Job Seekers Allowance payment Query?... Please help?.

Chapeau_2

Hi, I'm fairly stressed at the minute... But here goes...

I feel like something strange is going with my current claim for JSA.

I initially signed on for JSA on Friday 6th August & from that period up until 19th August, I never received a payment for that 2 week period. But the JSA advisor stated to me on signing day, the initial one, the payment would take 2 - 3 working days to go through to my bank account, but I still haven't received that particular payment.

I go back again to sign for my next declaration on 19th August (2 weeks later) & 3 working days later I'm issued with a payment.

My question is... Do I have a right to be issued with a payment from my initial signing on date, the 6th August-19th August? or Not?.

I rang the benefits enquiry, who spun me a line that contradicts that of the JSA advisor I initially saw.

Please Reply, Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

charlishae

You should recieve payment from the date you signed on, how much was your first payment?

mark1e

I think you lose the first 2 days from when you first started. Also make sure that your signing on day is correct - i kept getting wrong/irregular payments until i complained to the manager , who then realised i had been signing on the wrong days for a month!!!!!! I am not 100% sure, but i was led to believe that the signing on day is determined by your national insurance number.

Chapeau_2

charlishae wrote: »

You should recieve payment from the date you signed on, how much was your first payment?

Hi Charli, Thankyou for your reply.

Thats the thing!. I never received a payment.

I have my letter here in front of me; it states; I am pleased to tell you that we can pay you Jobseeker's Allowance from 6th August 2010.

You will get £65.45 a week.

So my claim starts from 6th August; having completed all my paperwork with the JSA advisor on the 9th August. No payment issued from; 6th August-19th August. I sign my 2nd declaration on 19th August, 3 days later<<< That was my first payment, the 19th August declaration.

I just got off the phone from benefits enquiry who stated; I wasn't eligible for being issued with a payment from 6th August-19th August.

My head is spinning, I'm so frickin' stressed. :mad:

MrsBartolozzi

So you started signing-on on the 6th of Aug, and got a payment in the bank on (or just after) 19th Aug.
When you signed on the 19th you were declaring that you had been available for and seeking work for the previous 2 weeks?? Then you got paid.
JSA is paid 2 weeks in arrears, so when you signed on yesterday you were signing to say you were seeking work from 19th Aug til then. You then get paid for that on Tues? next week.
You are not missing out a payment, just don't seem to understand that you get paid 2 weeks behind, so if you started a job tomorrow, you'd still be entitled to the payment you signed for today, if you understand.

charlishae

Sounds a bit like the problems I had last year with JSA, i signed on for 5 weeks but I only got paid for two weeks for some reason, didnt bother persuing the rest of the money owed to me as it was too much hassle and id found a job anyway. As far as I know you are entitled to money from the date you signed on but it can take several weeks to receive it, i had to wait 5 weeks to receive any payment last time... annoying!

Chapeau_2

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

So you started signing-on on the 6th of Aug, and got a payment in the bank on (or just after) 19th Aug.
When you signed on the 19th you were declaring that you had been available for and seeking work for the previous 2 weeks?? Then you got paid.
JSA is paid 2 weeks in arrears, so when you sign on today you will be signing to say you were seeking work from 19th Aug til today. You then get paid for that on Wed? next week.
You are not missing out a payment, just don't seem to understand that you get paid 2 weeks behind, so if you started a job tomorrow, you'd still be entitled to the payment you signed for today, if you understand.

Errmmmm...

My letter states; I am pleased to tell you that we can pay you Jobseeker's Allowance from 6th August 2010.

You will get £65.45 a week.

Does this mean I will get paid a full 2 weeks later?. 23rd August?.

MrsBartolozzi

Yes you will be paid from 6th of August, but they pay you 2 weeks in arrears.
See here:
Jobseeker's Allowance payments

Jobseeker's Allowance is paid at the end of every fortnight. It's paid straight into your bank or building society account. This is the best way to get your benefit because you can choose how and when to take your money out of your account.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Employedorlookingforwork/DG_10018757

So your first payment was for the 2 weeks up to 19th Aug. You signed on yesterday and you will be paid on Tues for the period 19th Aug - 2 Sep. And so on.
The declaration that you sign at the job centre says that you have been looking for work etc in the previous 2 weeks and so they then pay you for that period. You don't get the money up front, as this could lead to an overpayment when you start working.

Chapeau_2

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Yes you will be paid from 6th of August, but they pay you 2 weeks in arrears.
See here:
Jobseeker's Allowance payments

Jobseeker's Allowance is paid at the end of every fortnight. It's paid straight into your bank or building society account. This is the best way to get your benefit because you can choose how and when to take your money out of your account.


So your first payment was for the 2 weeks up to 19th Aug. You signed on yesterday and you will be paid on Tues for the period 19th Aug - 2 Sep. And so on.
The declaration that you sign at the job centre says that you have been looking for work etc in the previous 2 weeks and so they then pay you for that period. You don't get the money up front, as this could lead to an overpayment when you start working.

Thankyou for that MrsBartolozzi.

I did actually view the official DWP site, but I was so stressed I must have overlooked that comment of JSA being paid at the end of every fortnight.

Thankyou again, Its appreciated.