The Truth About JSA
Written by Matt B · first published 08/04/2008
According to my logs a lot of people have been arriving at Thanet Star looking for "JSA" it is currently the most popular search word. I have to say that I have not said much on the subject of Job Seekers Allowance or the fictional "Justice Society of America" so that leaves a lot of people with not so much to read.
Not one to leave a reader hanging about I have leapt into action and am going to write about "the dole". The fund of money you claim when you have no work. Let's face it with the current employment rate around Thanet a lot of people are going to be claiming JSA and other benefits.
I'll try to answer questions like "what's it like to live on JSA?" (hard) and "How do I claim JSA?" (roll up at the job centre and speak to a member of staff) and "How do I get off JSA?" I don't promise to answer all of these questions but I am going to take a look.
Join me?
The powers that be have been doing their best to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit. The result is that there are now more people on JSA. A free PDF entitle Incapacity down JSA up has more details on why this is. (Although let's be frank - it's obvious that the needy have to ask for help from somewhere).
So what's it like living on JSA?
It's not so good. I had to live on it for a while - I had big debts and a college course I wanted to finish. The result was an average of £10 for 14 days food and some pretty uninteresting evenings at home. It was basically the student lifestyle with the added bonus of looking for work and so going self employed paid very little and needed tax credits to make ends meet it was a lot better.
Now I own a limited company and still do not have much money to spare but it is a better situation than "signing on" (claiming JSA). If you have a skill that could be put to work earning money then get out there and find some funding to get you going. I used the New Entrepreneurial Scholarship (I was in Kent Cohort 5) to provide the training I needed to make a business plan. It also paid for the IT equipment that I am still using. I also had investment from friends which helped - be determined and nothing can stop you.
However, we are talking about JSA. So how do you claim JSA?
Well the title Job Seekers Allowance should give the game away. Get down to your nearest job centre or call the Job Centre Plus on 0800 055 6688. You will need your National Insurance number.
Knowing if you are eligible for JSA is a bit beyond me (it has been a long while) The forums at moneysavingexpert.com have a thread discussing the subject.
Even if you don't get much money for whatever reason if you do "sign on" for a JSA claim they will pay your NI Stamp for you which will matter for future claims and also for when you get old and want a state pension (if they still exist then).
If you have been working you may get contributions based JSA which is paid according to your "contributions" but this soon drops off and so another job is jolly good idea if you can find it.
But how do you "get off of JSA"?
It sounds easy to say "get a job" and a lot of people will tell you this. However the job count is not fantastic and the job descriptions of jobs in the job centre are sometimes a bit "enthusiastic" and the truth is less rosy - if you even get the job.
If you are thinking "help get me out of this" then you have probably been signing on for a while. This is going to be a problem. A psychological phenomenon of "social proof" is now working against you and people that see your CV are going to think "well no one else want him/her so there must be something wrong" - then they start looking. As a result you have to appear perfect.
That's not going to happen so get ready to ask a lot of people for a job. First things first - sort out a CV. Make it clean make it bright and make it sell. I'd write a CV per job you were going for targeting the things they are looking for and highlighting them.
Remember in a job hunt you are competing against a lot of other people. As a result be prepared to go without luxuries or even food to obtain a good book on CV writing. I'd suggest the library but to be honest it's not what it used to be.
While you are in town if you do not have one open a bank account (bring all the ID you can) and make it into a full account as soon as possible (banks offer a basic account for benefit claimants to put money into). You will need this later. Ideally with some money in it. Get your JSA paid into this account - trust me this is vital in getting of off JSA.
Once you have the book read it several times and create CVs for every profession you have even a whisker of a chance of getting work in. Then spend every penny you can beg or borrow on first class stamps and mail the living snot out of everything. Mail every business in existence if you must because it really is going to be a long old fight.
It's a numbers game and the more businesses you write to the better your odds of a "bite". Writing to companies that are not advertising is a great trick but the success rate is still not great. You will however have less people to compete with as they will not have advertised.
So no luck, huh? Still on JSA? Well don't get the JSA blues just yet.
After about six months you will be placed on something they call "new deal". No doubt you will find yourself on some full-time course with the long term unemployed and frankly unemployable and meet some people whose job it is to apply creative imagination to your CV to try and dress it up a bit. Use this opportunity to ask for stamps and to get access to a printer as this will reduce the cost of a job search no end.
Also you JSA advisor is there for you to ask questions of. It is not unheard of for the right sort of person to get driving lessons, a new suit or even access to a training course to add valuable qualifications to your CV. Take everything they offer because you need every advantage you can get to out compete the world for a job.
