JSA and savings history

geoffsh

Hi

My wife was made redundant in April and soon found temporary work at a school. I have been a stay at home dad for 18 months. Her job has now finished and we are looking at claiming JSA.

My concern is this, last May my aunt passed away I became the executer of her estate, I transfered the money into a basic savings account I already had. About 5 weeks ago I closed the account and split this inheritance money between my family. As we would be claiming on an Income based JSA, they would want details of bank accounts/ savings etc for the last 2 months as I understand it. We have very little savings other than the remainder of the redundancy money (not sure if they include redundancy money as savings?). Would we have to declare the money(£10,000) that was in that savings account even though we no longer have any of it and how might it affect our claim.

I realise we should have perhaps done something about this earlier but really didnt expect to stuggle so hard getting a full time job.

Thanks in advance
Geoff

NASA_2

geoffsh wrote: »

Hi

My wife was made redundant in April and soon found temporary work at a school. I have been a stay at home dad for 18 months. Her job has now finished and we are looking at claiming JSA.

My concern is this, last May my aunt passed away I became the executer of her estate, I transfered the money into a basic savings account I already had. About 5 weeks ago I closed the account and split this inheritance money between my family. As we would be claiming on an Income based JSA, they would want details of bank accounts/ savings etc for the last 2 months as I understand it. We have very little savings other than the remainder of the redundancy money (not sure if they include redundancy money as savings?). Would we have to declare the money(£10,000) that was in that savings account even though we no longer have any of it and how might it affect our claim.

I realise we should have perhaps done something about this earlier but really didnt expect to stuggle so hard getting a full time job.

Thanks in advance
Geoff

They will ask about savings in the last 6 months so you will have to declare both the money 'given away' and also the redundancy money. Your wife, if she is the main claimant, should be entitled to JSA(C).

Bessie_Braddock

Be honest with them.

If you've got ten pence in your account declare it ... then wait until they ask for a statement. At that point start worrying.

They don't normally ask for 6 months worth of statements. They don't normally ask for statements at all if you declare under £5,500 ... but this can vary with local office practice.