Can I claim Job seekers allowance following VR at 55 if I defer taking my pension?

Murphybear

itsmeagain said:

Thanks all. So, it appears from what's been said, putting morals & opinions to one side, there's nothing stopping me claiming JSA for up to 6 months.
I have also been recently diagnosed with frozen shoulder. I struggle to drive for any distance, lift, reach up etc. Will this affect anything associated with what I can claim and be an accepted limitation on what jobs I can reasonably be expected to apply for / accept?

I really sympathise with you, I have had a frozen shoulder and it was horrible.  It can be easily resolved though.  I had a steroid injection at our teaching hospital and by using ultrasound they could pinpoint the exact site.  It was a deep uncomfortable injection but it worked very well and my shoulder was pain free and mobile again.  This was nearly 10 years ago and it has not returned.  

Murphybear

3card said:

I was made redundant at the end of June 2020 at the age of 60 and i decided to apply for JSA.
The process was easy and in the 6 months i never had to visit and job centre and at my initial phone appointment the lady could tell i was a genuine case and i was honest to tell her i was only looking for a part time job as i had had my fill of full time employment.
I had a pension pot of over £300K and i could have started this in drawdown but i would have preferred to find a suitable part time position in something i could enjoy 
The usual timescale for follow up phone calls from the job centre was 2 weeks but she decided to put me on a monthly call which was acceptable to both of us
I told her at each call what i was doing to look for work and this was accepted

After 6 months my JSA finished and i decided to call my employment days to an end and i started drawing a small pension in the new tax year

I would say to the OP that yes they should apply for JSA but bear in mind that this income is class as taxable at the end of the tax year

Good luck 

I claimed for Job Seekers when I was 58, before Covid so I went to the Job Centre.  The person I saw said more than once “we don’t expect you to get a job at your age”.  

As it happens I was on the waiting list for a total knee replacement and my date came through early.  After that I claimed ESA and the DWP said I could stay on that until I retired.  

Scrounger

Murphybear said:

As it happens I was on the waiting list for a total knee replacement and my date came through early.  After that I claimed ESA and the DWP said I could stay on that until I retired.  

Excellent outcome Murphybear - well done!

I wonder how @itsmeagain is getting on?

Scrounger

itsmeagain

Scrounger said:

Murphybear said:

As it happens I was on the waiting list for a total knee replacement and my date came through early.  After that I claimed ESA and the DWP said I could stay on that until I retired.  

Excellent outcome Murphybear - well done!

I wonder how @itsmeagain is getting on?

Scrounger

I'm doing fine thanks. I got my JSA with very little effort and now just applied to take my DB pension.
I think that I'll get my 'stamp' for this year because I paid £1200 in the 3 months that I worked Apr - June 21.
My frozen shoulder has improved significantly thanks.

Scrounger

itsmeagain said:

Scrounger said:

Murphybear said:

As it happens I was on the waiting list for a total knee replacement and my date came through early.  After that I claimed ESA and the DWP said I could stay on that until I retired.  

Excellent outcome Murphybear - well done!

I wonder how @itsmeagain is getting on?

Scrounger

I'm doing fine thanks. I got my JSA with very little effort and now just applied to take my DB pension.
I think that I'll get my 'stamp' for this year because I paid £1200 in the 3 months that I worked Apr - June 21.
My frozen shoulder has improved significantly thanks.

Thanks for the update.

Do bear in mind that you can remain on JSA 'credits only' if you need additional NI credits towards a full state pension.  Taking your DB pension doesn't affect this.

Scrounger