When contribution jsa runs out?

Notebook

Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Jobcentre Plus can pay this for up to 182 days

made redundant - just me on my own
getting above benefit and nothing else - what happens after that?
have about 2k savings
Thanks

fluffymovie

You would have an interview I think and then move onto Income Based JSA.

Kirri

If you applied for both when you first signed on they will move you onto it automatically. It's not affected if have savings under 6k (over that will lose a proportion).

If you are living alone you can also get council tax payments and either housing or mortgage costs/ground rent/service charges paid.

Notebook

Thanks for your advice

SnowyOwl_2

If they have written to you to say that your contribution based JSA is coming to an end but haven't said what will happen next phone them up. If you didn't apply for income based JSA as part of your original application then you need to do it now. If you aren't sure phone them up. In fact even if you are sure phone them anyway and ask if they need any further information or details. Hopefully you won't have a break in your benefits.

I'm in the same boat.....it's depressing, isn't it...and had to submit a fresh income based application form. They have also written to me inviting me to attend to show them what I have done to obtain a job, ie copies of responses from companies, copies of ads etc. I have chucked a lot of them - what's the point in keeping a stack of reject letters!?! I think they go over your Job Seekers Agreement again and agree amendments or something along those lines. I'm dreading my appointment, I already feel like a useless piece of sh*t without having to go in there to prove it.

fubar_2

Dont take any chances with them because they are a bunch of incompetent jobworths.

I was on JSA contribution based and knew that it was coming to an end and made numerous phone calls and visits to make sure that everything was in place for when it did.

Because my wife was on ESA for her statutory sick pay I was told that I would automatically be added to her claim when my contribution based JSA ends, we even received paperwork showing the periods her payments would increase in line with my claim coming to its end, they advised the wife that because she had to go back to work even though she had not fully recovered she could claim something called rehabilitation at work benifit as long as she does not work more than 16 hrs which she didn't anyhow because she only works part time.

She had to go for a medical and the result of that medical was that she didnt earn enough points and was promptly told that her ESA claim was stopped, we asked again bout my payments and we were told that rather than the wife getting payment for me, it would be me getting payment for the wife as a married couple but to wait until we received the paperwork about my wifes ESA closing as it would be explained in that, there was nothing explained in the paper work other than the lack of points and her ESA was stopped and how to appeal.

The last payment I have received from the DWP was £84.00 on the 5th of Dec 2011 when no additional payment was received I contacted them and was told that they need to send a form out when that form had not arrived by my next signing on date 19th Dec 2011 I requested one from the job centre and posted it on the 20th.

After Christmas I contacted them to see if they received my form ok, was told that they were still receiving post from over a week ago and to check in a couple of days, which I did and no they hadn't received the form as of yet, but I could do it over the phone if I wanted as it wouldn't screw-up anything when they do receive the form.

Welcome to January 2012 still no payments, I ring them up to find out whats happening only to be told that I shouldnt have made a new claim, even though it was them that told me what to do!!!! so I have to wait until it goes through the normal new claims procedure, a week later I again ring them up only to find that they cant process my claim until the wife closes her ESA claim, what ESA claim they told her they had stopped it so what was there to close and more importantly why wasnt she ever told that she had to close the claim??????

Its now 15th Jan 2012 still no sign of JSA payments, we have had to survive on less than £90 a week for a family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers (16, 17) go begging for a crisis loan to put credit on gas and electric, the 2 weeks before Christmas the wife could only work 2 days one week (£60) and 1 day the following week (£30) because of her injury and suffering from the flu (she works as a waitress and lost her voice with the flu) so we had a great christmas :-(

So dont take for granted that the incompetent numskulls that work for the DWP even have a clue in what they are doing, especially when they advise you to go to CAB because I quote "they know more about the benefit system than they do" !!!!!! how bad is that!!!!!