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Job Seeker’s Allowance
More commonly referred to as ‘the dole’, Job Seeker’s Allowance is a weekly benefit for people who are unemployed, or have very little or no income. However, in order to qualify for Job seeker’s Allowance, you must be ‘available for work’
This means that if, for whatever reason, you are unable to work (possibly because you are a carer or lone parent, or because you are sick or disabled), then you will probably not be entitled to claim Job Seeker’s Allowance, but should instead make a claim for a different benefit (such as Income Support).
The qualifying rules for Job Seeker’s Allowance can be quite complicated, especially because there are two (slightly) different types of Job Seeker’s Allowance that you can claim – and knowing which one you’re entitled to isn’t always easy.
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So what type of Job Seeker’s Allowance is it that you’re entitled to?
Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
Contribution based Job Seeker’s Allowance will be paid to you if you have recently lost your job and you have paid a certain amount of National Insurance Contributions throughout your previous employment. In other words – if you have previously been employed for any length of time, you should have been paying your National Insurance Contributions. Providing that your contributions have reached a certain level, you will be eligible to claim the Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance.
The Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance is paid for a maximum period of 6 months, after which you will then need to claim the Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance.
It is important to note that you cannot claim Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance as a joint claim couple, and it cannot be used to contribute towards your housing costs. Therefore, if you have a mortgage or you and your partner wish to make a joint claim, you will need to claim Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance instead.
For more information on Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (such as the qualifying rules, the amount you could expect to receive and how to claim), please click here
Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance won’t depend on your National Insurance Contribution record, but instead focuses on how your financial circumstances, such as how much income you have (if any) and any savings and capital you have (e.g. it is ‘means-tested’).
This means that if you haven’t paid much National Insurance before, for example because you have been a student, and you have no other source of income or capital, then you may qualify for Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance.
Unlike the Contribution-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, your claim for Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance can include your partner and any dependents, and you may also be entitled to claim some financial help towards meeting your housing costs.
For more information on Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (such as the qualifying rules, the amount you could expect to receive and how to claim), please click here
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