If I earn more than JSA in part time work, can I still claim?

Hemingway4471 · 14 November 2018 at 10:18PM

Currently I am 18, am part time at college for 4.5 hours a week ( doing 3rd year of A-Levels) and I have a part time Job propspect for 8.5 hours a week at £7.83 an hour. However, this job would pay more a week than the actual Jobseeker’s Allowance (I would have to apply for Income based since I have never worked in payed employment before). So my question is, if you are working less than 16 hours but you are paid more than the actual JSA, can you still claim?

I am wanting to go to Uni next year so any additional money coming in would be extremely helpful, but I was unable to find a clear answer on whether or not I could claim for JSA alongside part time work that pays more than the allowance itself.

xapprenticex · 14 November 2018 at 10:44PM

JSA = NO
HB, CTR = Possibly

JSA is the Governments idea of the minimum amount a person should be living on. With your job, you will be meeting that threshold.

IMO get more hours.

elsien · 14 November 2018 at 10:48PM

Might I suggest if you want extra money for next year you work some extra hours? 41/2 hours at college gives you plenty of extra time even allowing for the college work you need to do on top of that.

Genuineguy03 · 15 November 2018 at 2:26AM

Yes you can. In fact you'd keep the first £5 of JSA since your earning as they don't deduct the first £5 of your earnings from JSA. But you have all the hassle of having to show you actively seeking more work. So is worth claiming JSA for the sake if £5 - probably not given your also in part time education and your future plans.

Once universal credit kicks in you'd get to keep (I think) 37p or every £1 you earn. If your eligible for work allowance under universal credit, then you keep 37p in every £1 you earn that is above your work allowance. For example, if your work allowance was 100 and your earnings were £110. Then your only 10 quid over so they'd only deduct £6.30 from your personal living allowance element of you UC - housing element is ring fenced so no deductions can be made to that.

Savvy_Sue · 15 November 2018 at 3:10AM

Another vote for yes you can (I think), but I don't know if it would give you any more cash in your pocket. What it should do is pay a national insurance contribution, which 8.5 hours a week at £7.83 an hour won't be doing. And you would have to do everything they require, for example if a job came up which clashed with college, they'd expect you to give up college.

If you can find more hours under your own steam, I think life would be easier ... and it's coming up to Christmas, LOTS of retail out there!

Sncjw · 15 November 2018 at 8:50AM

I don’t think you can claim jsa while at college on a full time course.

Genuineguy03 · 15 November 2018 at 10:46AM

If its full time at uni, then no. But at the moment its part time ed.

If I earn more than JSA in part time work, can I still claim?

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