Jobseeker entitlement for under 16 hours worked per week

Merchandiser16

Hi,

Is this true that you only get 5.00 per week JSA if I work under 16 hours??
This is crazy! I will be working 8 hours a week @ 6.08 per hour and therefore will earn 48.64 per week plus the 5.00 JSA equalling to 53.64 per week in total! Well if I DIDN'T go to work i would be earning 56.25 per week (2.61 per week more!)
Now that I will start work, I will have to pay a small amount of my rent and council tax now, so I am going to be a lot worse off because I am in a part time job?!!
This system if correct is absolutley crazy and the reason why I took this job is because I will work hard to get a bigger and better contract in a well known Department store, It is also because I want to work and not one of these lazy types!
Where is the reward, please someone tell me that there is something good in this and somebody has more positive info I don't know about

~Beanie~

No, the first £5 of your wages is ignored and then the rest is deducted from your JSA. So in your case, you will earn £48.64, minus £5 is £43.64. This will be knocked off the JSA so you will get £12.61 Job Seekers Allowance. So wages and JSA, total of £61.25.

You didn't expect to be able to work and claim JSA did you?

ktothema

AFAIK, you'd get your weekly pay topped up to the same level as JSA. Though you'd still have to be job seeking to get that. I'm not sure if you still get the £5 extra as I never really understood it, but someone will say for sure.

I don know about the other benefits other than they're means tested and I wouldn't have thought you'd earn enough, but don't quote me on that.

Having som experience and something on your cv is a reward, just not financial.

supertomsk

If you are single you get to keep the first £5 of the earnings then the rest comes off your JSA. So in total you would have £61. It is my understanding that yr HB would not be affected as this would be passported by yr JSA if you are on Income based.

Merchandiser16

~Beanie~ wrote: »

No, the first £5 of your wages is ignored and then the rest is deducted from your JSA. So in your case, you will earn £48.64, minus £5 is £43.64. This will be knocked off the JSA so you will get £12.61 Job Seekers Allowance. So wages and JSA, total of £61.25.

You didn't expect to be able to work and claim JSA did you?

Ah no I knew I wouldn't get full JSA, it just confused me that I am now earning less than if I just didn't work at all, which sends out the wrong signals to people in a way.
I knew there was an under 16 hours rule, just I got told the wrong info thats all. Thank you for the advice

singletankman

I'm a male lone parent I get £1,926.44 per year as a salary . I work in a school one hour a day five days a week term time only .

So £1.926.44 X 52 = £37.04 (roughly)

So I'm on £37.04 per week So disregarding the first £20 they should take of me £17.04 per week

I'm getting £41.24 JSA per week now
Wage = £37.04 + JSA = £41.24 = £78.28

Should I not get per week:
wage = £37.04 + JSA= £53.96 (£71.00 - £17.04 so I get £20 per week) = £91.00

£12.72 worse of its prob peanuts but on such a low wage I feel it isn't Considering I'm only on £20 a week better of which is £4 per hour . But on there working out I'm on £7.28 a week which is £1.45 an hour

On top of this the traveling expense and pension taken from me (got a feeling that was a bad idea)

I have re sent more paper work so this could change but I'm not holding my breath

ALIBOBSY

singletankman wrote: »

I'm a male lone parent I get £1,926.44 per year as a salary . I work in a school one hour a day five days a week term time only .

So £1.926.44 X 52 = £37.04 (roughly)

So I'm on £37.04 per week So disregarding the first £20 they should take of me £17.04 per week

I'm getting £41.24 JSA per week now
Wage = £37.04 + JSA = £41.24 = £78.28

Should I not get per week:
wage = £37.04 + JSA= £53.96 (£71.00 - £17.04 so I get £20 per week) = £91.00

£12.72 worse of its prob peanuts but on such a low wage I feel it isn't Considering I'm only on £20 a week better of which is £4 per hour . But on there working out I'm on £7.28 a week which is £1.45 an hour

On top of this the traveling expense and pension taken from me (got a feeling that was a bad idea)

I have re sent more paper work so this could change but I'm not holding my breath

It may well be they are working out your weekly pay a different way, if they have your hourly rate they may simply multiply that by the number of hours you work each week. Obviously this means a higher rate taken into account in the weeks you work, but they would have to take this as zero during the weeks you don't work.

It depends on how and when you are paid and if you are paid during school hols or not. If you are paid say monthly even during school holidays and your wage is evened out over the year you need to make sure DWP know this is how it works and its not just an hourly rated type job. If they insist on doing as hourly rates they you need to insist it is taken as zero during the weeks you don't work to even it out.

Ali x

singletankman

Hi Ali .Thanks, I started on April 16th 2012 as temporary staff with no money for hols. After July this changed to permanent so my wages covered the hols . As I am now braking it down I'm on £37.04 every week (inc hols) if you divide my yearly wage by 52 . On my last pay slip and I think the reason they have lowered it was a back payment from the previous month . This inflated that months figure. I have contacted them and been into my local job center were they took more evidence from me including a letter from my works explaining I'm on £37 or so a week . But this is not signed . Originally the job center told me my JSA would be worked out over the year . But as my pay was up and down (now fixed) I kept getting letters telling me it had changed . When I rang the call centre they got back claiming it was never based over the year . Every one in the job center said it was and I have four letters stating that to . I would be happy if they just take £17 of me per week. I rang today and there computer was down. I shall ring again tom. But they could be working it out wrong like you say. Oh forgot they want to take the current amount out of every week even hols so there taking it from the wage more than once.I filled in the forms with zero hours during the holls.

Thanks Andy

singletankman

Since this I have received another letter from the job center with 5 different amounts that I'm entitled to . The final one is now to much . Which I'm sure they will come back for . My JSA is so messed up them owing me and me owing them god I hope I get a job so no more JSA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!