JSA between redundancy and full time study?

SomersetSaver

Hi
I've taken VR and will be leaving at the end of May.
I've decided to take the step of retraining and will hopefully be going back to University full time in September.

I've got a few questions about this:

1) Will I be entitled to JSA, even though I won't really be looking for a job beyond September? I have been in continual employment for the last 18 years so there wouldn't be any questions about having made sufficient contributions.

2) I'm arranging some unpaid work experience during that period, which may just be odd days rather than a set of consecutive days. As I am going for a career change, it's really important I build up this experience.Will I in effect be making myself unavailable for work if I can't work a full week, and therefore not entitled to JSA?

3) I'll be getting paid 2 weeks payment in lieu of notice, so if I am entitled to receiving JSA would it start at the end of the notice or when my employment actually finishes?

Sorry for so many questions and thanks in advance for any help anyone's able to provide.

SS

MrsManda

I'm not sure you're going to be entitled to JSA because you've voluntarily made yourself unemployed, plus as you've said you won't available and actively looking for full time work.

Though I'm not sure what the rules are around voluntarily making yourself unemployed when it's related to VR. It does no harm to call the benefits line and apply.

SomersetSaver

Thanks, MrsM; I probably didn't explain properly.

I would like to work if I can between when I finish work and start studying and I'll be looking for temp jobs. It was just if I don't manage to find anything for the weeks I'm available as to whether I'd be allowed to claim JSA for that time. There seems to be very little temp work around where I live from what I can see, so I'm just trying to sort out what my options are if I don't find anything.

Also, I took VR but would have eventually been given CR if I hadn't because my job was moving location and I wasn't in a position to travel the additional distance. From what I've read, I should be entitled to JSA but sounds like I'd best check that out....

dookar

MrsManda wrote: »

Though I'm not sure what the rules are around voluntarily making yourself unemployed when it's related to VR. It does no harm to call the benefits line and apply.

If it's a genuine redundancy situation it won't make a difference - ie was somebody going to get made redundanty whether it was the OP or not

Adereterial

SomersetSaver wrote: »

1) Will I be entitled to JSA, even though I won't really be looking for a job beyond September? I have been in continual employment for the last 18 years so there wouldn't be any questions about having made sufficient contributions.

2) I'm arranging some unpaid work experience during that period, which may just be odd days rather than a set of consecutive days. As I am going for a career change, it's really important I build up this experience.Will I in effect be making myself unavailable for work if I can't work a full week, and therefore not entitled to JSA?

3) I'll be getting paid 2 weeks payment in lieu of notice, so if I am entitled to receiving JSA would it start at the end of the notice or when my employment actually finishes?

SS

1) Yes, you can claim on the basis that you're looking for temporary work only.

2) It shouldn't have an impact but you need to discuss it with your adviser - you will need to be prepared to cancel or postpone it in order to attend the Jobcentre, go to interviews or take up work. Otherwise you won't be available and thus won't meet one of the basic conditions.

3) As soon as your employment finishes, if that is when the company will say you left their employment. If you will still be technically employed until the end of your notice period, then the day after that.