Freelance work and JSA

Clemmie83

I was made redundant and haven’t been able to find work due to Covid therefore I’ve been on JSA for the last couple of months. I understand that you can work up to 16 hours whilst claiming? How does this work with freelance work under self employment? Could I pick up some small freelance jobs whilst still claiming and looking for a permanent position?

poppy12345

Yes indeed you can BUT if you earn more than £5 per week then your JSA will be reduced £1 for £1.

Universal Credit will be a better benefit to claim, while you're doing some work but claiming this will depend on your circumstances. Savings of £16,000 will exclude you from claiming.

A claim for UC will end any tax credits you may already be claiming.

Clemmie83

Is that right, anything over £5?? So you can work 16 hours for an employer and still claim but can can’t earn the equivalent of less than an hour minimum wage and it affects your claim?

calcotti

Clemmie83 said:

Is that right, anything over £5?? 

Yes, that's correct. As poppy says, if you are eligible it is better to claim UC (unless you are going to lose other benefits as a result).

Clemmie83

I’m also pregnant and I need 3 more weeks to make up my 26 weeks employment I need to get maternity allowance. Does anyone know if I can pay voluntary class 2 national insurance contributions towards my self employment whilst not working and claiming JSA?

calcotti

If you are claiming JSA you will get Class 1 NI credits anyway.

Clemmie83

Class 1 doesn’t go towards qualifying for maternity allowance though, class 2 does...

poppy12345

Yes it does. Class 2 is for those that are self employed because they don't pay class 1. See link. https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

Clemmie83

I don’t think weeks claiming JSA count towards your 26 weeks employment needed for Maternity allowance though? Whereas weeks where you pay class 2 national insurance as self employed do...

calcotti

Clemmie83 said:

I don’t think weeks claiming JSA count towards your 26 weeks employment needed for Maternity allowance though? Whereas weeks where you pay class 2 national insurance as self employed do...

I see your point and It’s not clear how some employment and some self employment will interact in terms of eligibility
https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

Will you be claiming UC? If so then MA is irrelevant anyway as the MA will simply reduce the UC payable (although I think there is a legal challenge to this at the moment).

Clemmie83

You can mix and match employment and self employment so I have 13 weeks employment before I was made redundant which is within my qualifying period. These 13 weeks are the ones I will submit my proof of earnings for which is required. I then have 10 weeks of self employment where I have already submitted a tax return and paid class 2 national insurance and so I’m 3 weeks short of my 26 weeks employment required. I’m therefore wondering if I can pay voluntary class 2 national insurance contributions whilst claiming JSA (as although not working I’m still registered as self employed) 
I hope that makes sense! Any help appreciated...