JSA when a part time student

leatherfixer

My son applied for JSA
He was disallowed because he studies part time and could not agree to leave his studies to take up a part time job.
Reading the JSA terms it says applicants must be willing to rearrange study.
How can they say this?
University lectures are at set times. They are not available to suit individual students.
has his interviewer been harsh?

kr15snw

I didnt believe students were entitled to jsa at all.....

leatherfixer

Students are theoretically elligible - that much is not in question
Whether any ever get it is another matter

chuckley

aint pt students people that have ft jobs?!

dmg24

Part time students are eligible for JSA. However, in order to eligible for JSA for must be available for work, and must be willing to give up other non essential commitments to take up work. Study is not an essential commitment.

Has he looked at studying through OU rather than a traditional university?

leatherfixer

thanks dmg24
It appears he is beat then
No you cannot do his course at the open uni

jumpycheese1

The DWP are having a laugh aren't they! I bet your son's course runs for a couple of evenings per week - and most of his fellow students are f/t workers. You cannot change courses as that course could be the only one of this type running in a 20 mile radius!

With some courses, you can change your times, others you can't. Also it's not advisable for your son to change colleges a new college may teach the material in a different order to what he is studying - so may repeat and/or miss chunks.

Voyager2002

A basic requirement to receive JSA is that you are available for work.

In general, students are not available for work. However, those who are studying for less than a set amount of time per week AND declare that they would be willing to give up their course if necessary in order to take up a job are allowed to receive JSA. This is a concession, and subject to quite strict limitations.

I am afraid that the DWP have given your son the correct answer, and have followed the regulations precisely. There are many sources of student support, but JSA is not one of them.

Conor_3

leatherfixer wrote: »

My son applied for JSA
He was disallowed because he studies part time and could not agree to leave his studies to take up a part time job.
Reading the JSA terms it says applicants must be willing to rearrange study.
How can they say this?
?

The clue is in the name: JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE. It's for people who are expected to be looking for work, not to prop up their income. INCOME SUPPORT is for those who need to prop up their income.

Oldernotwiser

To be honest, most people in your son's position accept the conditions and go through the motions of being prepared to give up their studies if necessary. If he goes about this the right way and finishes his course in 6 months' time he should be able to manage but any longer and it won't work; of course, he'll probably get a job much sooner than this which will sort out his problems.

The advice he's been given is correct so you either play by the rules or work around them.

clairec79

Depending on what type of work he is looking for and what hours the course is he may be able to work his jobseekers agreement round it and then it would be allowed. However this is rare and only works when the job and the course would have little or no chance of overlapping - for example he's looking for bar work and the course is 9-12 he could reasonably not expect to be asked to work at those times so could have a JSAg looking for fulltime work between 1pm and midnight. or if he wants office work and the course starts at 6pm it would be reasonable to ask for work between 9-5. But he couldn't look for fulltime office work that doesn't include mornings because more office work will involve working mornings.