Working odd days when on JSA

mattcanary

I've recently gone on to JSA income based after my agency work dried up after Xmas.

I am still registered with the same employment agency and they phoned me up this evening. They offered me work for tomorrow which I have accepted. Don;t know how many hours will be as the work is delivering parcels and the number of hours works dependant upon how long it takes to deliver the parcels. Likely to be more than 8 hours in the one day though.

May get work again on Friday (and indeed Saturday possibly) but I don;t know yet. Previously didn;t sometimes know until around 7.30am on each morning whether I was required to work on that same day or not. Work will be at £6.31 per hour.

My question is this: if I only work tomorrow that will be less than 16 hours. I'm assuming that means I will remain on JSA going forward and the JSA payment will get reduced because I will have earnt some money from working (I'm over 25 years old so get the higher single person amount of JSA).
Whereas if I also work on Friday and/or Saturday, that will in all likelihood take me above 16 hours worked in the week - meaning I will then need to start the rapid reclaim procedure next Monday with the DWP (and that would also mean I wouldn;t get any payment for Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday next week as you don;t get paid for the first three days of your claim, I believe).

Am I right or not?

Thanks very much for your help!

mattcanary

Can anyone help please?

galante_inc

Matt

Not sure how this would work out with JSA, you need to consult with you advisor at the job centre on your forth nightly interview and explain your situation, get them to confirm the rules chapter and verse.
what they may ask is why aren't you registered with more agencies... are you still looking for work and applying for the required number of jobs you've been told to apply for...

SJI85

blondebubbles wrote: »

From reading previous threads I think your claim would stop if you worked 16 hours or more.

If it was less than 16 hours then your JSA would be reduced. Some of the posts said the first £5 you earn is disregarded then your JSA would be reduced £ for £

Some of the posts were old though so couldn't say for definite. Why not just call them and ask?

Yes, for most people it's 5 pounds a week. However those entitled to certain premiums can earn more. For example someone entitled to the disability premium can earn £20 a week before benefit is effected.

I believe that a claim is stopped once a person earns over 16 hours, and then the claimant would need to do a rapid reclaim once working under the 16 hours. However, I'm not entirely sure if this is how it works, or if the claim just becomes void for the weeks when working over 16 hours.

mattcanary

Thank you everyone.

I have actually recently registered with more agencies as well as applying for many jobs.

I actually only worked 5 hours today. It's not worth going back in tomorrow unless I have got a firm commitment from the employment agency that I will also be working on Saturday.

I have had it confirmed that if I worked over 16 hours in a week and therefore went off JSA, only to have to go back on JSA at the beginning of the following week, that I wouldn;t get the first 3 days paid of the next claim.
That means I would be worse off over a 2 week period than if I just remained on JSA without taking the agency job. (The pay from tjob is only £6.31 per hour).
If I am required for 3 rather than 2 days it would be marginally better for me to take it (but only if they are full days of 8+ hours each day).

I have to bear in mind that I need a car to get to this agency work as I can't rely on public transport when I may finish as late as 8.30pm (services don;t run very late here in Norfolk!). The workplace is about 6.5 miles from my home. I currently have a car but I cannot afford to keep it unless I get guaranteed work of a decent amount each time. The car insurance alone is £56.00 per month (next instalment due next Monday). I would get rid of the car before Monday unless I get firm offers of work (I will only get scrap value of around £150 for the car).

Daft rule - about not being paid for the first 3 days of being on JSA. Hardly gives you the incentive to try work of an insecure nature. I cannot afford to be earning less than £71.70 per week.