Job seeker's allowance

mrsyardbroom

Does anyone know if you can get contributions based Jobseeker's Allowance if you're under 65 and you have savings in the bank?

scope

Yes, provided you have paid enough NI during the last 2 years you will get 6 months Contribution based JSA regardless of how much you have in your bank account, after 6 month you change to Income based where your bank account matters.

Its a stupid system, coz why should people who has been careful and saved get less than people who havent saved? Beats me.. Better get another job as soon as possible, you are not going to get far on £125 a month.

Snakeeyes21

scope wrote: »

Its a stupid system, coz why should people who has been careful and saved get less than people who havent saved?

Because they can support themselves isnt that the whole point in having savings?

Oldernotwiser

scope wrote: »

Its a stupid system, coz why should people who has been careful and saved get less than people who havent saved? Beats me.. Better get another job as soon as possible, you are not going to get far on £125 a month.

£64.30 a week!

p00hsticks

scope wrote: »

Yes, provided you have paid enough NI during the last 2 years you will get 6 months Contribution based JSA regardless of how much you have in your bank account,

There is one proviso to this though, which is that if you are receiving a private pension, you will lose £1 from your JSA for ever £1 of your pension over £50 a week.

mrsyardbroom

Thanks for your replies. I'm still working but my husband may lose his job so we're hoping he can get JSA for six months. We're not entitled to anything else as we've saved towards our retirement and we'll be heavily penalised for that. We should have spent it all apparently.

LittleVoice

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. I'm still working but my husband may lose his job so we're hoping he can get JSA for six months. We're not entitled to anything else as we've saved towards our retirement and we'll be heavily penalised for that. We should have spent it all apparently.

But you will have the freedom to spend your money in the way you want (and for what you were saving) without having to answer to any official about the level of your spending on whatever it is that you choose.

Door_knockers_will_die

Ah, but wait until he tries claiming JSA.... the calls to the 0845 number will take up most of your savings, and will your husband have the sheer humility and composure needed to take the "don't give a damn about nothing" attitude of the interviewer.
The long wait for your first payment will see you getting bank charges for being overdrawn, then the letters accusing you of fraud will start, when all you have done is what you have been told. The interviews under caution.... the long wait to have the benefits reinstalled once they have realised their mistake, the 100 plus calls to get this sorted. Oh dear - that's the six months gone..... now onto a course with all the druggies and alcoholics (and that's just the staff). Cheer up, at least we are still labour ruled.
Maybe you should consider not claiming and doing a few hours gardening for pensioners, pays the same and you'll get tea and cake.

scope

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

£64.30 a week!

Sorry, you are quite right.. Luckely I got a new job before I got used to seeing the money go into my bank account.

dickydonkin

Because they can support themselves isnt that the whole point in having savings?

I think the point SCOPE is trying to make is that savers are penalised for being prudent - but I think you already knew that!

Of course prudent people who hit hard times can indeed support themselves, but they have paid into the system and should be entitled to exactly the same assistance as those who do not save.

Is it right that a person who has saved for retirement has to use that money to support himself following a redundancy for example, while someone who has likely never worked or blows any income on boose, fags and gambling and gets supported by the state?

Hardly an incentive to save is it?

Sunshine12

I lost my job recently and started claiming a few weeks ago (mainly for N.I purposes) although i have quite a lot of savings. Im getting £64 a week although i didnt think I would be entitled but am. They advised me that providing I was working tax year 06/07 I would get it based on N.I contributions during that period. I dont get anything else due to my savings (which is fine) but am told i would have done if I had spent my savings before claiming or transferred them elsewhere as no pre-claim checks are done on your bank accounts. Personally think the whole system is ridiculous and very easily manipulated for those who wish to get round it.