explain my limitations to them

In-person appointment every two weeks. Allowed to take kids with me. It varies job centre to job centre - some do in-person, others permit telephone. I had to provide the list of jobs I’d applied for every appointment. I was given a 4(?) week “grace period” where I was permitted to only apply for jobs in my field, after that I was expected to apply for anything and everything. I was exempted from applying for jobs on Sundays as we have no Sunday public transport here - it didn’t matter that I’d have no childcare on a Saturday as DH works then, if I could get to a job I was expected to apply for it.

If the intention is to stop people claiming benefits, I can see it could be successful. If it weren’t for the NI credits not a chance would I have gone through the process for a whole £92 a week.