Newbie needing advise on JSA when you have resigned

Orby

Hello Everyone.


I am new to posting but have been an avid reader for ages. Have taken the plunge due to my new situation and now need some advice. Hope I can help others if I have the info they need.


I have resigned from a job I have had for 5 years. I finish work in two weeks. I have not yet applied for any other work as my existing workload has prevented this.


I have resigned as I have been on performance measures and they looked to be going in one direction! ( and I don't mean joining a pop group) It became to clear to me that the organisation wanted me out.


I was off sick before xmas for several weeks with stress - the first time ever in 10 years of working in this field. I went back in January hoping to be able to stay as I do like my job. Its the organisation that is the problem. However have decided to resign as I was very worried about being disciplined and the affect of this on future employment.


This was a big step as I have not been unemployed for 30 years I am 52 next month. I intend to look for work as soon as I finish my current post and have time to do CV and make applications.


However in the meantime I have been told to apply for JSA contributory, my partner has been unemployed for 18 months and has no benefits because of my income although gets careers allowance for looking after his 92 year old father who lives alone.


Worryingly someone told me on Friday that JSA contributory will not be given to me for 6 months because I have resigned. I have searched the internet, phoned advice lines and not been able to get any clarification on this.


Does anyone know if this is true?


If so what advice does anyone have about alternative benefits that I can claim until I get a job and get paid (as its usually a month behind).

London50

Hi

I would advise you read this.....http://www.urban75.com/Action/Jsa/jsa3.html#leave

pmlindyloo

It is true that you are likely to be sanctioned if applying for JSA because of resigning from your job without 'good reason'.

From what you say you did not have good reason as defined by Job Centre Plus.

If your partner is receiving Carer's Allowance then the best plan in these circumstances is for him to make a claim for Income support and add you to his claim.

The CA will be deducted from the Income Support (counted as income ) but there will be a Carer's premium added to it. So in effect you will still receive the CA and a reduced amount of Income Support for a couple.

Income Support is means tested so you will not be eligible if you have savings above £16000 (anything between £6000 and £16000 is deducted at a £1 for every £250 over).

Income Support will give you automatic entitlement to housing benefit or help for mortgage interest (the latter only after 13 weeks) and council tax reduction as well as some health costs.

You can google for more information about Income Support.

Put your details into the benefit calculator on https://www.turn2us.org.uk with just your partner claiming Carer's Allowance and it should give you an idea of any entitlements.

[Deleted User]

I did once try for HB without JSA it would have taken a while so you'll need patience - quite a few of the experiences I've come across since shows this can be done (I was VERY fortunate as I walked out of my council office the phone rang from an recruitment agency who helped get in one of those repatriation type job's 48 hours later)

Wishing you well x

I am going through this at the mo in the job afterwards and take comfort from the training you can find online which is helping enormously, it really never occurred to me before, oh man if you ever get this again, thing like these are a godsend http://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/business-skills/stress-management-course.aspx

Never let it beat you, and you can only but keep trying, happier times will be here before you know it
Best wishes

Horseunderwater

Definitely go the income support route - you should get £113.70 couple rate + £34.20 Carer premium £147.90/week which is same as you would get on JSA, but without the signings on. You can look for a job while that is being paid & if no luck after 13 weeks you can get help with a mortgage if you have one(interest only).

rogerblack

Any job - not only a full time long term position will reset the sanction.
This can be a half day picking strawberries, or any casual work where employment comes to an end naturally.

Did you approach your doctor with details of the stress?
In some cases, you may be able to claim ESA, for a short period.

HappyMJ

You need good proof of your work related stress. Maybe resigning wasn't the best option. You should of really continued to visit the doctor continually getting fit notes and eventually your employer may have let you go as you would have been unfit to do the work then JSA would be paid immediately. Anyway too late for that now. As the above poster says get any job for a short period of time and when they let you go you can claim straight away. There are plenty of short term jobs available.