Coming off income-based JSA + incapacity to work

pinkpinkuk

Hello,

Myself and my partner are on joint income-based JSA. Whilst I am looking for work, my partner has been given a sick note by his GP due to depression. He has therefore filled out a form exempting him from job seeking, and our joint money is being paid in my name alone.

My question is, should I get a part-time job, would my partner still be able to claim JSA since he is unable to work? Or would it be possible for him to claim some sort of incapacity-related benefit instead? I do not think he has many National Insurance Contributions, since he has only had one short-term job which was a while ago.

However, I don't think we will be able to live on a single part-time wage. Thank you in advance for your help.

Laura

suelees1

Very difficult to give info with so little detail. He won't actually be exempt from looking for work, they will simply have accepted he is incapable of work and as long as he continues to send in sick notes he'll get National Insurance credits. The fact that he doesn't get Incapacity Benefit tells me he has insufficient NIC's for IB. So you are claiming JSA for the two of you.

If you get a pt job it's likely you'll have to live off any money you earn unless it's low enough to get some IS. £10 of your earnings will be disregarded so if for instance you earn £100 per week they'll disregard it so it's as if you're earnings are £90 pw. This is then below what the law says you need to live on which is currently £92.80 so you'd get £2.80 Income Support to top it up.

If you earn more than this then you still might be entitled to housing and council tax benefit depending on your wages.

Hope that makes sense cos it's a bit waffly

suelees1

I should have said in the last post - depending on how he is affected by his condition he might be entitled to DLA which would obviously make a difference to any Income Support as a disability premium would then be included in your applicable amount. The dp is £36 pw so this would also be paid on top of any DLA.