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Jobseekers or Income Support?

Cate1976
Posts: 406 Forumite


I've thought about the question I'm asking since my husband & I decided to move to Norfolk.
Current situation is that I'm claiming Income Support couple rate due to being my husband's carer, he's currently waiting for his DLA renewal to be processed.
When we move to Norfolk and I go to jobcentre to sort out benefits, I'm seriously considering claiming Jobseeker's Allowance instead of Income Support as I will be looking for full time work. There are a few things which I'm thinking might make this a bad thing:
1) I understand that if you have children under a certain age that one parent can be excused from looking for work, in our case this would be my husband. Is this changing in any way, I know the ages are changing.
2) I'll be studying by correspondance for the second year of the course I've done this year (have 1 resit to do in August), this will mean travelling to either Belfast or Dublin twice next year, dates will be one exam in April and then 3 in May). I'll try to arrange things so that I'm away from home for as short a time as possible and for the exams in May, will have my laptop or tablet with me so I can check websites for jobs during breaks from revision. Will this cause problems for Jobseekers Allowance? Can you still be excused from looking for work for 2 weeks of the year? Would do it 2 days for April exam and 4 for the May exams?
3) If I want to do further studying/training, will the time I've been on benefits here in Northern Ireland count if schemes say you need to have been on benefits for 12 months or will it be counted from when claim starts in England?
4) When we move to Norfolk, I'm hoping to be able to get a definite diagnosis as to whether or not I have Asperger's Syndrome, it's only fairly mild main impact is my social skills which I'm hoping to get help with through Asperger's Norfolk. Will this make a difference to whichever benefit I claim?
Thanks to anyone who can advise me on this one. I'd also like to thank all who've replied to my posts and not judging me for being on benefits.
Current situation is that I'm claiming Income Support couple rate due to being my husband's carer, he's currently waiting for his DLA renewal to be processed.
When we move to Norfolk and I go to jobcentre to sort out benefits, I'm seriously considering claiming Jobseeker's Allowance instead of Income Support as I will be looking for full time work. There are a few things which I'm thinking might make this a bad thing:
1) I understand that if you have children under a certain age that one parent can be excused from looking for work, in our case this would be my husband. Is this changing in any way, I know the ages are changing.
2) I'll be studying by correspondance for the second year of the course I've done this year (have 1 resit to do in August), this will mean travelling to either Belfast or Dublin twice next year, dates will be one exam in April and then 3 in May). I'll try to arrange things so that I'm away from home for as short a time as possible and for the exams in May, will have my laptop or tablet with me so I can check websites for jobs during breaks from revision. Will this cause problems for Jobseekers Allowance? Can you still be excused from looking for work for 2 weeks of the year? Would do it 2 days for April exam and 4 for the May exams?
3) If I want to do further studying/training, will the time I've been on benefits here in Northern Ireland count if schemes say you need to have been on benefits for 12 months or will it be counted from when claim starts in England?
4) When we move to Norfolk, I'm hoping to be able to get a definite diagnosis as to whether or not I have Asperger's Syndrome, it's only fairly mild main impact is my social skills which I'm hoping to get help with through Asperger's Norfolk. Will this make a difference to whichever benefit I claim?
Thanks to anyone who can advise me on this one. I'd also like to thank all who've replied to my posts and not judging me for being on benefits.
0
Comments
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I can say one thing you can not claim Jobseeker's Allowance, and be a carer at the same time. I remember back in 2007 when i was in the middle sorting out AA for my elderly father, i had to claim JSA and i got called in for a work focus interview, and told the woman who did the work focus i maybe doing some caring she said thats a no no, well something like that. If you want to continue being a carer JSA is no good for you.0
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I can say one thing you can not claim Jobseeker's Allowance, and be a carer at the same time. I remember back in 2007 when i was in the middle sorting out AA for my elderly father, i had to claim JSA and i got called in for a work focus interview, and told the woman who did the work focus i maybe doing some caring she said thats a no no, well something like that. If you want to continue being a carer JSA is no good for you.
That's not true. As long as you feel you are able to meet the conditions of your Job Seeker's Agreement and continue to care for your husband, there is no problem claiming both benefits - hence the reason that Jobseeker's Allowance will pay the same Carer's Premium as Income Support.
What I would suggest is that you may find it difficult as a carer to attend the job centre and be available for work.
There is nothing stopping you from seeking work whilst claiming Income Support so why are you considering the switch?0 -
Will you OH and children be travelling with you when you study or is there someone else to support your OH at home with the children when you are away?
As above - not sure why you are looking at JSA when you have the option of IS?0 -
Thanks for the replies. I'll be doing the studying during the day while girls at at nursery or while my husband is looking after them downstairs (will have a study area in smallest bedroom). The care my husband needs is mostly first thing in the morning and during the evenings. He's able to look after the girls on his own during the day. Before the question is asked, I do give 35 hours week of care.
The reason for switching to JSA is that I think I could get my studying funded through back to work schemes which aren't available on IS.0 -
Not sure in terms of JSA/IS funding your studies.
However, your studying/future studying could affect your entitlement to Carer's Allowance.0 -
The studying I'm doing is well within the limits for Carer's Allowance. It's part time study for Accounting.0
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