Claiming JSA/IS whilst waiting for new job

[Emma1973]

The title says it all really! I was receiving an NHS bursary, and my last payment was in August, to cover the period of August. That has now finished and I am no longer on the course.

I was due to start a new job on September 1st, however due to issues with previous health problems they know want to see a copy of my OH report which I can provide. Because of this however, it is very unlikely that I will be unable to start for at least the next 2 weeks, due to managers being on holiday, etc.

So, I def have no income other than child tax credits until I start (and of course its likely now I wont get paid till 15th October, whereas if I had started on 1st September I would have got paid on September 15th, but I know theres nothing I can do about that!)
IS there anything I can claim until I start work? I do have a 17 year old living with me who is registered in full-time education so she has no income till EMA is sorted out. IS it worth just applying for IS anyway?

Hope someone can give me some advice!

[JOSH_IOU]

your daughter could claim IS couldnt she?

[meg&mog]

Hi All

i,m sorry i do not know the answer to your question but i do know that your 17 yr old would NOT be able to claim IS this is because if the child is still in full time education then the OP should still be recieving child benefit for that child just thought i would clear that up

Thanks

Meg&Mog

[emmaf01]

I'd go into the jobcentre and ask- I think as you have no income and officially no job until the OH is noted and agreed to, then you are a jobseeker.

[poppynurse]

Knowing how NHS tusts work I suspect you have not had your job offer confirmed in writing - until you have it confirmed in writing you do not have a job, therefore you are unemployed. If you are waiting for OH/CRB clearance you are still not definitely employed. I would sign on and then sign off the day before you start work.

[Emma1973]

Thanks for all the updates guys, I've spoken to the IS people and gotten all the info I need.

6 months ago I would have been entitled to IS but in April they changed the rules, and I am now longer able to claim as a lone parent as that stopped when my daughter turned 17. In effect I am no longer a single parent! The merits of that could be a whole different discussion methinks!

I dont work for the NHS, I work for a charity, and I do have the confirmation of the job in writing. They want a OH report due to sickness last year which I think perfectly reasonable tbh. This is so they can put any measures into place they might need, it does not affect whether I get the job or not at all, I also have my CRB now.
Therefore I am not entitled to JSA because I am not actively seeing work.

As the woman from the IS line said, I am in a Catch 22, theres absolitely nothing I can claim or apply for. So its going to be 6 weeks of living on CTC alone which should be fun! And the real funs going to come on the 15th September when I have to pay the bailiffs!

[emmaf01]

Try speaking to your local council welfare rights officer- they can't expect you to survive on thinair for weeks on end. Plus I didn't think a child on an EMA would have to use it to survive on- for food etc?

And Bailiffs? What are they for?

[poppynurse]

You should be able to apply for a crisis loan.
You should still be getting child benefit and tax credits for your daughter if she is in full time education.
I take it the bank won't extend your overdraft.
I would still apply for IS - they are famous for giving wrong information, your daughter is still in full time education so she should still be classed as a child. You have not started work and do not have a start date so I would not mention that on your claim, (what if they retract the offer of employment when they see your OH report). I would also put a claim in for housing/concil tax benefit - you have nothing to lose by applying.

[MONX]

You can claim JSA,

I wouldnt mention the job but If the subject of the job comes up, you only have to say that you may have a job to start but your offer of employment is dependant on the outcome of CRB check and further checks by the prospective employer. You are not really lying and you are telling the truth.

As long as you pay lip service to the act of jobseeking you will be ok.

Its quite a simple process, you ring a call centre and give your details over the phone, this will take approximately 40 mins. They will make an appointment for you at your local Jobcentre. The appointment will take about an hour in total. You will see two people, one will check your statement and another will do the work focused part of the interview and issue you with a signing on book.

As long as you make the right noises and complete your jobseeking diary and sign off when you start work you will not be doing anything wrong.

[sallysas]

Advice above is sound. You can apply for jsa, hb/ctc and a crisis loan. As stated above they are famous for giving false information. Just remember with a crisis loan it will be taken back once they start paying you properly. If you are applying for hb and/or ctb ask for it to be backdated to 1 September (or whenever your bursary stopped) as you were given false/misleading information at the jobcentre - this is a valid reason for not applying before.

Just one thing for the future. When your cb ceases for your daughter make sure you inform your council as this will have an effect on your claim. I see people all the time who end up being overpaid hb/ctc simply because this is not widely known.

Good luck with the job when you start.

[Emma1973]

Thanks chaps, I'll try claiming JSA on Monday, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

With regards to claiming IS, the rules only changed this April, as far as I can tell its based on the premise that I should now be able to work as my daughter has now left school, which I basically agree with!

And the HB/CB have already been put in for as I recently moved home. And as for the bailiffs, its a long story and there is a thread on it in the bailiff section!

[emmaf01]

Hi Emma- until you have started a job, therefore are clocking up salary, you are not working- you have no definite contract yet. You are entitled to eat- you need to claim JSA.

And I hope you are progressing with the bailiff problems- I look forward to your next instalment!

[Elenathion]

Even if you have a job offer in writing, there is nothing to stop you from looking for work until the job starts, therefore you have every right to claim JSA.