Will my JSA claim close when I apply for UC?

MusicGirl97

Hi there, 
basically on my last JSA signing on appointment, I was told to make a claim for universal credit because I’m working part time but some weeks I’m going to be doing 18-20 hours instead of just my 12 hours. The advisor explained that I’m best off being on UC now because I have to come off my JSA (contribution based) by January anyways, and she explained about the top up system when you’re working part time hours with UC. 

She said that once I apply for UC my JSA claim will automatically be cancelled. I was just wanting to make sure if this is true? 

Or if when I apply for UC would I have to then phone the JSA helpline to cancel my JSA claim? I’ll be making my claim for UC today, so I don’t know if I should phone the JSA helpline beforehand and cancel my claim or would they cancel it automatically like the advisor said? 

poppy12345

As it's New style JSA you're claiming then this won't just end once you claim UC, it will continue but be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 

However, as you've been working 12 hours per week then surely you haven't continued to receive your money from JSA? When claiming JSA there's only a £5/week disregarded from earnings, after that your earnings will reduce it £1 for £1. Working 12 hours/week your JSA should be reduced to zero.

MusicGirl97

Thanks for the reply, how would I go about closing the claim? I am yet to receive my first pay from my part time job so I have still been getting it, think from what the advisor said though I won’t receive this weeks pay. With it not automatically closing then how would I go about closing my JSA claim? As the advisor has obviously misinformed me in this regard 

poppy12345

You should have reported the changes when you started working so you need to ring them and report the changes now. You may have an overpayment of JSA. 

poppy12345

In a previous thread you were advised to report the changes when you start working. Thread here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6478024/when-should-i-inform-dwp-of-my-new-job#latest
You will almost certainly have an overpayment of JSA now if you started working a few weeks ago. 

Newcad

MusicGirl97 said:

Thanks for the reply, how would I go about closing the claim?

Just make a claim for UC as you have already been advised to do.

You don't need to say anything to JSA at this stage, just let the JSA stay in payment for now (if it does pay again) and things will sort themselves out.

Either:
The JSA will stop automaticaly because you are now working.
Or:
They will keep paying JSA (thus becoming an overpayment of JSA) and it will be deducted from your UC paments (and if JSA is overpaid will then become an underpayment of UC).

In the end any overpayment of JSA after you have claimed UC will cancel out with an underpayment of UC - but it will take some to-and-fro with some confusing messages/letters at times from both JSA and UC.

As the others have said though you may still end up with an overpayment of JSA - for the time between when you started work and when you claimed UC.

What you should do there:
AFTER you have made you UC claim, put a note on your journal asking for UC to be backdated to the date when you started work.
You need 'good reason' to ask for backdating like that, say that you were given wrong advice by JSA about when to claim UC.
eg. "you weren’t told your Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) was going to end" which is one of the noted good reasons.
See "Check if you can apply for backdating" here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/how-universal-credit-is-paid/

MusicGirl97

poppy12345 said:

In a previous thread you were advised to report the changes when you start working. Thread here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6478024/when-should-i-inform-dwp-of-my-new-job#latest
You will almost certainly have an overpayment of JSA now if you started working a few weeks ago. 

I did report it straight away, and I also told my work coach as soon as I had my next appointment. Which is why she advised me to claim UC. So I haven’t received an overpayment of anything I’m still yet to be paid by my new workplace too 

poppy12345

MusicGirl97 said:

poppy12345 said:

In a previous thread you were advised to report the changes when you start working. Thread here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6478024/when-should-i-inform-dwp-of-my-new-job#latest
You will almost certainly have an overpayment of JSA now if you started working a few weeks ago. 

I did report it straight away, and I also told my work coach as soon as I had my next appointment. Which is why she advised me to claim UC. So I haven’t received an overpayment of anything I’m still yet to be paid by my new workplace too 

If you’re paid monthly from your employer then I would expect you to have received anything yet as going be your other thread it hasn’t been a month. Once you’ve received your earnings then there maybe an overpayment of JSA because you can receive both at the same time because there’s only a £5/week disregard.