Jobseeker's Allowance
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is the main benefit for people who are out of work. If you are eligible it is paid when you don’t have a job and are looking for work.
There are two types of Jobseeker’s Allowance:
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The first is based on how much National Insurance you have paid in the last 2 tax years. DWP will pay claimants this for up to 182 days. It is called ‘Contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance’
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The other is based on your income and savings. This is called ‘Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance’
To get Jobseeker’s Allowance you must:
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be able to work for at least 40 hours a week
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be looking for work
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have paid enough National Insurance on your income
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have savings less than a certain amount
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be over 18 years old and under State Pension age (currently 65 for men and 60 for women) although there are a few special cases where it is possible for people 16+ to classify as eligible
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have a ‘jobseeker’s agreement’. These are steps you agree to take to find work
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not be in education, and live in the United Kingdom
JSA claimants are required to visit their Jobcentre Plus office at least once every two weeks. Claimants sign a declaration to say they have been looking for work and nothing has changed that could affect your Jobseeker’s Allowance.
The number of people claiming JSA is measured by the monthly claimant count. This is compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) from the administrative records of Jobcentre Plus local offices. Claimant count data are published monthly in the labour market statistics First Release, Economic Labour Market Review (ELMR) and on Nomis.
Data on JSA claims are also available from the Jobseeker’s Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiry (JSA QSE) which is carried out by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The JSA QSE is a five per cent sample of all JSA claimants. The sample is taken from the same source as the ONS claimant count. The main purpose of JSA QSE is to provide detailed information on benefit entitlement of JSA claimants and the factors that affect it, whereas the ONS claimant count is mainly designed to assess trends in the labour market. ONS analyses, therefore, give prominence to seasonally adjusted data, whereas the JSA QSE publications show unadjusted data. Headline JSA figures are compiled by DWP using the 100 per cent sample and are published on the DWP website.
