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being out of work - any benefits these days?

Hi Peeps


My son has worked since Oct 2017 but wants to pack in for a while - when I was a lad we were entitled to dole but suspect things are more difficult now re UC and years of austerity. What can he claim - he shares a 2 bed flat in London with 2 friends both of whom work but they share the bills including the rent. Rent is roughly 300 each - will he get some or all of this from state and what else will he get - also does it depend on length of unemployment - does he have to wait? Ball park figs will do. He is 22, 23 in few months.
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Comments

  • suki1964
    suki1964 Posts: 14,313 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Unless he's intending to job seek and claim JSA I don't think theres much he can claim. Maybe housing benefit

    Even with JSA he will be sanctioned because he quit his job
  • You cant just ‘pack in work’ and claim out of work benefits. You will be sanctioned for giving up work purposefully, for up to 6 months.
  • when you say sanctioned do you mean he'll get very little or possibly nothing?
  • kinksfan wrote: »
    when you say sanctioned do you mean he'll get very little or possibly nothing?

    Nothing.

    It’s to stop people giving up paid employment simply to claim benefits and have a rest, which you give no indication your son is not doing.
  • Depends on the circumstances though.

    2 of my past jobs, I resigned with no other job to go to and I claimed JSA with no issues or sanctions.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Posts: 15,696 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 20 February 2019 at 3:38PM
    He can apply for Universal Credit but if he has voluntarily given up work he will be sanctioned which means that no benefit will be payable for 3 months following the last day of employment. Once on UC he will be expected to look for work for 35 hours per week and will need to evidence this to the satisfaction of his work coach or he will be sanctioned again. When paid UC is £251.77/month for someone under 25 plus some help with rent.


    If he was in work from April 2016 to March 2018 he may be able to claim new style JSA. However the same sanctions can be applied, the same work search requirements will apply and JSA can only be paid for a maximum of 6 months. When paid JSA is £57.90/week for someone under 25.
    Information I post is for England unless otherwise stated. Some rules may be different in other parts of UK.
  • what happens if he gets the sack, does this change the time periods?
  • kinksfan wrote: »
    what happens if he gets the sack, does this change the time periods?

    Depends on why he gets sacked. If it is for gross misconduct then often that can be considered as the same as resigning in terms of sanctions, aka you can’t decide you want to go on JSA, walk in and call your boss some blue language in order to get around it.
  • mmmm no wonder I Daniel Blake was made.... the 80's look marvellous compared to this
  • suki1964
    suki1964 Posts: 14,313 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    kinksfan wrote: »
    mmmm no wonder I Daniel Blake was made.... the 80's look marvellous compared to this


    Surely if your son wants a sabbatical he should save up for it?
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