Dole / None-working fund (yes, free money)

Crispy_Ambulance

Skyhigh wrote:

You *can* get job seekers allowance if you're in full time education during the periods not covered by your student loan.
This being over summer for around 8 weeks.
Apparently there have been some recent (in the past year) changes to the criteria for claiming JSA.

I assumed, as do many people that you cannot sign on while you are still in full time education, but one of my parents (who works for the BA) has looked into the matter and apparently you can, only out of the loan-coverage period though.


Yes, I meant exempt from the allowance limit, not the total amount. Although most full time students rarely earn anywhere near the personal allowance limit.

:!:

I really don't think this is correct - otherwise it is news to me and all other benefits advisers!

The only situation in which a full time student can claim JSA is this:
- if you are one of a couple who are both full time students and either or both of you is responsible for a child and it is during the summer vacation and you are actually available for work.

If you know otherwise, can you please let me know the relevent piece of legislation as this would be a complete change to the current law.

Karnam

i really think skyhigh has his information wrong.

davelewis

Must be wrong. Surely the whole purpose of JSA is you are actively looking for a full time job to get you off benefits.

kathfisch

Student loan is definitely calculated to provide for a whole year. I understand that this is the case because I queried the fact that my loan is lower for my last year of my course and was told that previous years had taken the summer into account whereas in the july of my final year I was no longer a student. If you see what I mean!

I think if benefit advisers don't know about it its unlikely to be true!

elisebutt65

I can claim IS, but that's because I'm a single mum. I can't claim the day I finish college - 31/05 but from when College breaks up at the end of June.

The last 2 years though, as it takes so long to get sorted I ring up the JC and start the claim when I finish and then they just start the payments in July after I've had an interview.

Ther really annoying thing is having to re-start my HB claim whe I go back in September. In July, they automatically give me full HB to cover the rent and CT but then in September I have to bring in all my documentation and bank statements again for them to review. They didn't tell me I had to do a new DDeither and didn't give me a form so it was about 2 months before I realised they hadn't taken any rent payments so I was in flippin areears!!!

Skyhigh

I was told by student finance direct that the loan is calculated without taking into account the summer period, I have checked this several times in the past three years and been told the same thing.

So either sfd are wrong, or I keep getting the same person when I right up - who is wrong.

As for the JSA, I've been told its been changed by someone who works for the benefits agency, even with asking to look into it to get it confirmed I've been told the same thing.
Several friends at Uni have also been told they are eligible for JSA over the summer period - and no, they don't all come from the same area so its not the same branch giving the wrong information, although it could be a few....

I realise many websites with the current legislation state that you must have a child, disabilities or similar but they may well not be fully up to date.

I guess we'll find out closer to summer, although I'm not planning to sign on, I know a few people who are - as I mentioned above.

:!:

Karnam

Skyhigh wrote:

I
I guess we'll find out closer to summer, although I'm not planning to sign on, I know a few people who are - as I mentioned above.

:!:

oh im guessing this is one of those urban myths "my friend says this and that blah blah blah"

the only time you can sign on in summer is in the summer after your final year when you're no longer a student and actually job seeking.

Crispy_Ambulance

Skyhigh, I am sorry, but whoever you and your friends have spoken to at the DWP either did not understand your question or does not understand the law. We have received the guidance on benefits law for 2006/7 and nothing has changed regarding claiming JSA. Full time students cannot claim JSA unless they meet the criteria I stated earlier. Some full time students (lone parents and students with disabilities) can claim IS but only usually receive full benefit during July and August as the loan is ignored for those months.

The SLC workers are not experts in benefit law and neither are many of the on the ground DWP staff. If you don't believe me, go and ask the staff at your union advice centre. If you claim JSA that you are not entitled to, that is fraud and you will have to repay it.

Final year students can claim JSA when they finish, usually from the first Monday after the last official day of term.

megsykins

You can't sign on whilst you're registered as a FT student.

However, if you're taking a gap year you may be able to, but it will be from the September after you finish A-Levels as your parents receive child support until the end of Aug.

My sister and some of my friends all successfully got JSA, (until they got jobs obviously!) It will be slightly less than most people, cos at 18 you probably won't have made many NI contributions.

milk

As a single parent I claim income support over the summer however BEWARE you must sign off the first week in September because that is when they take student loan from even though you don't get it till October. I know this because I didn't sign off till October last year and got an overpayment notice of £200ish to pay back. i did appeal but they are right.

As far as I am aware a single student cannot claim income support/JSA over summer breaks although having said that when I first signed on in first the assistant told me her husband used to claim stating that he was unsure if he would be going back to uni it depended on his marks. Might be worth a try if desperate for money but might not work...