While all this is going on get ready for some lean times. Often you will start a job and not get paid for a month or more. But you don't get JSA for that month. Stock up on cheap tinned food if you can and find out if any churches do free meals because unless the job centre can be convinced to hand over "extended payments" or a bank an overdraft you might actually starve before you get paid.
Herein lies the next problem. Getting back to work and off of JSA can leave you in debt. If at all possible take any free money management courses you can get onto as you could be living by some very slim margins for a while especially after the tax man has helped himself and you have paid rent...
Did they mention that at the job centre? When you sign off Council Tax Benefit stops as does Housing Benefit. After you sign off get around to the "gateway plus" that was once the library and apply for those benefits again.
They will make you jump through hoops and will treat you like scum because you don't have JSA backing your claim. They like your claim even less then you do because it's more hassle for them as they have to check up on you and do a lot more work that the Job Centre was doing before. Smile and keep going.
Now, you may or may not get the council and rent benefits once the JSA has stopped but even if you do get these benefits (or part thereof) you may have a "short fall" of a week to find. This is because of the "rules" that start claims from the first Monday after you claim - you can try to get this back by asking for back payments but the longer the gap the harder it is to get. Also they will not pay up too promptly so expect to fill the void while they are processing your claim.
Did I mention you might need some savings to get off JSA?
Fortunately (depending on how you look at it) the council tax collection department will send you one bill and then ignore you until the debt is about a year old and then they will summon you with very little warning to a court to explain why you have yet to pay. That'd be a CCJ if you are not very careful so don't make them wait too long. They deny this is how they work but the upshot of everything is this is exactly how they work.
Your rent is another matter. If you are a council tenant just make some sort of payment and then you can play catch up once you are being paid but if you are private you had better get your best back-side kissing face on. Tell you land lord or agent that you have just started a new job and you may be late but you will pay them when they pay you. If you are lucky they will understand as you will have been paying rent in advance.
Now you probably are right up the creak without a paddle and need to start work. You may have just enough time to phone Customs and excise - tax credit department. Apply for tax credit even if you think they will say no in case they say yes. Then expect to get paid in a year or two.
You will still have no money so you will need to apply for a crisis loan which they might not give you because you are not on benefits. It might have been smarter to apply before you signed off. Tricky stuff.
The crisis loans used to come from Queens house in Ramsgate where you could expect to wait for a few hours with other JSA and incapacity claimants. Be very, very nice and remember to smile.
Say please and thank you. I mean it. You are asking these people for money and they have the power to say no.
So you still owe a lot over the next four weeks until you get paid your final payment was not even the bus fair to work for the first two weeks.
If you have a bank account already then you could be okay. This would be where you were getting you benefit paid. Go and see them now.
Wear your suit if you can (even though you may have been running around all day) for the best impression. Get an interview and tell them that you have just started a new job. They will congratulate you so smile and say thank you.
Now explain that you don't get paid for a while but you will need to pay your bills. They will offer you a loan but say "NO" gently but firmly. They will offer you credit cards but unless you are an expert at that money management they could hurt you bad with those cards.
Ask for an overdraft. If they say how much do not say a number say "just enough to cover the basics until I get paid". Have a good list of "the basics" with you. This can include a small allowance for food but should focus on rent and bills.
For extra points you could have been paying by standing order and direct debit which will impress the bank manager and allow them to work out a financial profile. Hopefully they will say a number you think you can live with and still have some left over.
An over draft is basically spending your money early and they will make you pay for this so get a small an amount as you can but not so small you go over your limit or they will eat you for dinner. When I was young and stupid I got my first real job and an overdraft of £100. Apart from some new shoes I have no idea what I did with the rest but I spent it all in a day. Do not copy me - payday is a long way away.
With any luck the bank, the Job Centre and the council will have helped to lubricate your first month. During the whole month each day be sure to check up on what each cost and source of money is doing. If you can get to a payphone on your break chase up on things because otherwise you will go to bed with a growling tummy and, trust me, its not very nice.
Well good luck. You have a job, but now there is no-one to look after you - you are on your own and frankly they are all out to get you. While you were on JSA your JSA advisor was looking out for you (somewhat) and you got all the benefits you were supposed to (more or less) but now you have to ask for them or miss out. My policy is ask for everything and be honest about what else you have and are getting - some say yes and some say no.
Of course getting the job is a trick in itself and living through that first moneyless month is hard. I don't blame those people that give up and learn to live on the pittance that JSA gives every other week. If you have kids it's even harder.
Once on JSA it is hard to get out again. Some people never make it but I'm guessing that you are one of the ones that could or will as you have read this far.
Don't forget self employed is a valid job and you could make the switch to tax credits and even if you give up later at least the rent is paid for those first four weeks. That's not a cheat (as such) but more a creative side-step that takes a lot of hard work but could happen if you make it happen. Remember also that being self employed breaks the unemployment cycle too.
