Payment of Job Seekers Allowance

[Joannef]

I've been trying to find out on the Job Centre and Direct website but I can't find the answer.

I was made redundant suddenly on the 12th January and my claim for JSA started on the 16th January. I understand that the first three days don't count so I assume that I should start to receive JSA from the 19th? Should I have received any JSA by now? I received a letter saying that it will be paid fortnightly but I just wondered how long it takes to set up as there are no details in the letter saying when the first payment would be.

Thanks.

[dancingmeggy]

Hiya may be worth you ringing the processing number for your area (JC will give you the number if you ask em) and they can give you a rough estimate as to when payment will be made, I do know that some places are having to wait up to a fortnight/three weeks for payment as the current climate means that some areas are extremely busy,if this is the case some of the JCs are suggesting people claim a crisis loan to keep them going until the payment is due. But your JSA once paid will cover the weeks from when you made the claim. Hope this helps

[lee316]

Hi Joanne, the first and last time I claimed JSA I had to wait about four months before I got any money. They do back pay it though. Their excuse was they had high number of claimants. That was about four years ago. In todays situation I dread to think what waiting time would be. And than I was only entitled to nine months of benefit, as apparently I didn't have enough NI contributions, even though I've been employed since leaving school.
Luckily I've found another job before benefits stopped.
Sorry to sound grim, just be prepared in case of a long wait.
Good luck.

[floss2]

I think you should get a letter telling you how much & from when, also the date of your first payment.

As an aside, I wonder if Royal Mail will need to take on more staff to handle the extra mail produced by DWP & JSA claims?

[Joannef]

Thanks for all the replies. It's the first time that I've been unemployed since 16 so I wasn't too sure of the procedure! If I don't receive anything by Thursday/Friday then I'll give them a chase up.

[MIMI123]

Have you signed on yet? Normally the payment is generated once you sign on at the job centre.

[Joannef]

Originally Posted by MIMI123

Have you signed on yet? Normally the payment is generated once you sign on at the job centre.

I've signed on once and have to sign on again this Friday.

[CCFC_80]

Joanne, I have had to make a recent claim for JSA and after signing on, on the 5th Of Jan I did not hear anything until 30th Jan with the money backdated. They have a huge backlog at the moment with many people signing on for the first time in their lives. Keep phoning the enquiry number every day and find out what is happening and this will speed the process up.

[mvengemvenge]

Originally Posted by Joannef

I've signed on once and have to sign on again this Friday.

JSA is paid in arrears, so you may well receive 2 weeks money after you've signed.

When you sign, ask the signing clerk to check on the screen that your benefit is definitely in pay.

[ovenreadywombat]

Hi joannef
When you sign on Friday ask about an emergency payment. The dwp have a service level agreement, unfortunately as has been said on here, the back log is huge. You could apply for a crisis loan from the social fund, there are two types, one for living expenses, food, gas and electric and the other for household items or rent in advance. Ask your adviser at your jc+ office, you can make a telephone application, its a frephone number. There are different numbers for differing regions of the UK. Remember if you apply for a crisis loan it will be paid back interest free from your benefit. If you are awarded an emergency payment, you do not have to repay it.