Took redundancy package earlier in 2015 and immediately started freelance contract work, just finished this one today, got a longer contract starting in late January. Is it worth or can you claim help for the few weeks I’ll be without work? I’ve never signed on before so don’t know what’s what in this area. It’s probably too much hassle but others tell me I should get what’s due which apparently is circa £70 a week plus help with mortgage interest? No idea, any tips?

You’ll get your NI paid. That’s what did it for me when I was in this position

APF

Yes, sign on.

Aside from doing no end of good for accurate recording of stats, you will probably get some free dosh. (obz you need to be looking for work between now and Jan)

You won’t get help with your mortgage interest, won’t go into details but you won’t 🙂 .

You should do it for your NI conts as well.

what have you got for sale then?

Yep, get signed on. If nothing else it’s an interesting experience. Make sure they try and find you a job, that’s eye-opening. “So I have 10 years experience in banking” “Right, well, we’ve got this call centre job with a bank- says no experience needed so it’s perfect! After all if they’re happy with no experience, someone with so much more experience will be ideal!”

Why wouldn’t you sign on?

Obviously expect to be wound up by ‘people just doing their job’, and also don’t expect the money to just turn up – I’d bet on late December before you see any cash (which is one reason why folk are careful in leaving it for a few days/weeks paid work).

Yes sign on, and explain your situation up front. They will then not barrack you with lots of questions designed to keem the terminally lazy from continually fiddling the system.

On a moral note, you’ve paid healthily into the system over the years as a taxpayer exactly for this very reason. Redundancy is not a nice thing even for those that can afford to be without work, so don’t feel in the slightest bit guilty that for a few weeks you will be taking something back out of the system. Sadly, as I’m sure you’re well aware, a significant proportion of those on JSA take more out than they contribute in their lifetime, which is less than ideal. For those that don’t take the pee though, JSA is not only a useful weekly financial contribution, but it’s also your entitlement.

Sadly, as I’m sure you’re well aware, a significant proportion of those on JSA people take more out than they contribute in their lifetime, which is less than ideal.

FTFY

Wouldn’t even occur to me. Indeed hasn’t even occurred to me when I’ve been between jobs, once on my own time admittedly.

Can you still claim if you have a job to go to?

Its sole destroying for lots of reasons, oh and the process will drive you mad.

But take the money.

Its free money and the alternative to wasting your time in the Dole office is daytime telly.

(the weather for bike riding will be pants for the next few months)

I did it years ago and viewed the weekly payments as fuel money for trips to Wales mountain biking. That kept me sane while looking through the range of inappropriate jobs on offer.

FTFY

No you didn’t, you butchered an inaccurate statement and made it even worse.

If you are looking for work, you can claim JSA. Whether you are awarded it depends on other factors, of which google can help, but let’s save the sweeping generalisations for another thread eh?

There’s a good forum 🙂

Your time might be better spent finding some small freelance jobs to fill the next 6-7 weeks. Don’t assume that signing on is a fast or efficient process, and you’ll need to go in at the time they stipulate including during the holiday period.

IIRC you don’t get anything for the first week of your claim period either. You can’t claim mortgage interest support straight away either.

You are kidding right?

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-do-they-do-it-benefitslife-of-riley-content

Great argument, well made. Have a ping putter.

I’ll have a look at the online site tomorrow and decide, then maybe see if there is any local casual work for a few weeks. As a student many moons ago I used to be a postman over the Xmas period, I loved that job

Did this last year for a couple of months. Just had enough and needed a break. Went to the job center to sign on but couldn’t face going in. Went back to work after a while only to find that, when having a security check done, you are Considered to have gone missing and apparently now I’m going to have to visit a solicitors and swear an affidavit?? to say I was taking time off.not done it yet but it looks like it going to be a right pain in the arse to sort out

not sure what it’s like now but a little bit of died on the inside when I had to spell Environmental for them while taking down my skills. I did find my own job in the end.

Sign on, the money is yours, your already paid for it. And you get to wind up the jobsworths 😀

The Mrs was in a similar situation last year.

The whole process was extremely painful. At times akin to bullying.

She had signed up for evening classes and was told that this “affected her availability for work”. Despite explaining that very few positions were available at night for her work and that if she got a job full time the classes would be dropped.

She then went back to work part time but didn’t earn the NI threshold, tried to sign on for her NI and gave up after 4 weeks of complete BS.

Do not underestimate the complexity of the process, the on line forms are crazy.

Be prepared to get all Daily Wail when you see people apparently sailing through the process, seasoned veterans.

You could almost believe its designed to put you off claiming.

But that would be giving them credit where none is due.

gobuchul – Member

She had signed up for evening classes and was told that this “affected her availability for work”. Despite explaining that very few positions were available at night for her work and that if she got a job full time the classes would be dropped.

I got that exact line for doing voluntary work. Obviously I just ignored it, but all the time playing in my head was “what if you said that to some daft 17 year old who’s trying to do the right thing”