Moving (couple of hundred) miles away - UK

spirit

Hi folks,

I'm seriously considering moving from one part of the country to the other to be near family.

I would be selling my house and buying another one without a mortgage.

I'm panicking a bit - I know I shouldn't as I'm not at the stage where my house has sold and I need to move. The bit I'm panicking about is what if I come to exchange contracts and move and I haven't yet got a job. I'll have some money because of the difference in house costs where I'm going to.

If I hadn't got a job, would I even be able to claim any benefits - not that I want to? I've never done so yet and been working since 1973.

eeeek

TELLIT01

There are two immediate options which I can see.
1. Don't hand your notice in at your current place until you have a new job. Rent locally after the house has been sold.
2. Don't put the house on the market until you have a new job and possibly stay with family in the area you are moving to until you find a new property.

Voyager2002

To answer the benefits question: unless you could provide a compelling reason why you had to give up your old job, you would not be eligible for JSA for the first few months.

t0rt0ise

Moving areas is generally a good enough reason for the Job Centre. Just make sure you've got enough savings to last until you get a job because benefits won't get you very much.

snifflette

My husband recently left his job for one a few hundred miles away so obviously I quit mine. I've never once been asked why I quit and the never questioned giving me jsa!

spirit

Thank you everyone, it's been very helpful, thank you.

InsideInsurance

keitht53 wrote: »

There are two immediate options which I can see.
1. Don't hand your notice in at your current place until you have a new job. Rent locally after the house has been sold.
2. Don't put the house on the market until you have a new job and possibly stay with family in the area you are moving to until you find a new property.

Personally would be looking to do one of the two above. Dont really see the need to intentionally deprive yourself of work.

I am not a benefits expert at all but JSA can be sanctioned if you voluntarily left your job. It sounds like it will come down to if you had a strong enough reason you had to leave before finding another job rather than it just being a bit of a whim to be close to others.

Slinky

t0rt0ise wrote: »

Moving areas is generally a good enough reason for the Job Centre. Just make sure you've got enough savings to last until you get a job because benefits won't get you very much.

20 years ago I left a job in Jersey to return to England. They wouldn't give me anything for 6 months other than pay my NI stamp. I can't imagine they've got any more generous in that time. I found a job way quicker than 6 months so didn't claim anything.

t0rt0ise

Slinky wrote: »

20 years ago I left a job in Jersey to return to England. They wouldn't give me anything for 6 months other than pay my NI stamp. I can't imagine they've got any more generous in that time. I found a job way quicker than 6 months so didn't claim anything.

That'll be because the Channel Islands are not counted as in the UK. You'll have been seen as an International applicant.