New Style JSA vs Universal Credit

vanLTD

Can someone clarify for me whether you can apply for both if you have 2-3 years of employment history and now unemployed?
what is the weekly payment for each?

calcotti

vanLTD said:

Can someone clarify for me whether you can apply for both if you have 2-3 years of employment history and now unemployed?
what is the weekly payment for each?

Yes you can apply for both but this doesn't increase your overall income because the JSA is deducted from the UC. Nonetheless it can be worth applying for both because you get Class 1 NI credits on JSA and only Class 3 on UC but UC is worth more.
JSA is £74.35/week if you are 25 or over. UC is £409.59/month (= £94.52/week) assuming you are single, 25 or over, and have no additional elements such as help with rent and no other income or savings to reduce your entitlement.

Robbie64

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

calcotti

Robbie64 said:

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

Good point - forgot that!

vanLTD

Thank you both

Rubyroobs

Robbie64 said:

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

Then again you can get UC paid twice a month if you request it.

calcotti

Rubyroobs said:

Robbie64 said:

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

 Then again you can get UC paid twice a month if you request it.

Not in England (or Wales) to the best of my knowledge. You can request it in Scotland and in Northern Ireland I think it is twice a month by default.

TheShape

calcotti said:

Rubyroobs said:

Robbie64 said:

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

 Then again you can get UC paid twice a month if you request it.

Not in England (or Wales) to the best of my knowledge. You can request it in Scotland and in Northern Ireland I think it is twice a month by default.

You can request a split payment (twice a month) in England and Wales but you have to meet the criteria.  I can't remember what they all are but things such as drug/alcohol/gambling addiction, mental health conditions, learning disabilities etc.

I'm also fairly sure that when your payments are split, on the next monthly payment date you receive half the payment and the other half (approx) two weeks later rather than receiving half the payment in advance then the remainder at the end of the month.

calcotti

TheShape said: You can request a split payment (twice a month) in England and Wales but you have to meet the criteria.  I can't remember what they all are but things such as drug/alcohol/gambling addiction, mental health conditions, learning disabilities etc.

I should have mentioned that, think I rather assumed that someone that was looking at JSA or UC was unlikely to fit into one of these special groups (but I shouldn’t have done that).
More information here https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/universal-Credit-Alternative-Payment-arrangements

TheShape said: I'm also fairly sure that when your payments are split, on the next monthly payment date you receive half the payment and the other half (approx) two weeks later rather than receiving half the payment in advance then the remainder at the end of the month.

That’s the way I read it too https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-youre-paid

Robbie64

TheShape said:

calcotti said:

Rubyroobs said:

Robbie64 said:

In addition it's worth applying for both as JSA is paid fortnightly whereas UC is paid monthly.

 Then again you can get UC paid twice a month if you request it.

Not in England (or Wales) to the best of my knowledge. You can request it in Scotland and in Northern Ireland I think it is twice a month by default.

You can request a split payment (twice a month) in England and Wales but you have to meet the criteria.  I can't remember what they all are but things such as drug/alcohol/gambling addiction, mental health conditions, learning disabilities etc.

I'm also fairly sure that when your payments are split, on the next monthly payment date you receive half the payment and the other half (approx) two weeks later rather than receiving half the payment in advance then the remainder at the end of the month.

This is correct. If UC is paid twice monthly then the first payment of UC is for half the amount and is made on the normal UC payment date with the other half paid about two weeks later.

vanLTD

One more question - my employment ended on 3rd of August with the last payment for July - 3rd Aug being made at the end of August. Universal credit still has not been approved as they are taking money received on 31st Aug as my income for Aug which is incorrect! 
How can this be rectified? Am I entitled to any benefits from the first day of being unemployed ie 8th August? Im now technically 6 weeks without the income.

Thank you.