Help: Claiming JSA after working "cash in hand"

cavemancolubus

After working at a really, really bad job for a while I was offered a job landscape gardening, cash in hand. I took it and had been working for them a while when they turned round and said they had no more work for me, after a month or so of it slowing down.
Does anyone know whether I can claim JSA now.It's been a lot less than 26 weeks so I'd still be sanctioned.
I've had a quick look around and some people have mentioned signing on as self employed. Has anyone done this or can offer me any advice?

I have been trying for a while to get a job/jobs while this happened, but now the money has run out. I don't want to sign on but I don't see any other way to pay the rent. Basically if I can't claim JSA I'm F****d, as I can't find any other work and have no more money.

Before people say anything about not paying tax; my old job was causing me to be seriously depressed, along with rubbish management and a refusal to give me regular and more than 25 hours a week (and therefore not be able to get another part time job) meant I leapt at the chance to do something slightly better, whilst finding a new job.


Many thanks in advance

Hammyman

Well basically you've been working illegally. If you register as self employed now you'll be fined but you'll be fined if HMRC find out anyway. You've also not had any National Insurance credits which stuffs you for contributions based JSA. You wouldn't be sanctioned as the job came to a natural end but questions may be asked.

The fact your previous job was bad is no excuse for fiddling the system. Lots of us have had rubbish jobs with idiots running the loonie bin and haven't gone and fiddled the tax.

cavemancolubus

I think that I should have also mentioned that I have been earning considerably less than the £6500ish personal allowance. So wouldn't have to pay any tax anyway?

robpw2

cavemancolubus wrote: »

I think that I should have also mentioned that I have been earning considerably less than the £6500ish personal allowance. So wouldn't have to pay any tax anyway?

but it would still contribute to your annual earnings .. even if you earned £1000 only that means for the rest of the year you would need to pay tax if your annual incom exceeded £5500 .. you need to declare it