How long from initial JSA appointment to first payment?

ElleWoods

Long story but for many reasons I left my job in December to go self employed and it hasn't worked out, so I'm now job hunting again. I'm a single parent and currently have next to no income, so I made the hard decision to apply for JSA while I job hunt. I've got my initial appointment to claim JSA on Tuesday. I'm concerned for two reasons, firstly that I won't be allowed to claim due to leaving a job voluntarily, albeit to go SE, and secondly that if I am allowed to claim, it'll take weeks to get a payment through. I only have a few pounds to my name, so the situation is pretty dire. Does anyone know how long it'll take from first appointment to first payment? Thank you.

paragon909

Well you will be sanctioned for up to 26 weeks for leaving a job voluntarily

And if you do get accepted the first payment is normally within 2 weeks or claiming. But you should get a text message confirming them.

elsien

If you do get sanctioned you can ask for a reconsideration, and you can also apply for a hardship payment to keep you going in the interim.

pmlindyloo

You will not be sanctioned for ending self employment because it did not work out.

You can only be sanctioned if you were an employee.

Brickwall

My brother was self employed until February, he just couldn't make ends meet any more. He wasnt sanctioned for going on JSA, however, it's taken from February until last week to get his first payment. His biggest problem has been the housing benefit, they're still demanding full rent, he's been borrowing off people to pay it until he can get that sorted out, hopefully now that his JSA is sorted the rest should fall into place.

ElleWoods

Thanks everyone, I was worried because I've only been SE for three months and I don't want them to think I went SE for a while just so I wouldn't get sanctioned when claiming JSA. I didn't - I had every hope that being SE would work out but I just can't survive on what I'm making and needed to apply for JSA as soon as I realised I was flogging a dead horse.

I already receive housing benefit Brickwall, because my previous job was quite low paying and I've received in-work housing benefit for years, so hopefully it won't take long to make any adjustments to that. It's just the JSA payment that I'm desperate for as I literally only have a few pounds to my name and I've got a child to feed. My appointment is tomorrow so hopefully they'll be able to give me more details then about how long it might take.

On the plus side, I've already seen three jobs that I'm going to apply for, so hopefully this situation won't last too long.

sammyjammy

SoftKittyWarmKitty wrote: »

Thanks everyone, I was worried because I've only been SE for three months and I don't want them to think I went SE for a while just so I wouldn't get sanctioned when claiming JSA. I didn't - I had every hope that being SE would work out but I just can't survive on what I'm making and needed to apply for JSA as soon as I realised I was flogging a dead horse.

I already receive housing benefit Brickwall, because my previous job was quite low paying and I've received in-work housing benefit for years, so hopefully it won't take long to make any adjustments to that. It's just the JSA payment that I'm desperate for as I literally only have a few pounds to my name and I've got a child to feed. My appointment is tomorrow so hopefully they'll be able to give me more details then about how long it might take.

On the plus side, I've already seen three jobs that I'm going to apply for, so hopefully this situation won't last too long.

Don't you get tax credits?

Londonsu

Don't you get Child benefit

ElleWoods

Yes to both TCs and child benefit but I'm overdrawn, so loathe to take any money out of the bank. I will take the odd tenner out if absolutely necessary but as I'm already in debt, I don't want to get in too much more.