Advice needed for self employed - claiming JSA

emoscotty28

Hi everyone,

at the moment I am self employed, setting up my own online store. Although I am working around 42 hours a week and claiming HB, Council Tax benefit and working tax credits, I am still struggling to get by on a weekly basis with paying the bills etc. (I rent a flat on my own btw.)

I am now looking to return to work full time as my business is not bringing in any income whatsoever due to the sheer volume of work I have to do to get it up and running and turning a profit. My question is, if I declared myself unemployed at the job centre, would I be able to claim JSA? I wasn't sure if I would as I have voluntarily resigned from my previous job to concentrate on my business full time?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NASA_2

Do you have a partner? If so, are they in full-time work?

If you declare yourself unemployed, and actually are unemployed, then yes, depending on the answer to my previous question you should be entitled to some help.

It is worth noting that Class 2 NIC's dont count for JSA(C).

You might be sanctioned for leaving a job voluntarily but without claiming you penalise yourself.

If you are still working 16+ hours and are over 25 then a claim to WTC might be advisable.

emoscotty28

Hi, I'm over 25 years of age and I don't have a partner.

I was worried about them sanctioning my JSA if I did declare unemployment, would this be the case if I declared unemployment even after working for myself? Surely that isn't very fair on people who have owned their own businesses for years and have to bankrupt themselves due to the current economic climate?

DX2

NASA wrote: »

If you are still working 16+ hours and are over 25 then a claim to WTC might be advisable.

30 hours for a single person over 25.

dookar

emoscotty28 wrote: »

Hi, I'm over 25 years of age and I don't have a partner.

I was worried about them sanctioning my JSA if I did declare unemployment, would this be the case if I declared unemployment even after working for myself? Surely that isn't very fair on people who have owned their own businesses for years and have to bankrupt themselves due to the current economic climate?

No, the law would not support such a sanction