JSA - Moving area soon?

Marc85

Hi -Any help is greatly appriciated.

I was made redundant on 31st December 2010, without sufficient warning! I went to the Job Centre the first day after the Bank Holidays to ask about benefits etc as I have never been out of work before.

I told the Job Centre that I would be moving away from London to move in with my parents within two weeks as I can't afford to live in my own place anymore. I was advised to wait until I moved to start claiming as this would confuse my claim and make things move slower. I can afford to do this using my last wage however...
after speaking with parents and friends who have had similar experiences they told me I should claim staright away, not only because I am entitled to money but because it will affect my NI Contributions. I telephoned Job Centre and the advisor told me that I should have called them the day I was made redundant.

I have now started the claim using my address in London, but will be moving very soon. I have asked for a back payment. Will me moving whilst my claim is processing confuse things even more?

I'm very stressed and the process is far from easy!! Any help would be great. Many thanks.

RAS

Based on the tales of woe from some people who have been sanctioned, you are going to have to be very very careful about how you do this or you risk being sanctioned.

You may be moving but you will not only be expected to apply for every job that you are instructed to apply for by the advisor, but you will have to apply for them in London, even though you intend to move. I would suggest that as a precaution, you do this even in the week you move, if you are given any to apply for. If you get any interviews, you have to attend them or you lose your JSA.

One OP did not do this and was sanctioned for 26 weeks (JSA payments stopped and hardship only on appeal). Sign off in London on your last day and then make a new claim from your parents.

Marc85

Thank you RAS. I have applied for some jobs back at my parents which I am still waiting to hear from. Its seems very silly to have to apply for jobs in London when I will not be able to do them - but if thats the system I shall follow it. I can't believe how difficult the process is, they should understand that when people are made redundant their situation changes day to day depending on what happens. Thanks again!

clairec79

Don't sign off in London, when you move you go into the jobcentre there and transfer your claim up.

Also if you have the name of the person who told you not to apply as it would slow your claim down (I'm assuming it was a person from the jobcentre not some bloke down the pub) I'd also ask for a form to backdate it until the 1st - backdating isn't very common and is normally only accepted if it's de to bad advice from jobcentre staff

You can apply for jobs in the new area (as you said it's only two weeks) and as long as you are applying for a reasonable amount of jobs in the new area (and can prove this) then the majority of advisers won't be stupid enough to make you apply for ones where you aren't going to be living (I wouldn't have when I worked in the Jobcentre)

Newly_retired

You say you were made redundant without sufficient notice. You could have a claim for unfair dismissal. If you will be on income based JSA you will automatically be eligible for Legal Aid, but I reckon you should qualify anyway on low income grounds. Try your local CAb or Law Centre for help to challenge the redundancy. Did you get Pay in Lieu of Notice? Were you entitled to Redundancy Pay ( they are different) if you had worked for the company for 2 yrs or more?
Ypu may like to post on the redundancy board for more help on this one.

Marc85

Thank you Claire and Newly retired. Yes I have apply for quite a few jobs in my new area and have proof of this. I don't have the name of the person at the job centre, but I might go back and find it out! As soon as I get to my parents I will go to the local Job Centre.
Newly retired, I am in the process of Legal advice from ACAS. I was made redundant with no notice. I telephoned and was told that I was been made redundant on that date, due to paperwork I recieved through the post. I did not get notice pay, but will be recieving redundancy pay. Only worked at the company for two years. I was two days off my third year date!!