Care and support

Jobseeker's allowance

If you don't get income support, you may be able to claim jobseeker's allowance, which is the benefit for people who have to sign on as unemployed. Jobseeker's allowance has two parts: contribution-based and income-based.

Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance is paid if you have worked and paid National Insurance contributions over the 2 previous tax years. Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance is only paid for a maximum of 6 months. There are very few 16-17 year olds who qualify for this.

Income-based jobseeker's allowance is means-tested and is only paid if you meet certain rules and your income and savings are below certain levels.

You cannot get jobseeker's allowance if you are in full-time non-advanced education (studying for 16 or more hours a week, doing 'A' levels, BTEC or equivalent) but some part-time students can qualify.

Income-based jobseeker's allowance for 16 and 17 year olds

If you are 18 or over, you can claim JSA without any special rules applying.

There are four ways that you might get income-based jobseeker’s allowance if you are 16 or 17.

1) You can claim if you are:

• Laid off or on short term working (for up to 13 weeks);
• Enlisting in the armed forces within the next 8 weeks;
• One of a couple with a child.

2) You might be able to get income-based jobseeker’s allowance for 20 weeks after you have left school, college or a training scheme like E2E where your parents could get child benefit for you. This is known as the child benefit extension period. For example, if you leave school or college in June 2008, you can claim JSA under this rule until late November 2008 (20 weeks on from the official school leaving date) but only if you also meet the rules set out below:-

• you have to register for work or training at the careers/connexions service and
• have no parents or anyone acting as your parents; or
• you live away from your parents or anyone acting as parents, and immediately before age 16 you were in custody (there are special rules for care leavers and people in care - see later section); or
• you live away from your parents or anyone acting as your parents because of physical or sexual abuse, or because you need special accommodation for your disability, or you are under supervision of the Probation Service (there are special rules for care leavers and people in care - see later section); or
• you are married and your partner can claim, e.g. because s/he is aged 18 or over or has a child; or
• you live away from parents or people acting as parents because:
  
• you are estranged from them,
• you are in physical or moral danger,
• there is serious risk to your health,
• your parents are in custody, sick or disabled, or can't
  enter the U.K. because of immigration laws.

Being estranged from your parents means you can't live with them and don't want to live with them, or they feel the same about you. You can be estranged even if they are giving you some financial support – see the later section for more about estrangement.*

3) You can claim income based jobseeker’s allowance after the child benefit extension period if you have been discharged from custody and you are in one of the groups entitled during the child benefit extension period. Jobseeker’s allowance will be paid for up to 8 weeks from the date of your discharge.

4) If you do not fall into any of the above groups, you may still get jobseeker's allowance on a discretionary basis. These are known as severe hardship payments. Decisions on severe hardship are made by special staff at jobcentre plus, who have to check with a central office in Sheffield if they intend to refuse your claim. You don't have the right to an independent appeal if you are refused money under 'severe hardship' but if you think they were wrong to turn you down, you can complain and ask them to look at the decision again.

You should insist on your right to make a claim for severe hardship payments and not be turned away by reception staff at jobcentre plus, as sometimes happens.

To get a payment, you will need to be looking for work or training.

Factors taken into account when deciding whether you are in severe hardship include:

• what money you've got;
• if you are homeless or at risk of being homeless;
• if you have any health problems, are pregnant or vulnerable;
• if you are trying to get a job or training;
• if anyone else can support you

If you think anything else is important, tell them!

Severe hardship payments can also be claimed if you live with your parents but they can't or won't support you.

One problem that often crops up is that jobcentre plus sometimes ask you to get a letter from your parents that confirms that you can’t live at home. Or they may ask for permission to contact your parents. In fact, that shouldn’t happen, as their own rules say that a parent doesn’t need to be contacted.

Severe hardship payments are normally paid in arrears. If payment is due immediately, the jobcentre plus office can make a payment over the counter. If you need money urgently, you should apply for a crisis loan from them (but this has to be paid back when your benefit starts).

Severe hardship payments usually last for 2 to 8 weeks at a time, depending on your circumstances. After that time, the jobcentre should look at your case again and make a new decision about whether you are still in severe hardship. They can keep your claim going.

If there is not enough information to decide your claim, they can make an interim decision to pay you for 1 or 2 weeks. If you are turned down, you can ask for a revision or reclaim if you can get more evidence of your severe hardship. Seek further advice if this happens to you.

Part time students aged 18 or over

You can still get JSA if you are unemployed but studying part-time. You have to meet certain rules. Your course has to be less than 16 hours a week and you have to convince jobcentre plus that you are looking for and available for work. You will have to promise that you will give the course up if a suitable job or training place comes up.

How do I claim income-based jobseeker's allowance?

If you are 16 or 17, you must:-

1. Register with the careers/connexions service for work and training; they will fill out a referral form for jobcentre plus. If you are unable to register and get back to jobcentre plus before it closes, and a delay in your claim would cause hardship, you should go to jobcentre plus first.

2. Take the referral form to jobcentre plus.

3. They will give you another form about your availability for work designed especially for 16/17 year olds, as well as a jobseeker's allowance claim form (JSA 1).

4. You should be given a private interview with a personal adviser, usually on the same day. At the interview, your plans for finding work or training are recorded in a jobseeker's agreement.

5. If claiming under the severe hardship rules, you will be asked about your living arrangements etc., to decide whether benefit is payable.

6. If you are claiming JSA whilst a part-time student you will be asked whether you are willing to give up the course if a job is offered to you. You will also have to show that you are still looking for work whilst you are studying.

If you are 18 or over, you can deal directly with jobcentre plus but you will be directed to use a call centre to lodge your claim (0800 055 6688). They will then call you back to go through the claim in more detail. The call centre then send you the claim form to sign and take in to jobcentre plus where you will be interviewed.

Couples

There are special rules for couples who are unemployed. If you are both available for work, then you will both have to sign-on as unemployed and seeking work. This doesn’t apply if one of you is sick or if you have children. If you are part of a couple where one of you is unemployed and the other is in education or training, seek advice.

How much jobseeker's allowance will I get?

Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance is £47.95 if aged 16-24.

Income-based jobseeker's allowance is worked out in the same way as income support using the above figures - see earlier.

Passport to other benefits

If you qualify for income-based jobseeker's allowance you will get the same ‘extras’ that income support brings e.g. free prescriptions etc.

Living with your boyfriend or girlfriend?

If you are a young person living with your boyfriend or girlfriend, then get advice about claiming, because jobcentre plus will treat you as a couple. The amount you get if you are a couple can vary according to how old you are, whether you have children and on what basis you are getting benefit. Seek advice.