Should I Sign on?

Stubod

Left my job (resigned), and I will be looking for alternative employment but in no great hurry.
I am not looking or expecting job seekers allowance as it was my choice to resign without having another job to go to..(plus I have savings to last 12+ months).

Just wondering if there are any other benefits to signing on...mainly re NI / state pension contributions?

any thoughts / help appreciated...

DCFC79

Only benefits i can think of is the NI contributions.

Would you not get bored with no job or do you have a few ideas what you could do ?

boliston

DCFC79 wrote: »

Only benefits i can think of is the NI contributions.

Would you not get bored with no job or do you have a few ideas what you could do ?

There are some discounts if you are unemployed - my local theatre offers discounts as an example.

Xbigman

Sign on now and whatever sanction they impose will be got rid of whilst you don't need the money. When the sanction is over you'll move onto Contribution based JSA.


Darren

agrinnall

If you sign on you will have to spend many hours each week job hunting and be able to prove that you've done it, if that's not how you want to spend your time then the benefits you can get may not be worth having.

Bogalot

Xbigman wrote: »

Sign on now and whatever sanction they impose will be got rid of whilst you don't need the money. When the sanction is over you'll move onto Contribution based JSA.


Darren

But OP will have to actively seek work whilst sanctioned, and as they don't wish to that would lead to more sanctions. OP you can pay your own NI (for pension purposes) whilst you're not seeking work.

If you did wish to sign on at any time, keep in mind that they only look at your most recent employment. A short term temporary contract would stop them applying a sanction for your resignation.

Stubod

Hi all and thanks for the replies. I am happy to spend time seeking work. A good point ref trying to get any job in the short term, then if that does not work out I presume I could then claim JSA.

Xbigman

Well the jobcenter will tell you you need to seek work 35 hrs a week. I don't know anybody who does that. In reality an hour a day on universal job match and about a dozen random job applications a week seems to satisfy most jobcenter advisers. And those job applications don't have to be realistic, just not silly.
Even if your advisor thinks you aren't doing enough they have to give you a chance to improve first. I'd claim.



Darren

RedfordML

Stubod wrote: »

Left my job (resigned), and I will be looking for alternative employment but in no great hurry.
I am not looking or expecting job seekers allowance as it was my choice to resign without having another job to go to..(plus I have savings to last 12+ months).

Just wondering if there are any other benefits to signing on...mainly re NI / state pension contributions?

any thoughts / help appreciated...

Cant understand why anyone would walk away from a job with nothing lined up, especially a couple weeks before Xmas?


The CV gap and reference alone would be enough to keep me to stay on, dig in and find something else.


Good luck OP, bold move, hope it pays off!

barnaclebill

Many years ago I resigned from my company and as I had savings I did not think I could sign on as I had been working for a foreign company
I found a good job after a while and did it for three years but got fed up with the low salary and took voluntary redundancy to return to sea.
I informed the local department of work and pensions who told me I could not claim, I said I was not claiming just letting them know, they kept sending letters saying I could not get any money, finally after about six months they sent a letter saying they were giving me £100 in final settlement of my claim.
Never understood haw the system worked

fairy_lights

I wouldn't bother. If you're not in desperate need of job seekers allowance I wouldn't go through the hassle of signing on, just job search at your own pace any enjoy having a bit of time off.