New style jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) is a benefit for people who are unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours a week and are seeking work.
You cannot now make a new claim for income-based jobseeker's allowance. You must claim universal credit instead.
Contents
Who can get it?
You may qualify for new style jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) if you:
- meet the work-related conditions that apply under the universal credit system
- pass the contribution conditions (you need to have paid enough national insurance contributions in the last two full tax years before the year you claim)
- are under pension age
- are not working 16 hours or more a week
- are not in full-time education (with limited exceptions) see ‘Students and new style JSA’ below
- live in the UK
- do not have a limited capability for work because of ill health or disability that is expected to last more than 13 weeks (see If you fall ill)
Students and new style JSA
Full-time courses
Students attending a full-time course are normally excluded from jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) until the end of the course, or until they abandon it or are dismissed from it.
You can get JSA temporarily while you are waiting to return to your course after an agreed break because you were ill or because you had to care for someone.
Part-time study
You can study part-time and get JSA if your course or training takes place outside of the hours you need to be available for work. These times are usually recorded in your claimant commitment
If the course overlaps with the hours in which you must be available for work, you can still get JSA for part-time study if you are willing and able to rearrange the hours of your course immediately to take up employment or are willing and able to give up the course if a job becomes available.
For further information on the above and the support that is available for disabled students, contact the Disabled Students Helpline: tel: 0330 995 0414 or email: students@disabilityrightsuk.org
How to claim it
If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, claim online
Alternatively you can call Jobcentre Plus:
Telephone: 0800 055 6688 (Textphone: 0800 023 4888)
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 055 6688
If you are deaf and use British Sign Language, you may be able to claim using a video relay service.
If you live in Northern Ireland, claim online or phone 0800 022 4250. If you are deaf and use British Sign Language, you may be able to claim using a video relay service
‘Signing on’
You are normally expected to ‘sign on’ at your local Jobcentre Plus office (usually every two weeks) to discuss how your job search is going. In addition, you must normally also attend regular, more detailed interviews to look at your situation.
How much is it?
From 8 April 2024, the rate for new style jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) is:
- age under 25 - £71.70
- age 25 or over - £90.50
New style JSA can be paid for up to six months (either in one spell, or several shorter periods where your entitlement is still based on the same two tax years).
New style JSA is not means-tested, so it is not generally affected by other income or savings you may have. Any earnings of a partner are ignored.
However, if you receive an income of over £50 a week from an occupational or personal pension, the excess will be deducted from your new style JSA.
For example, if your pension is £55 a week, £5 is deducted from your benefit. If your pension income is below £50 a week, your new style JSA is unaffected.
If you fall ill
If you fall ill (in technical terms: you have a 'limited capability for work'), you may choose to stay on JSA for up to two weeks: you must fill in a form to declare that you are unfit for work and for how long. You may only do this twice a year.
If your illness is expected to last for more than two weeks, but no more than 13 weeks, you may choose to stay on JSA for a continuous period of up to 13 weeks (once in any rolling 12-month period). You need to provide the Department for Work and Pensions with evidence of your illness and its likely duration, such as a fit note from your GP.
You will not have to search for work if your work coach is satisfied that it would be unreasonable to expect you to do so. Your work coach can also relax the condition that you must be available for work.
If you are still sick after 13 weeks, you cannot stay on JSA but need to claim new style employment and support allowance instead.
Going into hospital
The day you are admitted is treated as a day out of hospital and the day you are discharged is treated as a day in hospital.
You cannot normally claim jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) while you are in hospital because you will not be deemed capable of work or able to meet the work-related conditions.
However, if you are already getting JSA when you go into hospital, you can be treated as being capable of work and the work-related conditions can be relaxed for up to 13 continuous weeks (see ‘if you fall ill’).
When your JSA stops, you may be able to claim employment and support allowance instead.
JSA can continue to be paid during a temporary absence abroad for the purpose of receiving NHS hospital treatment.
Find out more
Advice
Use advicelocal to get advice in your area.
See also our Getting Advice guide
Find out more
If you are an adviser see our Disability Rights Handbook