Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Who does it help?

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is a benefit for people who are unemployed but who:

are capable of working, and
are looking for a job.

You might be able to claim income-based JSA if you did not pay enough national insurance contributions or if the other sort of JSA (contribution-based JSA) has run out.

You can get income-based JSA if you are over 18 and under state pension age. This used to be 60 for a woman and 65 for a man but this is changing for a lot of people. You can work out the exact date of your state pension age by using the state pension age calculator (link opens in a new window) on the Government's Directgov website.

If you are unemployed and under 18, and not in full-time education, you may be able to claim income-based JSA but this depends on your circumstances.

To claim income-based JSA, you must either not be working at all, or working fewer than 16 hours a week. If you are living with a partner and claiming income-based JSA, your partner must either not be working or working fewer than 24 hours a week.

You must be:

available for work, and
actively looking for work, and
able to start a job straight away.

You will have to go to the Jobcentre Plus office or benefit office regularly to show them that you still meet these conditions.

If you are responsible for a child aged under 16, you do not have to be able to start straight away - there are different time limits. Also you may be able to restrict when you are available for work, for example, you may be able to restrict your availability to 16 hours a week, or not to work during the school holidays. If you're responsible for a child under 13, you may be able to restrict your availability to your child's normal school hours.

Is it means-tested?

Whether you get income-based JSA depends on your income and savings. If you get child maintenance payments, usually these will not be included in your income. You must have no more than £16,000 in savings. If you are working, you might not get income-based JSA if you are earning too much.

What help does the benefit provide?

Income-based JSA comes in the form of money from the Government. You can spend it as you want. It is usually paid into your bank or building society account. You can be paid at a post office in some cases.

How much does it pay?

It is very complicated to work out how much income-based JSA you might get. Your income from all different sources is added up and tested against what the government considers your needs are. Your needs will depend on your family circumstances, for example:

how old you are
if you live alone or in a couple
whether you or your dependants are disabled
if you're caring for someone
if you or your partner have any savings over £6,000
any earnings you or your partner may have
if you have a mortgage.

The amount of income-based JSA you get is the difference between your what money you have and your needs. It can vary from one person to another.

The Turn2us Benefits Checker can help you calculate your eligibility for income-based JSA.

Is it a taxable benefit?

Income-based JSA is a taxable benefit. However, there are special rules that decide how much of the benefit is taxable. The amounts depend on whether you are claiming as a single person or as a couple. You must tell your tax office when you start getting income-based JSA.

How to claim

In England, Wales and Scotland you can claim Jobseeker's Allowance online or on the phone.

You can claim online on the Directgov website (link opens in a new window)

You can claim on the phone by calling Jobcentre Plus:

Telephone: 0800 055 6688
Textphone: 0800 023 4888
Welsh language line: 0800 012 1888

The telephone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm.

In Northern Ireland, you claim Jobseeker's Allowance at a Jobs and Benefits Office or Social Security Office. To find your nearest office, visit the website of the Department for Social Development (link opens in a new window)

You will have an interview where you will have to explain what steps you are taking to find work.

You might be able to make a claim for backdated income-based JSA, up to a maximum of one or three months, depending on the circumstances. You must have good reasons for claiming late, for example, you have language difficulties or you were given wrong advice which made you think you would not get any money.

Documents you need

You must give your national insurance number and evidence of who you are, for example, a driving licence or birth certificate. You normally also have to give your partner's national insurance number if they live with you. You also have to give evidence of your income and savings, for example, bank statements or pay slips.