Job centre opening hours over Christmas?

Does anyone know whether the job centre will be open between Christmas and New Year for new claim appointments?

I recently started an ESA claim but I want to switch to JSA before the end of December while I still have qualifying NI years for contribution based JSA. I'm just working out when to make my claim. I will be staying with family hundreds of miles away from the job centre for Christmas and am concerned about having to make a costly trip back just to have my first appointment.

Thanks.
December 2010 wins - 12 month Four Four Two subscription; Alcatel OT 708 phone; Miffy cuddly toy; Nivea gift pack

Comments

  • rogerblack
    rogerblack Posts: 9,446 Forumite
    edited 4 December 2012 at 12:58AM
    The qualifying years for a claim after the cutoff day (first sunday in the year???) would be 10/11 and 11/12.

    If your ESA claim started after April, then you have no problem whatsoever, as your not working since then is quite irrelevant.
    Even if you have contributions only in 10/11, and 11/12 is entirely credits from ESA, you are likely to qualify, if you had been working fulltime before at a decent wage.

    (the above years are for a claim next year - now it's 09/10 and 10/11)

    In addition, if you have been on ESA for over 13 weeks, you don't want to go to JSA, but straight into work, if you can.
    If you manage this, then you may be able to get https://www.gov.uk/return-to-work-credit/overview which is up to 40 pounds a week for a year.
  • tygr
    tygr Posts: 155 Forumite
    I have enough NI contributions in 09/10 and 10/11 but I was made redundant in January 2011 and since then I've only worked part time and made no contributions so 11/12 won't qualify me for anything.

    I made a JSA claim a couple of weeks ago, broke down in the job centre and was encouraged to apply for ESA instead. So my claim for that is still processing and I haven't received any payments yet.

    I think JSA is the most suitable for me and due to my NI status, I want to make sure I'm on it before the cut-off.

    My GP signed me off for a month from 19th November so I was planning to make a new JSA claim around 19th December. But if they then request that I come to the job centre on 28th December that will be a right pain! I'm hoping they might all be closed and I can go in, in the New Year when I will be at home.

    I am already job-seeking so will be meeting the requirements, at home or not (although presumably you can take a couple of days off over Christmas?).
    December 2010 wins - 12 month Four Four Two subscription; Alcatel OT 708 phone; Miffy cuddly toy; Nivea gift pack
  • Jobcentres will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day, then for New Years Day. They'll be open the rest of the time.
  • rogerblack
    rogerblack Posts: 9,446 Forumite
    tygr wrote: »
    I made a JSA claim a couple of weeks ago, broke down in the job centre and was encouraged to apply for ESA instead. So my claim for that is still processing and I haven't received any payments yet.

    It may be worth seeing if your doctor will provide a backdated sicknote - if they are aware of your health condition, and had seen you at the time, then they can do this if they choose.
    (3 months before 19th Nov)
    This would get you 3 months of ESA money.
    You do need to make a new JSA claim, but the ESA backdating is seperate from that.
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