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Jobseekers Allowance (JSA): Helping the Unemployed

Jobseekers Allowance, also known as JSA, is a benefit for people who are of working age but are out of work, or work less than 16 hours a week on average. It is paid while you’re looking for work, if you meet the other eligibility criterion.

Jobseekers allowance is the key benefit you will receive if you are out of work. JSA is a taxable benefit that has two types:

Contribution based Jobseekers Allowance

Income based Jobseekers Allowance

Contribution based Jobseekers Allowance

You are entitled to Jobseekers Allowance if you have paid enough National Insurance contributions in the last 2 years. Contribution based Jobseekers Allowance is usually paid for up to 182 days. Self employment contributions will not normally allow you to be entitled to contribution based Jobseekers Allowance.

Income based Jobseekers Allowance

If you have savings of more that £16,000 savings, you usually wont be entitled to get Income based Jobseekers Allowance.

If you have savings of over £6,000, for every £250 your claim for Jobseekers benefit will reduce by £1 per week.

Eligibility Criterion for JSA

You can avail this benefit if you are:

Available and actively looking for work

18, but under State Pension age

Currently working less than 16 hours per week (on average)

Usually Job Seekers Allowance is not paid to 16 or 17 year olds, except in special cases.

Applying for Job Seekers Allowance

To apply for income-based Job Seekers Allowance or to get Contribution-based Jobseekers Allowance, or to find out if you are entitled to Job Seekers Allowance, you will need to call the dedicated contact number for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA).

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Joe Anderson .