JSA question.

babyblooz

Hello, quick question - if a married couple living together are both made redundant (both work full time for local authority so are equally at risk) would they each be entitled to claim JSA (contribution based), i.e. two claims of £65 quid or whatever it is, rather than a joint claim as a couple of a hundred and fifteen quid or thereabouts?

Also we have some savings (to replace an old caravan with a newer model) so suppose that amount in the bank would mean that after six months of payments we would have to use the savings to live off until that was used up?

Sorry - have absolutely no experience of the benefits system apart from claiming Family Allowance many years ago.

This is a worst case scenario but knowing our luck it may just pan out this way and I need to have an idea of what may happen.

karenx

If one is made redundant then its a single claim for JSA. If the other is then made redundant the claim will be switched to a joint one. After the contributions based JSA runs out after 6 months and you have more than 16k in savings you wont get anything else

babyblooz

What would happen if we were both made redundant on the same day (this is probably what would happen due to it being Local Authority).

karenx

Joint claim

cassieB57

No sorry to disagree but you can both make separate claims for conts based jsa.it's only a joint claim if it's income based AND you have no children.

sunnyone

karenx wrote: »

If one is made redundant then its a single claim for JSA. If the other is then made redundant the claim will be switched to a joint one. After the contributions based JSA runs out after 6 months and you have more than 16k in savings you wont get anything else

Why can they both claim contributions based JSA for 6 months if they have both paid the NIs for the correct period?

sunnyone

cassieB57 wrote: »

No sorry to disagree but you can both make separate claims for conts based jsa.it's only a joint claim if it's income based AND you have no children.

sunnyone wrote: »

Why can they both claim contributions based JSA for 6 months if they have both paid the NIs for the correct period?

cross posted

dazzadub

as im aware if u live together and make single claims each they can change it to joint as you would be classed as living as married couple.

would you get redundancy pay.

also i think all you can have in savings is now 8k before they stop money, this isnt effected if you transfer money to a family member account eg mum or dad.

but im not sure they check bank accounts anyway, they didnt when i claimed

Vader123

dazzadub wrote: »

also i think all you can have in savings is now 8k before they stop money, this isnt effected if you transfer money to a family member account eg mum or dad.

This has to best worst advice ever given.

Vader

dookar

cassieB57 wrote: »

No sorry to disagree but you can both make separate claims for conts based jsa.it's only a joint claim if it's income based AND you have no children.

This is correct, each member may claim contributory JSA in their own right (each must concede the existence of a material fact that would disentitle them to income based JSA). If there is no income based element to the claim, it cannot be a joint claim.

cassieB57

dazzadub wrote: »

as im aware if u live together and make single claims each they can change it to joint as you would be classed as living as married couple.

would you get redundancy pay.

also i think all you can have in savings is now 8k before they stop money, this isnt effected if you transfer money to a family member account eg mum or dad.

but im not sure they check bank accounts anyway, they didnt when i claimed

No they won't if it's conts based. The lower threshold is 6k. They can treat savings disposed of in this way as still belonging to you, and yes they will ask for proof of savings/redundancy BUT only for income based claims.