Underpaid JSA?

Myc1

Hello!

Before phoning the JobCentre and potentiially wasting limited funds, I thought I would come here.

I was released from a temporary contract on the 16th of January. By this time I had already started my JSA Rapid Reclaim. I received a letter soon after saying that my claim would start on the 18th of January.

On the 26th Jan went to the job centre on the tuesday for a short interview where I also signed.

Two weeks later (wednesday just gone), I attended a wednesday signing as normal on the 3rd of Feb. While I was there, I asked the guy signing me on if the money would be back dated to the start of my claim. He said it would be.


Today (Monday), however, I have only been paid £104.

Am I missing something, or should I have at least three weeks' worth of JSA owing to me?

Mersey_2

Yes, it sounds wrong.


16 days' worth of JSA would be more like £170.


It sounds as if the 7 'waiting days' have been applied. I think this should only apply to new claims and not 'linked' claims, such as your rapid reclaim.


Also, the claim should apply from the day you applied online (16.01.16) rather than the 18.01.16 you mentioned.

Myc1

Well as for the starting date, I figured that the claim would start from the next working day (which would have been Monday, as the 18th was a Saturday).

When I was initially at the office, the woman had trouble getting the computer to work. So she said she'd done something 'irregular' but that everything was okay despite that I hadn't signed. Could it be she processed it as a new claim rather than a linked claim? On the letter I got, it did say I wouldn't be paid for the first 7 days.

Myc1

Just off the phone from the Job Centre. I figured that the info might be useful to others in the future.

The 7 Day holding period still applies to link claims after 12 weeks.
This means that I started getting paid on the 25th.
Because all JSA is in arrears, I was paid for the period between the 25th Jan - 3rd Feb. Which is 10 days and equals £104.

Sucks for me, since I have 99 quid to live on for two weeks now. :P

densol_2

Sorry to hear that

Thanks for posting the answer

pmlindyloo

Have deleted my post as I was wrong.

You do not have to wait the 7 days if you were (within the last 12 weeks) claiming certain benefits but these do not include JSA.

Apologies.

Link for anyone interested:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470843/dmgch20.pdf

20902

Mersey_2

Thanks, Myc1.


All claims (UC & JSA) are meant to begin the day you sign (even if a weekend). But, yes the 7 'waiting days' have been applied after a 3 month break.


I still think you're owed 2 days' of JSA (the advisor has probably clerically added the start date as a Monday as they used to, whereas now claims are online they can begin on a Saturday or Sunday).


The 'benefit week' begins the Monday after a claim, so that may be what you are thinking of (applies more for HB etc). But I know JSA & UC claimants where their claims began on a Saturday as it was the date they applied online.