For more facts and figures about JSA check out this link and good luck with the escape plan.
Not one to leave a reader hanging about I have leapt into action and am going to write about "the dole". The fund of money you claim when you have no work. Let's face it with the current employment rate around Thanet a lot of people are going to be claiming JSA and other benefits.
I'll try to answer questions like "what's it like to live on JSA?" (hard) and "How do I claim JSA?" (roll up at the job centre and speak to a member of staff) and "How do I get off JSA?" I don't promise to answer all of these questions but I am going to take a look.
Join me?
The powers that be have been doing their best to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit. The result is that there are now more people on JSA. A free PDF entitle Incapacity down JSA up has more details on why this is. (Although let's be frank - it's obvious that the needy have to ask for help from somewhere).
So what's it like living on JSA?
It's not so good. I had to live on it for a while - I had big debts and a college course I wanted to finish. The result was an average of £10 for 14 days food and some pretty uninteresting evenings at home. It was basically the student lifestyle with the added bonus of looking for work and so going self employed paid very little and needed tax credits to make ends meet it was a lot better.
Now I own a limited company and still do not have much money to spare but it is a better situation than "signing on" (claiming JSA). If you have a skill that could be put to work earning money then get out there and find some funding to get you going. I used the New Entrepreneurial Scholarship (I was in Kent Cohort 5) to provide the training I needed to make a business plan. It also paid for the IT equipment that I am still using. I also had investment from friends which helped - be determined and nothing can stop you.
However, we are talking about JSA. So how do you claim JSA?
Well the title Job Seekers Allowance should give the game away. Get down to your nearest job centre or call the Job Centre Plus on 0800 055 6688. You will need your National Insurance number.
Knowing if you are eligible for JSA is a bit beyond me (it has been a long while) The forums at moneysavingexpert.com have a thread discussing the subject.
Even if you don't get much money for whatever reason if you do "sign on" for a JSA claim they will pay your NI Stamp for you which will matter for future claims and also for when you get old and want a state pension (if they still exist then).
If you have been working you may get contributions based JSA which is paid according to your "contributions" but this soon drops off and so another job is jolly good idea if you can find it.
But how do you "get off of JSA"?
It sounds easy to say "get a job" and a lot of people will tell you this. However the job count is not fantastic and the job descriptions of jobs in the job centre are sometimes a bit "enthusiastic" and the truth is less rosy - if you even get the job.
If you are thinking "help get me out of this" then you have probably been signing on for a while. This is going to be a problem. A psychological phenomenon of "social proof" is now working against you and people that see your CV are going to think "well no one else want him/her so there must be something wrong" - then they start looking. As a result you have to appear perfect.
That's not going to happen so get ready to ask a lot of people for a job. First things first - sort out a CV. Make it clean make it bright and make it sell. I'd write a CV per job you were going for targeting the things they are looking for and highlighting them.
Remember in a job hunt you are competing against a lot of other people. As a result be prepared to go without luxuries or even food to obtain a good book on CV writing. I'd suggest the library but to be honest it's not what it used to be.
While you are in town if you do not have one open a bank account (bring all the ID you can) and make it into a full account as soon as possible (banks offer a basic account for benefit claimants to put money into). You will need this later. Ideally with some money in it. Get your JSA paid into this account - trust me this is vital in getting of off JSA.
Once you have the book read it several times and create CVs for every profession you have even a whisker of a chance of getting work in. Then spend every penny you can beg or borrow on first class stamps and mail the living snot out of everything. Mail every business in existence if you must because it really is going to be a long old fight.
It's a numbers game and the more businesses you write to the better your odds of a "bite". Writing to companies that are not advertising is a great trick but the success rate is still not great. You will however have less people to compete with as they will not have advertised.
So no luck, huh? Still on JSA? Well don't get the JSA blues just yet.
After about six months you will be placed on something they call "new deal". No doubt you will find yourself on some full-time course with the long term unemployed and frankly unemployable and meet some people whose job it is to apply creative imagination to your CV to try and dress it up a bit. Use this opportunity to ask for stamps and to get access to a printer as this will reduce the cost of a job search no end.
Also you JSA advisor is there for you to ask questions of. It is not unheard of for the right sort of person to get driving lessons, a new suit or even access to a training course to add valuable qualifications to your CV. Take everything they offer because you need every advantage you can get to out compete the world for a job.
While all this is going on get ready for some lean times. Often you will start a job and not get paid for a month or more. But you don't get JSA for that month. Stock up on cheap tinned food if you can and find out if any churches do free meals because unless the job centre can be convinced to hand over "extended payments" or a bank an overdraft you might actually starve before you get paid.
