Jobseekers Allowance And Temporary Work

A question about : Jobseekers Allowance And Temporary Work

Hi,If I was to claim Jobseekers Allowance and I then began a temporary job for a week or so, would I be able to then claim again straight afterwards if no other work was available? On the larger scale, could you keep doing this for ever?Thanks for your help!

Best answers:

• If your temp work ends, then you can go straight back on JSA (subject to usual form-filling).
  I think periods of unemployment can be linked - it depends on the length of the employment between. This is important if your JSA is contribution based.
  One good thing about temporary work, is that it adds to your CV and puts you in a work situation where you can meet others who may have more work for you. It also establishes your reputation with the agency (if you are working through one) and they are more likely to think of you for work in the future.
• When I did agency work typically from Jan to March it was odd days here and there. You can work 16hrs a week, which you must declare without signing off. Anything over that and you must sign off and back on again as soon as you've stopped working. If you're reclaiming within a few weeks, you only have to fill out a short version of the JSA form.
• Hi
  I currently work in Jobseekers Allowance so am up to date with benefit regs.
  Basically u can work as tempory as u like. When u reclaim (if its within a 12 week period of ur previous claim) then u complete a Jobseekers Allowance Rapid Reclaim Form (JSA4RR). These forms are treated as urgent, this is because most if not all employers dont pay Termination Payments ie. redundancy, ex-gratia payments etc to someone with so little employment history.
  If ur working temp more often than not & work less than 16 hours in any one benefit week (the day after u last signed on, to the next day ur due to sign on ie if ur signing day is a Monday ur benefit week starts the next day - Tuesday & runs 7 days to the following Monday) if u've worked less than 16 hours then dont sign off!!!! Declare part time work instead.
  U are allowed to ern Ј5 (for a single person) (Ј10 per couple or Ј20 if ur a lone parent) then the wage u've erned is deducted pound for pound off ur JSA.
  One word of warning - if working temp. u may not be erning the lower earnings limit, in otherwards, if u sign off each time a temp job starts & work less than 16 hours or ern less than Ј89(ish) per week, then ur employer is not liable to credit u with a Nation Insurance Contribution for that week. This will have a devistating effect on ur state pension & will most certainly effect any future claims to Incapicity/Sickness Benefit.
  Hope av not confused u!!!!! :confused:
• Av just read some of ur replies. Basically the general rule is once u hit 16 hours per benfit week ur claim will be closed but this rule does not always apply.
  For example - in ur fortnightly benefit cycle, the 1st week u work 10 hrs & the 2nd week u work 18 hrs & this is ur usual pattern of work then we would average ur hrs fortnightly (14 hrs per week) to prevent signing off & on continuously. The golden rule is try to establish a working pattern & stay under 32 hrs per fornight.
  Unfortunately depending on the indivual benefit processor who accesses ur claim, will depend on how they look at averaging. Unfair but legislation allows proccessors to look at these rules differently until u establish a normal working pattern.
• Hi,Thanks for all of your help, it's most appreciated.Generally speaking I'd be working a full week at the very least, so 35 hours of pay. Therefore in all of the working weeks, I'd be paying both tax and N.I. With this in mind, would this still affect later issues such as pensions etc as I'd only be paying it the weeks I'm working, and then claiming the Jobseekers each other week?Thanks again!
• The short answer is YES!! That is the purpose of JSA Rapid Reclaims (so more jobseekers consider short term work).
  C x
• I have been reading the replies re JSA. I am about to be made redundant, I am being given a final payment at the end of September. Am I entitled to claim Jobseekers Allowance?
• The JCP found me a job which they said was permanent but when i went to the agency they said its a temp job. i declined it cos it messes my jsa / housing benefit too. the jcp sent a letter saying they may stop my jsa because of refusing it how do i stand?
• All the above has been really helpful to me because i have just started a temp job, however no one has mentioned about the Ј100 you get on returning to work and the roll on for rent and council tax.
  Does anyone know where i stand for those, do you get the Ј100 if its only temp work and do they pay your rent and council tax for the month?
  Having problems finding answers on the government sites.
• Hi Colette,
  As long as your job will last 5 weeks or more, you have claimed a full 6 months without a break & you dont have a fraud interest on your claim then basically you will get "Job Grant". Its Ј100 for single claimants & Ј250 for couples.
  There are 1 or 2 more conditions but they are the main one's. You dont even need to apply for it. If your benefit centre is on the ball. However, do notify your local council of the change & the benefit centre will advise them of the correct dates!!!
  Good Luck!!!
  C xx
• Hi everyone,
  i made a mistake and took a part time but permanent employment as a cleaner which was ment to be only for few months till i could get back to the office job again but with the recession i ended up being stuck there as there are not so many jobs around. I am qualifed office worker and i am trying to get permanent full time office job but with no success yet.
  So i was thinking about going into a temp work in the office which would hopefully improve my chances of getting permanent office job.
  My question is, if i leave permanent work and go to temporary job, will i be able to claim unemployment benefits after that temp job ends in case i couldn't find any other job after that?
  Thank you to all for your help.
• i see this is a old post but the point remains.
  if i had to do a rapid reclaim, does the date commence from the original claim as i may need a letter to show someone of ongoing benefit entitlement or will it show from the rapid reclaim date.
  The temp work will prob only be two weeks.