6 months on JSA - now what

potnoodleprincess

Hi

I am nearly at the end of 6 months JSA and I believe I have to have a review. I have been applying for jobs and getting nowhere.
At my 12 week review I was told they might send me on a college course or for unpaid work somewhere. I am on cont based JSA and am not eligible for income based JSA as my husband works.

I would actually quite like to do a course, although having been in employment since leaving school I dont think I will get sent on a work experience type course.

Can anyone tell me what usually happens on these reviews.
Also, I have a 2 year old child and another child at school. I pretty much sort out the childcare as my husband works weird hours, I previously worked 20 hours Mon-Fri mornings.

I am a bit concerned that the JC might send me for work experience and I have no childcare. My daughter goes to pre school for a few hours here and there but thats all. The nursery she was attending before I was made redundant has closed and obviously I cant afford nursery fees to attend whatever they seem fit to send me to.

I understand its their policy to send people on these things but I cant set up a contract with a nursery provider for one or two days. Obviously when I secure a job I will be looking to do this but I cant afford it. It says on the letter I have recieved to attend a back to work session and they will reimburse childcare costs but how can they expect people on JSA to lay out £30/£40 for childcare when they only get a small amount ?

Or do they just tell you they will send you on these courses/work placements and then never actually do it.

Eeyore2009

the back to work session lasts about 20 mins, I would be awkward and take the kids there. after all you cant afford child care costs

Oldernotwiser

Will you still be able to claim JSA anyway, when you move from contributions based to means tested? If your husband is working more or less full time you may not be eligible.

Cozworth806

If he works more than 24 hours a week then your claim for JSA (IB) would be turned down, less than that and you can claim but his earnings would be taken off your entitlement.
You can still claim for you NI stamp however.

potnoodleprincess

I am not eligible for income based JSA as my husband works full time so unless I secure work very quickly I will just be signing on to get my NI contributions and my mortgage insurance certificate once a month so I can continue claiming on my private mortgage protection policy.

Apparently, even though they wont be giving me any money they will still insist on sending me on work placements or training.

I would have thought this would have been reserved for people who were actually on benefits who needed help with updating their skills and havent worked in a while.

I was made redundant almost 6 months ago, I have transferable skills. I have recently resat my GCSE maths and I have been working since I left school, I have been applying for jobs but its just not happened for me yet. I dont need to go work in a charity shop for a few days to increase my prospects or sit in a room discussing it with other people.

Oldernotwiser

potnoodleprincess wrote: »

I would have thought this would have been reserved for people who were actually on benefits who needed help with updating their skills and havent worked in a while.

I was made redundant almost 6 months ago, I have transferable skills. I have recently resat my GCSE maths and I have been working since I left school, I have been applying for jobs but its just not happened for me yet. I dont need to go work in a charity shop for a few days to increase my prospects or sit in a room discussing it with other people.

I'm afraid that if you've been unemployed for 6 months and haven't been able to find a job in that time that you are actually in the above category. If you're having your NICs credited whilst signing on then you are actually getting something for the effort.

oldmotherreilly

Please don't take your children with you, as you will only be sent away and rebooked. You may also risk a sanction on your claim (where benefit is stopped) and although this would not impose any financial hardship on you as you will not be receiving any money from DWP, they would have to fill in that there is such a sanction on the claim which would in turn probably invalidate your insurance cover. As for the training course, talk to the advisor about your concerns.