Signing on

tabath

My wife was made redundant and finished at the end of June - I don't work at the moment either. Its got to the stage now where she is not going to get a job anytime soon and neither am I so we need to sign on. Where do we find out where to go and this?

Dunroamin

Are either of you looking for work?

tabath

Yes we're both trying to find work, my wife since she finished work and me for over a year now.

My wife has had a few interviews - I've written loads of applications but got nowhere.

Dunroamin

tabath wrote: »

Yes we're both trying to find work, my wife since she finished work and me for over a year now.

My wife has had a few interviews - I've written loads of applications but got nowhere.

I meant to add this to my first post; if you're both available and looking for work you can make a joint claim for JSA. Do you rent your home?

tabath

We have a mortgage. AS i understand it my wife would be able to claim contributory JSA while I would have to claim Income based JSA. As my wife got a redundancy payment I don't know how this would affect my JSA?

tabath

Just wondering what we need to take with us when we sign on and where we find out where to go?

rogerblack

http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_200090.html - you can make a claim online.
You should claim today, to avoid losing out on benefit.
In short.

If you have savings of >16K, or a working partner, you are not entitled to income-based JSA.
If you have been working significantly in the last several years, you may be entitled to contributions-based JSA, which does not take into account your income or savings.

pmlindyloo

More information here:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_benefits_in_work_or_looking_for_work_ew/benefits_for_people_looking_for_work.htm

Torry_Quine

It will have to be a joint claim for income based JSA. Why didn't you claim when you became unemployed as you would probably have had six months contribution based?

tabath

I've basically been a house husband for a number of years looking after the kids. They are older now so last year I decided to go back to work, did a return to teach course and have been trying to get a job ever since, I therefore didn't have the contributions for JSA and couldn't claim income based JSA because my wife worked. She has now been made redundant so we need to claim.

Torry_Quine

tabath wrote: »

I've basically been a house husband for a number of years looking after the kids. They are older now so last year I decided to go back to work, did a return to teach course and have been trying to get a job ever since, I therefore didn't have the contributions for JSA and couldn't claim income based JSA because my wife worked. She has now been made redundant so we need to claim.

It will have to be a joint claim, thanks for the extra info.