Redundancy Help - How to claim Jobseeker's Allowance

Contact your local Jobcentre Plus as soon as you can to discuss the assistance they can give you in finding a new job, the benefits that are available to you and to use the other services and information available.

For your nearest Jobcentre Plus you can look under Employment Service in the business numbers section of the telephone directory, or check out their website http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is for people who are available and looking for work.

To receive this benefit, you will need to discuss with a personal advisor, usually every 2 weeks, when you are available for work and what you are doing to find a job.
You will be asked what kind if work you are looking for, where you are able to work and the hours you want to work.
If you have paid enough National Insurance contributions in the past, you may be able to get contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance.
If your income and savings are below a certain level, you may be able to claim income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

When you visit the Jobcentre have the relevant documentation ready so that things can move swiftly on. You will need

Your P45 tax form (from your former employer) to allow the jobcentre to calculate your tax position.
There may be a refund waiting!
Your P60 certificate for pay, tax and national insurance contributions (from your former employer)
Your national insurance number.
Payslip.
Any correspondence from the social security office.
If you are making a benefit claim for your partner, have his/her national insurance number with you.

If you decide to claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you will be given an appointment for an interview together with a claim form which you should complete and bring along to the interview. Or you can call 0800 055 6688

Your personal advisor will help you with the completion of the forms if necessary

At the interview an Employment Service Adviser will go through and explain the rules and requirements governing Jobseeker's Allowance and will check that you have given all the information required on the claim form.. You will be able to discuss with the adviser the kind of work that you are looking for and the best ways to go about finding it. The adviser will be able to give you information about training and other opportunities.

In the light of this discussion, you and your adviser must agree a Jobseeker's Agreement which you both must sign.

If you and your adviser can not agree on the contents of the agreement a third person will be called. If there is still no agreement then you can appeal.
Without a Jobseeker's Agreement you will not be able to claim JSA.

If you require any special arrangements for the interview, such as a private room or an interpreter, then let the Jobcentre Plus know as soon as possible.

Normally you must visit the jobcentre every two weeks to confirm that you are still entitled to JSA. This is also an opportunity to discuss how your job hunting is going and get any further assistance that you might need. In addition to this you must also come in for more detailed meetings at regular intervals.


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"Independent Redundancy Help" - Established since 2000

How to go about claiming Jobseeker's Allowance