Herein lies the next problem. Getting back to work and off of JSA can leave you in debt. If at all possible take any free money management courses you can get onto as you could be living by some very slim margins for a while especially after the tax man has helped himself and you have paid rent...
Did they mention that at the job centre? When you sign off Council Tax Benefit stops as does Housing Benefit. After you sign off get around to the "gateway plus" that was once the library and apply for those benefits again.
They will make you jump through hoops and will treat you like scum because you don't have JSA backing your claim. They like your claim even less then you do because it's more hassle for them as they have to check up on you and do a lot more work that the Job Centre was doing before. Smile and keep going.
Now, you may or may not get the council and rent benefits once the JSA has stopped but even if you do get these benefits (or part thereof) you may have a "short fall" of a week to find. This is because of the "rules" that start claims from the first Monday after you claim - you can try to get this back by asking for back payments but the longer the gap the harder it is to get. Also they will not pay up too promptly so expect to fill the void while they are processing your claim.
Did I mention you might need some savings to get off JSA?
Fortunately (depending on how you look at it) the council tax collection department will send you one bill and then ignore you until the debt is about a year old and then they will summon you with very little warning to a court to explain why you have yet to pay. That'd be a CCJ if you are not very careful so don't make them wait too long. They deny this is how they work but the upshot of everything is this is exactly how they work.
Your rent is another matter. If you are a council tenant just make some sort of payment and then you can play catch up once you are being paid but if you are private you had better get your best back-side kissing face on. Tell you land lord or agent that you have just started a new job and you may be late but you will pay them when they pay you. If you are lucky they will understand as you will have been paying rent in advance.
Now you probably are right up the creak without a paddle and need to start work. You may have just enough time to phone Customs and excise - tax credit department. Apply for tax credit even if you think they will say no in case they say yes. Then expect to get paid in a year or two.
You will still have no money so you will need to apply for a crisis loan which they might not give you because you are not on benefits. It might have been smarter to apply before you signed off. Tricky stuff.
The crisis loans used to come from Queens house in Ramsgate where you could expect to wait for a few hours with other JSA and incapacity claimants. Be very, very nice and remember to smile.
Say please and thank you. I mean it. You are asking these people for money and they have the power to say no.
So you still owe a lot over the next four weeks until you get paid your final payment was not even the bus fair to work for the first two weeks.
If you have a bank account already then you could be okay. This would be where you were getting you benefit paid. Go and see them now.
Wear your suit if you can (even though you may have been running around all day) for the best impression. Get an interview and tell them that you have just started a new job. They will congratulate you so smile and say thank you.
Now explain that you don't get paid for a while but you will need to pay your bills. They will offer you a loan but say "NO" gently but firmly. They will offer you credit cards but unless you are an expert at that money management they could hurt you bad with those cards.
Ask for an overdraft. If they say how much do not say a number say "just enough to cover the basics until I get paid". Have a good list of "the basics" with you. This can include a small allowance for food but should focus on rent and bills.
For extra points you could have been paying by standing order and direct debit which will impress the bank manager and allow them to work out a financial profile. Hopefully they will say a number you think you can live with and still have some left over.
An over draft is basically spending your money early and they will make you pay for this so get a small an amount as you can but not so small you go over your limit or they will eat you for dinner. When I was young and stupid I got my first real job and an overdraft of £100. Apart from some new shoes I have no idea what I did with the rest but I spent it all in a day. Do not copy me - payday is a long way away.
With any luck the bank, the Job Centre and the council will have helped to lubricate your first month. During the whole month each day be sure to check up on what each cost and source of money is doing. If you can get to a payphone on your break chase up on things because otherwise you will go to bed with a growling tummy and, trust me, its not very nice.
Well good luck. You have a job, but now there is no-one to look after you - you are on your own and frankly they are all out to get you. While you were on JSA your JSA advisor was looking out for you (somewhat) and you got all the benefits you were supposed to (more or less) but now you have to ask for them or miss out. My policy is ask for everything and be honest about what else you have and are getting - some say yes and some say no.
Of course getting the job is a trick in itself and living through that first moneyless month is hard. I don't blame those people that give up and learn to live on the pittance that JSA gives every other week. If you have kids it's even harder.
Once on JSA it is hard to get out again. Some people never make it but I'm guessing that you are one of the ones that could or will as you have read this far.
Don't forget self employed is a valid job and you could make the switch to tax credits and even if you give up later at least the rent is paid for those first four weeks. That's not a cheat (as such) but more a creative side-step that takes a lot of hard work but could happen if you make it happen. Remember also that being self employed breaks the unemployment cycle too.
For more facts and figures about JSA check out this link and good luck with the escape plan.
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One fan short of a hundred. :)
the hard working single mothers (durham) wrote: