Jobseeker's Allowance - General Information The type and amount of Jobseekers Allowance you may qualify for depends on your circumstances. The options are as follows:
Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based)
You may qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based) if you are unemployed, have paid enough National Insurance Contributions and are available for and actively seeking work.
It is payable for up to 182 days. No additional benefit is payable for dependants.
Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based)
Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) is income related. You may qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) if you are unemployed, available for and actively seeking work but have not paid enough National Insurance Contributions to receive Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based).
The rates payable depend on your circumstances.
Joint Claims for Jobseeker's Allowance
Joint Claims for Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) was introduced as part of the Government's Welfare to Work reforms. It aims to:
reduce the number of households where currently no one works by requiring both members of a couple to look for work or training
help you, if you are working part time, to increase your hours or improve your employment prospects.
Both members of a couple satisfying certain criteria will be required to be available for work as a condition of receiving Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based).
You can get advice on all aspects of Jobseekers Allowance at the Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office.
Jobseeker's Allowance is paid to unemployed people.
Income Support can be paid for persons who are in the following categories:
An unemployed person will be entitled to a Jobseeker's Allowance if they:
- are available for employment; and
- have entered into a Jobseeker's agreement; and
- are actively seeking employment; and
- satisfy the contribution-based conditions or the income-based conditions; and
- are not engaged in full-time paid work; and
- are capable of work; and
- are not receiving relevant education; and
- are under pension age; and
- are in Northern Ireland.
Groups such as lone parents and carers have the choice of claiming Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance.
To qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance you must be unemployed or working on average less than 16 hours a week.
Partners of customers receiving income-based Jobseeker's Allowance are able to work for, on average, up to 24 hours a week.
If you work part-time, the first £5.00, £10.00, or £20.00 of your earnings (net of Income Tax, National Insurance and half of any pension fund contribution) is disregarded in assessing your claim to Jobseekers Allowance.
The standard disregard on part-time earnings is £5.00 a week, but a higher £20.00 disregard is applied to the following groups:
Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based)
- lone parents entitled to the Family Premium (Lone Parent);
- disabled people entitled to the disability premium;
- certain people aged over 60;
- carers entitled to the carer premium.
Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based)
Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based & Contribution based)
- members of certain specialist groups e.g. part-time firefighters and reservists.
In assessing Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) those claiming as a couple have the first £10.00 of their earnings disregarded.
When working out benefit entitlement earnings in excess of the disregarded amount are taken into account on a 1 pence for 1 pence basis.
No allowance is made for any employment expenses, for example, fares to work, unless they are incurred during employment, for example, tools and equipment.
Customers who are working, on average, 16 hours or more a week (24 hours or more in the case of partners in Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based)) are not normally eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance.
Exceptions to the above are:
- certain carers and trainees;
- volunteers;
- people living in a residential care or nursing home;
- special occupations i.e. lifeboatmen, part-time firemen, Territorial Army, Volunteer Reserves and coastguards, PSNI(R), RIR;
- Local Councillors and foster parents;
- in certain circumstances, people involved in a trade dispute;
- disabled people with low earnings due to disability;
- share fishermen claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based).
For these people, there are no restrictions on the hours they can spend doing this type of work and still remain eligible to claim Jobseeker's Allowance.
Earnings are taken into account in the normal way, although some have a higher disregard of £20.00.
When you contact the Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office you will be issued with a claim pack which includes the claim form for Jobseeker's Allowance and the Jobsearch Plan.
An appointment for a new Jobseeker's interview will be arranged for you with a Client Advisor / Personal Advisor. You will need to bring a properly completed claim form and supporting documents with you when attending the interview.
At the interview the conditions of Jobseeker's Allowance will be explained and a Jobseeker's Agreement will be drawn up based on your Jobsearch Plan. A claim for Jobseeker's Allowance may only be accepted when a claim form has been properly completed.
How long will it be paid for? Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based) will be paid for 182 days.
Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) will be paid for as long as your income is less than the applicable amount and the conditions for receipt are met.
Rates of Jobseeker's Allowance Effective from 7 April 2008
Contribution based
Personal Allowance
£47.95 16 - 24
£60.50 25 or over
The conditions for contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance are based on National Insurance Contributions you have paid from previous tax years.
A personal allowance of contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance will be payable for 182 days irrespective of capital or your partner's income.
The personal allowance will be the same rate as that for Income Support.
There will be no Adult Dependency Increases.
Rates of Jobseeker's Allowance
Income based
Personal Allowance
£47.95 16 - 24
£60.50 25 or over
Couple
£94.95 couple both 18 or over
£94.95 couple both 18 or over, with responsibility for a child - one aged under 18
Dependent Children
£52.59 from birth to the day before the 20th birthday
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance will be structured on Income Support with a personal allowance and additional premium payments for people with dependants and/or special needs.
Housing costs will also be paid where appropriate.
Recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) will qualify for Housing Benefit without having to complete a separate means test. If you have someone living with you in your home Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based):
- will be reduced in respect of a non-dependant who is:
aged under 25; and
in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based); but
- will not be reduced in respect of a non-dependant who is:
aged under 25; and
in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based).
Access to the welfare benefits managed by other Departments (the HS low income scheme, free school meals and assistance with prison visits costs) will follow current Income Support arrangements.
Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based) recipients will have to satisfy a separate means test in order to benefit from these schemes.
You can get more help and information on Jobseeker's Allowance and other Social Security Benefits by contacting your local Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office.
You will find your local Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office contact number in the phone book under Government.
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