If you are a student or a recently unemployed person, you can apply for financial assistance to help you make it until you manage to land a job. The application process for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is very simple and almost everyone who is unemployed or in between jobs is eligible.
Eligibility
There are a few very basic requirements you must meet in order to qualify for JSA in England, Scotland, or Wales.
- You must be between 18 and the state pension age.
- You cannot be enrolled as a full time student in any educational establishment.
- You must be willing to work and actively seek a job.
- You must currently work less than 16 hours weekly.
- Once you apply, you must attend the JSA interview to determine eligibility.
- You cannot have more than £16,000 in savings or work more than 24 hours weekly if you want to qualify for income based JSA.
After meeting these basic requirements, there are a few extra stipulations that may apply based on the job you currently hold and the age range into which you fall.
If you are self-employed, you cannot qualify for standard JSA. If you have paid enough Class 1, 2, or 4 National insurance to qualify for income-based JSA, tax breaks and credits, or (Employment and Support Allowance) ESA which will be discussed in a later article.
Anyone, ages 18 or 19 is not eligible for JSA if they are enrolled in a full-time education programme or if their parents still receive any “child benefit.” If you are enrolled in a part time university course and you are willing combine your school with work if it becomes available, you may be eligible for JSA.
What are the Benefits of Jobseeker’s Allowance?
When you apply for JSA, it is important to realise that the assistance that the programme will offer you falls into two distinct categories; contribution and income based.
If you have paid enough Class 1 National Insurance contributions within the past two tax seasons, you can qualify for a contribution based JSA. You will only receive the JSA benefits for about six months, after which; you may qualify for income based JSA. Anyone under the age of 25 can receive a maximum of £57.35 weekly while applicants over the age of 25 are eligible to receive up to £72.40.
In the second type of JSA, your income will determine the amount of money you are eligible to receive. It is usually only provided to people who fall into the low income earners category and those who have not made enough National Insurance payments within the last two tax years. Your savings and annual income will factor in to how much money you can receive on a weekly basis. There are five main categories of eligible persons and their weekly assistance.
- £57.35 – Persons under 25
- £57.35 – Single parents younger than 18
- £72.40 – Persons over 25
- £72.40 – Single parents older than 18
- £113.70 – Couples who are 18 and older
How can I Apply for the Jobseeker’s Allowance?
The simplest ways to apply for government JSA is to apply online or to call one of the Jobcentre Plus offices near you. If you have previously benefited from the JSA programme within the past six months, you can reapply online through the rapid reclaim service in under 15 minutes.
Remember that after you have applied and qualified for JSA, you will need to attend an interview, and then actively pursue jobs that become available. In addition to JSA there may also be other government grants that are available to you to assist with your finances whilst unemployed.
