Signing on - first interview tomorrow - any tips?

Cutzee

SaveMeDo wrote: »

The main reason is that CB JSA is not means tested, also, you can negotiate a better JSAg, like limiting what jobs you will apply for and hours.

I also believe the it will delay being sent on the work program by at least six months.

There are other reasons but since you are single they don't affect you.

Ok, thank you for your reply. But of what benefit is CB JSA not being means tested to me? I have no savings, no assets, no income and would be struggling to afford my prescriptions with the basic JSA .

I get your point about the negotiating a better JSAg - but they already made me sign to say I will sign up for UJM and tried to make me sign to give them access! They didn't appear to be cutting me any slack because I'd been making contributions for the last two years and am already actively seeking work!

I don't really know anything about the work programme. I see you may get referred to it if you've been on JSA for more than three months. Is this the Poundland thing I saw in the news quite recently - working for free at shops for supposed "work experience". I have much to learn!

out_of_cash

see this on UJM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/61726161#Comment_61726161

Cutzee

out_of_cash wrote: »

see this on UJM

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/61726161#Comment_61726161

Apologies - I don't understand what you are getting at?

kem1

Hi Cutzee,

Contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSAC) is paid if you have worked and paid enough National Insurance contributions in the last 2 relevent tax years. If you are entitled to JSAC, the system will pay it automatically - the rates are no different, it just comes out of a different pot of money. It is not means tested (i.e. you can have won the lottery and get JSAC if you've paid the relevent NI contributions) but it is only paid for 6 months. After that, your circumstances are re-assessed to see if you qualify for Income Based JSA (JSA IB) on the gounds of low or no income.

There are several circumstances that immediately count you out for being entitled to JSA IB, such as a partner who works full time, savings over the capital limit etc. This is because it is means tested. These 'knock-out' questions are asked of you when you first make your claim online or through the contact centre. If your answers exclude you from claiming JSA IB, you will only be asked the questions for claiming JSAC.

From what you've said, the answers you will have given wouldn't have excluded you from claiming JSA IB, so what the system will have done is assess you for both JSA IB and JSAC. As I've said before, if you are entitled to JSAC then that is what the system will pay you initially for the first 6 months - however, if have no other income/savings etc, the system will probably also show that you also have an underlying entitlement to JSA IB. This means that even if you are being paid JSA C, you are also entitled to JSA IB because you satify the conditions for claiming it, and you should still be able to get help with prescriptions etc.

Just to clarify, conditionality (i.e. what you are required to do) is no different whether you are on JSAC or JSA IB. The delay to starting the Work Programme is a myth. The only exception to conditionality in some occasions is if somebody is claiming National Insurance Contributions only. These are generally people who have had their 6 months of JSA C and don't qualify for JSA IB because of savings or other income - and in these cases they aren't getting any money to sanction, just their 'stamp' paid for them.

Hope that clarifies a few things, sorry if you're just more confused!