Been laid off......perks of being unemployed?

BenC_2

Sorry if this is the wring forum I didnt know where else to put it.

Ive been told im getting laid off in a couple of weeks, bit of a shock when I was told I'd have at least 4 months but I am a contractor so these things happen.

At the moment I dont have anything lined up, I have a plan when I sign on to get me back into work but I was wondering what perks if any I could get when being unemployed? I have been looking to get cavity wall and loft insulation in the house, Im guessing when I sign on this will be alot cheaper? Is there anything else worth looking into that I might be able to take advantage of?

Thanks
Ben

katsu

BenC - if you are on contribution based JSA instead of income based JSA then there are basically no "perks" AFAIK. Generally discounts for unemployed people are for those on income based JSA, so I wouldn't get too excited.

HTH

Gordon_Hose

lol...

"perks"

BenC_2

I didnt know there was 2 different types of JSA, how do I find out which I'll be on?

@Gordon Hose - I didnt know how to word it better lol

katsu

Try contacting the Job Centre? Look on the directgov website. Contribution based is based on having paid sufficient NI and only lasts 6 months, income based is based on not having a certain level of income & savings, I think, and lasts as long as you meet the qualifying criteria. If you have a partner who works then you are likely to have too much money coming in for income based JSA so would be eligible for contribution based only, and then only for the NI credit at the end of the six months. I'm not sure how they decide which a single person gets when they have paid enough contributions.

BenC_2

Ive still got another 2 weeks left at work so I'll have a word with job centre after then

Basically once im out of work I have no income and no savings, I have a little boy who lives with his mother but I have him 156 nights out of the year so im hoping aswell as JSA I might get something for him too. I'll speak to job centre guys when im out of work and keep my fingers crossed I get income based JSA, its about time I got the chance to get something back for cheap/free

Thanks guys!

Is there anything else, if im on income based, I could take advantage of?

judy2357

No perks actually come to mind, but as I have been in a similar situation a couple of times my advice to you would be to close the gap between your present income and what you will get in a couple of weeks time. By this I mean, make a list of all your bills, electric gas etc etc and one by one try and reduce them a little each month. Its well worth ringing insurances for example and asking if they will reduce your repayments (house/contents insurance sometimes will give a loyalty bonus). Hint, take the telephone option which says about leaving the company.

Then your food bill, there are several threads on here which can help you with this.

Obviously your first port of call will be the Job Centre to find out your entitlements, good luck.

LittleMissAspie

Free prescriptions? If you are on any medication maybe ask your doctor for a bigger box this time. I build up stocks of hayfever tablets by renewing my prescription every 3 weeks instead of 4 weeks, they don't tend to notice.

I think there is help for glasses-wearers too like cheaper lenses? Not sure.

I'm sure there's lots of other things, must be a list online somewhere like directgov.uk or somewhere like that.

Fiddlestick

LittleMissAspie wrote: »

Free prescriptions?

Nope.

You need to be on income-based JSA for this; contributions-based JSA is not eligable.

If you are on any medication maybe ask your doctor for a bigger box this time.

This is a good suggestion, although it depends on the nature of any medication you take and how helpful your GP is.

diable

Perks?

Not having to get up in the morning, going to the gym when you want, shopping when the shops are empty, chilling out in the summer and feeling relaxed as you don't have to prostitute yourself for a measly £22ph ;o)))

Esoog

Perks of being unemployed, lots of them if you look at the lifestyles of half the chav population of this country! Enough money to have flash phones/trainers/TVs. etc etc etc etc.

Have you got any kids? If not, get some!!!