New Style Jobseeker's Allowance

Overview

If you’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average you may be able to get New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

New Style JSA is a fortnightly payment that can be claimed on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.

New Style JSA is a contribution based benefit. Normally, this means you may be able to get it if you’ve paid enough National Insurance (NI) contributions, usually in the 2 full tax years before the year you’re claiming in. National Insurance credits can also count.

If you qualify, you can get New Style JSA for up to 182 days. After this your work coach will talk to you about your options.

If you qualify for both New Style JSA and Universal Credit, any New Style JSA you receive will be taken into account as income for Universal Credit.

Why should I claim New Style JSA?

Your savings and capital (or your partner’s savings, capital and income) are not taken into account when claiming New Style JSA. However, your earnings and any payment you’re getting from a pension can affect the amount you may receive.

While you receive New Style JSA you’ll be awarded Class 1 National Insurance credits, which can help towards your State Pension and other contributory benefits in the future. It is a regular fortnightly payment.

The following table shows what you may be able to claim depending on your circumstances:

Your situation	New Style JSA	Universal Credit
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average and you need support between jobs. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee.	You can apply for New Style JSA – even if your partner works or you and your partner have savings over £16,000.	You can apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner) have children or housing costs. You can also apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner) have £16,000 or less in savings between you. Your partner’s income will be taken into account as you’ll need to claim Universal Credit as a couple. Any New Style JSA you receive will also be taken into account as income but you may still get Universal Credit.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You need support between jobs and you’ve not paid or have not been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years.	You’re unlikely to get New Style JSA if you’ve not paid or have not been credited with NI contributions.	You can apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner) have children or housing costs. You can also apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner) have £16,000 or less in savings between you. Your partner’s income will be taken into account as you’ll need to apply for Universal Credit as a couple.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee. Between you, you and your partner have more than £16,000 in savings.	You can apply for New Style JSA. New Style JSA is not affected by you and your partner’s savings.	You’re unlikely to get Universal Credit because your savings are too high.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee. Your partner works. Between you, you and your partner have less than £16,000 in savings.	You can apply for New Style JSA, as your partner’s work does not affect your entitlement.	You can also apply for Universal Credit as you and your partner have less than £16,000 in savings. Your partner’s income will be taken into account as you’ll need to apply for Universal Credit as a couple. Any New Style JSA you receive will also be taken into account as income but you may still get Universal Credit.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You receive pension income from previous employment. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee.	You can apply for New Style JSA. Your pension income may be taken into account.	If you and your partner have less than £16,000 of savings you might also get Universal Credit. Your pension income will be taken into account. Any New Style JSA you receive will also be taken into account as income, but you may still get Universal Credit.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You have children. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee.	You can apply for New Style JSA as you’ve paid/been credited with NI contributions so you may qualify. New Style JSA does not include additional amounts for children.	You can also apply for Universal Credit, as it is a household assessment and you can receive an amount for children.
You’re unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average. You live in rented accommodation, or have a mortgage or home loan, and need help to pay the cost. You’ve paid and/or been credited with Class 1 NI contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years as an employee.	You can apply for New Style JSA as you’ve paid/been credited with NI contributions so may qualify. New Style JSA does not include an additional amount for housing costs.	You can also apply for Universal Credit, as it is a household assessment and you can receive an amount for your housing costs.

Eligibility

To be eligible for New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) you’ll need to have both:

• worked as an employee
• paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years (National Insurance credits can also count)

You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions, unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker.

You must also:

• be 18 or over
• be under the State Pension age
• be in Great Britain
• not be working 16 or more hours per week

You will not be eligible if you’re involved in a disagreement with your employer about employment-related issues (a ‘trade dispute’).

You will not be eligible if you have an illness or disability which stops you from working. Check if you can get Employment and Support Allowance instead.

Your savings and your partner’s savings will not affect your claim.

Your National Insurance contributions

To be eligible you must usually have made Class 1 National Insurance contributions for the previous 2 tax years. National Insurance credits can count for one of these years if you did not pay National Insurance contributions.

Example

You might be eligible based on contributions from different tax years if, during the previous 2 tax years, you have:

• claimed JSA, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Carer’s Allowance, Maternity Allowance or Carer Support Payment
• lived abroad with your partner who is serving in the armed forces

If you work

You cannot usually get New Style JSA if you work 16 or more hours per week.

Your earnings can reduce the amount of New Style JSA you get.

Check what you need to tell your work coach if you or your partner do any work while you’re getting New Style JSA.

If you’re in education

If you’re studying part-time you may be eligible for JSA.

If you’re studying full-time, you may be eligible if all of the following apply:

• the qualification you’re studying for is at Level 4 or below
• you do not get a maintenance loan, grant or bursary for the qualification you’re studying
• you can meet the work-related requirements agreed with your work coach

How to claim

To apply, you’ll need your:

• National Insurance number
• bank or building society account details (or those of a family member or trusted friend)
• employment details for the past 6 months, including employer contact details and dates you worked with them
• private pension statement letter

Apply online

You cannot apply online if you’re applying as an appointee on someone else’s behalf.

Apply for New Style JSA

If you cannot apply online or need alternative formats

Contact Jobcentre Plus if any of the following apply:

• you need help applying
• you need communications to be sent to you in an alternative format, such as braille, large print or audio CD

If you’re in Northern Ireland

If you cannot apply online or need alternative formats contact the Jobseeker’s Allowance Processing Centre.

After you make your claim

If you gave your mobile number or email address in your online application, you’ll get a text or email to confirm it’s been submitted.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will then contact you within 14 days of applying. You’ll either:

• be invited to an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus office
• receive a letter to explain why you’re not eligible for JSA

You do not need to contact DWP unless it has been more than 14 days since you applied and you haven’t heard anything.

Your JSA interview

If you’re invited to an interview, you must attend. It will be at your local Jobcentre Plus office.

You’ll be asked some questions to confirm your identity and then you’ll make an agreement about what steps you’ll take to look for work.

You’ll need to bring all of the following:

• one photographic proof of identity
• one proof of address
• one further proof of identity

If you have a P45 from your employer, bring this to your interview. You can also use this as your further proof of identity.

Photographic proof of identity

Examples include your:

• current passport
• driving licence
• eVisa showing you’re allowed to stay in the UK for 6 months or more
• certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen
• permanent residence permit

Proof of address

Examples include a:

• payslip or pension statement dated within the last 6 months
• utility bill dated within the last 6 months
• Council Tax bill dated within the last 6 months
• student loan documentation

Further proof of identity

Examples include your:

• P60
• savings account book
• personal cheque book
• current debit, credit or store card with a statement confirming the card details

Utility bills can be used for proof of address and as further proof of identity if they are from different suppliers.

Read the complete list of documents you can bring to your interview.

Support at your interview

You can take someone with you to your JSA interview.

Contact your Jobcentre Plus before the interview if you need:

• support because of a disability or health condition (for example, if you’re deaf and need a sign language interpreter)
• a foreign language interpreter and do not have someone who can help with interpretation

Accept an agreement to look for work (‘Claimant Commitment’)

At your JSA interview, you must accept an agreement about what steps you’ll take to look for a job.

You and your work coach will agree what goes in your Claimant Commitment. This could include:

• what you need to do to look for work - for example registering with recruitment agencies, writing a CV
• how many hours you need to spend looking for work each week

What you agree to do will depend on things like:

• your health
• your responsibilities at home
• how much help you need to get work or increase your income

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.