Could I be on JSA?

loobyloo1980

I am unemployed as I have been looking after my son. He will be 2 shortly and goes to nursery 3 mornings a week. We are seriously skint and the only option seems to be to go to work. However, because of the childcare costs, this has been a last resort.

So, could I claim JSA and look for a part time job? I could only work 16 hours maximum really as have another child at school who needs picking up at 3pm. Can I get JSA and only look for 16 hour jobs?

I haven't worked for 3 years in total.

fantaice

[QUOTE=
I haven't worked for 3 years in total.[/QUOTE]


I don't think you can get Contribution JSA as they base it on how much National Insurance you've paid in the past two tax years...you could apply for Income based I suppose......

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/cms.asp?Page=/Home/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/497

above is a link for information.....

Good luck for the process is a nightmare if my experiance is anything to go by!

Spendless

As the previous poster says JSA contribution based is based on your NI contributions over last few years. If you haven't worked you are unlikely to get it.

For income based your partners (if you have one) income will be taken into account.

If you do have a working partner are you claiming tax credits?

elmer

Hi, If you work at least 16 hours, you can claim working families tax and child tax credit, if you are not already claiming this, there is also a a childcare element of CTC that will pay up to 70% of childcare costs, up to a certain limit, your local CAB will be able to give you more advice,hope this helps

Elmer

johannamse

When does the little one start nursery? You could then get a job during these hours? You could work at the nursery?

Could you work evenings? Pub? Supermarket? Work from home? Ironing??

It's terrible being skint - but you'll get through this.

HTH

loobyloo1980

My partner works and we get CTC, but over the threshold for WTC.

Its actually 2 years since I last worked - not 3 like I said, but paid NI for 6 years previously - does this count for nothing?

Woulodn't get income based as partner earns too much.

loobyloo1980

johannamse wrote:

When does the little one start nursery? You could then get a job during these hours? You could work at the nursery?

Could you work evenings? Pub? Supermarket? Work from home? Ironing??

It's terrible being skint - but you'll get through this.

HTH

little on already goes to nursery as I am a part time student. work during those hours is not reall an option as I could only do 9 hours a week (and who would take me on for that) Can't work at the nursery as am not qualified (and some other personal reasons which i would prefer not to go into)

Can't do evenings or weekends because my partner works shifts and therefore I would not be able to get my kids looked after on the shifts he was away at night (2 out of 3weeks)

Can't iron (don't even do my own) because of back and shoulder problems. Have considered working from home, but there doesn't seem to be much call for it where I live.

loobyloo1980

elmer wrote:

Hi, If you work at least 16 hours, you can claim working families tax and child tax credit, if you are not already claiming this, there is also a a childcare element of CTC that will pay up to 70% of childcare costs, up to a certain limit, your local CAB will be able to give you more advice,hope this helps

Elmer

partners earnings mean we do not qualify for WTC and therefore the 70% childcare would not apply to us.

loobyloo1980

what does this mean?

"You must have paid or be treated as having paid a certain number of NI contributions" taken from Jobcentre website.

What do you have to do to "treated as having paid" NI???

Is this like what I get with child benefit, that home responsibilities type protection thing?

katskorner

To be honest the best thing to do is actually ask at the job centre - they will tell you whether you are entitled to claim or not. You can opt to work reduced hours if you have childcare responsibilities so that should not be a problem.

loobyloo1980

think I will go and ask them.

In the meantime, someone suggested working from home. Does anyone have any idea how I could go about advertising myself for typing/word processing type work as I am a fast trained typist and have internet access and all the stuff at home. I could happily type up work for students and do secretarial stuff for companies from home.