JSA Problems - advice appreciated

Cate1976

This is a little complicated so am going to try to make it as easy as possible.

17th August, we get the letter saying that my husband's DLA hasn't been renewed, now we believe that it should have been at the very minimum low mobility and low or possibly middle care. This ahs meant that we've had to come off the Income Support which I was claiming due to being my husband's carer. My husband will be applying for DLA when we move.

Husband goes and gets the forms to claim JSA with me being excused from looking for work due to us having children under 5 (twins age 2). he has the interview and got his job agreement Wednesday of last week. His first signing day is this Friday at 10.15 and he has to see 3 different people, one being the signing, one being careers advisor and the other don't know. The money should reach our bank a/c next Wednesday (5th). His claim hasn't been looked at yet so am doubtful about it being processed for us to get the money.

There's 1 definite problem and 1 possible problem. The first being that my husband rang this morning to find out if we were due money tomorrow as that's what he thought he was told last Wednesday. He said that we need to have the claim sorted out as we're moving on 11th september only for the woman he was talking to to tell him that we won't be getting much money and that JSA here will only pay up to when he signs this Friday. She then said something which my husband has interpreted to mean that we won't get paid for the days between signing and the day we move. Surely, we're entitled to money for the days between signing and the day of the move? One of the staff in Customer Enquiries did say that they'd to make sure that we don't lose money due to moving but now JSA are saying that we're going to lose 11 days money I don't think it's fair that we should lose £135 due to moving house. On the 12th, we'll be putting in a claim for JSA in Norfolk.

Second possible is that he thinks that when he goes to jobcentre tomorrow to check vacancies that they won't be able to check for jobs in the area we're moving to. His agreement is to check local papers (I've been checking jobs section of paper for area we're moving to), visit jobcentre once a week and ask around for jobs (for this he's asked my dad to keep an eye out for jobs). I assume that when he goes to sign on Friday that it'll be acceptable that jobseeking has been for jobs in the area we're moving to rather than where we're living at the moment?

My questions are:

Can the jobcentre not pay us for days between signing and day of the move? Is there a procedure we can go through to increase the likelihood of us getting JSA for the 11 days? We know that our claim here will be closed down when we start claiming in Norfolk and that could cause first payment to be delayed.

What are the rules on only looking for work outside the area you currently live in?

Thanks to anyone who can answer any of the questions and/or give us advice on how to get the money we're entitled to.

dookar

Cate1976 wrote: »

Can the jobcentre not pay us for days between signing and day of the move?

No, not simply because you will be moving on a certain date. If there is something about the move that means you will not be available for employment on that day then it will affect the week, availability being a weekly condition.

Cate1976 wrote: »

What are the rules on only looking for work outside the area you currently live in?

You are required to take such steps as afford you the greatest prospect of securing employment. Looking for work to start in the new area would be wise.

Cate1976

I was hoping we would get paid for move day, we're moving from Northern Ireland to Norfolk. My husband will be contactable by phone and we'll have our tablet and my phone with us so that when we're somewhere that has wifi we'll be able to check for jobs. On 12th we'll be claiming JSA online in Norfolk and will look for work then. I'm also thinking that we might se if we can have move day as one of the 14 you're allowed for holiday. We can't afford to lose money due to moving and don't think it's fair as one of the reasons we're moving is that there's better chance of at least one of us getting a job. Northern Ireland has been hit harder than rest of UK by the recession. My husband is on his way to the jobcentre to talk to someone to find out whether what he was told yesterday is right. She said that he won't get much from them only a week up to signing day this Friday. He says he might have misunderstood what she said but from what he's told me it can only be interpreted to mean we won't get paid for days between signing and the move, in other words if you're moving house while on JSA you can only move the day after you sign withput losing money.

Cate1976

Have spoken to my husband and it turns out that he was given wrong information yesterday and we will get the money for the days between signing and move date. What the procedure is, my husband didn't say. I also don't know if move day has to be done as one of the 14 allowed for holiday.

Cate1976

Thanks for that, have found out what to do when we move. My husband goes in the day before we move and they'll work out what we're due for days between signing and move day, issue the payment and close our claim.