Jobseeker's Allowance

Universal Credit has replaced any new applications to income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.

You may be able to claim ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) with, or instead of, Universal Credit, depending on your National Insurance contributions.

If you are getting income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, you will continue to do so until your eligibility ends or your circumstances change.

You need to take reasonable steps to look for work while getting income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

You must go to regular meetings with your work coach in your local Jobs and Benefits office.

Your claim may be sanctioned or closed if you do not meet these obligations.

If you start working more than 16 hours a week, you might stop being eligible for income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

You might also stop being eligible for income-based Jobseeker's Allowance if:

• your partner starts working 24 hours or more a week, or you start working 16 hours or more a week
• your savings increase to £16,000 or more (including your partner’s savings)

You should make sure you declare any changes in your circumstances immediately, as failure to do so may result in an overpayment of benefit.

You may be entitled to claim Universal Credit if your Jobseeker's Allowance claim ends.

You may contact the Benefits Freephone by ringing 0800 022 4250 for any queries you have about income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you’re moving to Universal Credit from income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

If you claim income-based Jobseeker's Allowance you should not do anything until you get a letter telling you it is time to make a claim to Universal Credit.

When you claim Universal Credit, any benefits or tax credits it replaces will stop.

If your income-based Jobseeker's Allowance claim is ending because your circumstances have changed and you are making a new claim for Universal Credit, you’ll automatically continue to get the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance you currently receive, as long as you’re still eligible.

You will normally get this for two weeks, starting from the date of your new claim.  The Department for Communities will write to you telling you how this works. 

You do not need to pay this money back, and it will not affect the amount of Universal Credit you get.

New style Jobseeker's Allowance

Entitlement to new style Jobseeker's Allowance is assessed on Class 1 National Insurance contributions you have paid or been credited, within the last two relevant tax years.

Your savings and your partner’s income and savings won’t affect how much you’re paid.

However, if you get an occupational pension or part-time earnings, the amount of new style Jobseeker's Allowance may be reduced depending on the amount you get.

Eligibility

To be eligible for new style Jobseeker’s Allowance you must have:

• worked as an employee

and

• paid enough Class 1 National Insurance contributions usually within the last two relevant tax years (National Insurance credits may also count)

You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker.

You also need to:

• be 18 or over
• be under State Pension age
• be available for work
• not be in full-time education
• be unemployed or work less than 16 hours per week on average and not earn more than £85.50 if you are 25 years of age or older (or more than £66.70 if you are under 25 years of age)
• not have an illness or disability which stops you from working
• live in Northern Ireland

While you get new style Jobseeker's Allowance, you’ll need to take reasonable steps to look for work as agreed with your work coach.

New style Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit

You can get new style Jobseeker’s Allowance for up to 182 days.

Depending on your circumstances, it can be claimed on its own or at the same time as Universal Credit.

If you get both at the same time, your new style Jobseeker’s Allowance payment will be deducted from your Universal Credit payment – you may not get any extra money.

If you get new style Jobseeker’s Allowance, you will get Class 1 National Insurance credits. In some circumstances you may only get these credits and no money.

When your new style Jobseeker’s Allowance ends, you can talk to your work coach about your options.

If you are unable to work due to an underlying health condition, you should not go ahead with a claim to new style Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Instead you should make a claim to ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.

How to claim 

Complete your claim for new style Jobseeker’s Allowance.

To apply you will need your:

• National Insurance number
• bank or building society account details (or those of a family member or trusted friend)
• employment details for the past six months including employer contact details and dates you worked with them

• wage slips for any current part-time work you are doing

You’ll need a statement letter if you get any money from a private pension, a workplace pension or an annuity.

To reclaim new style Jobseeker's Allowance, you need to apply again, even if your details have not changed.

Once you have completed and sent the online claim form, your application will be forwarded to the Jobseeker's Allowance benefit processing centre for assessment.

Backdating your claim

When you apply, you can ask for your claim to be backdated by up to three months if you were not able to claim sooner.

If you want to backdate your claim, you will need to provide:

• the date you want your claim to start from
• the reason your claim was delayed

Your claim may not be backdated if you do not have a good reason for the delay in making your claim.

If you are unable to complete your claim online you may also claim new style Jobseeker’s Allowance by contacting the Jobseeker’s Allowance Processing Centre. 

If you use sign language

You might be able to use the video relay service to claim new style Jobseeker’s Allowance using British Sign Language (BSL) or Irish Sign Language (ISL).

To access the service go to:

•  Jobs and Benefits office

If you're deaf or have hearing loss

You can contact the Department for Communities by using a textphone to ring 0800 587 1297 and you will be put through to the Text Box service.

Alternative format

If you require written correspondence in an alternative format such as Braille, large print or audio CD, you can tell your work coach or contact the Jobseeker’s Allowance Processing Centre.

If you can, you should complete the claim form online.

After you make your claim

Once your claim has been received, you will be contacted by phone within five working days of applying to be invited for interview with a work coach in your local Jobs and Benefits office.

You may get a text message to let you know when to expect the call.

The phone number may be withheld, unknown or begin with 0800. It is important that you answer this call, as failure to do so may result in a delay in processing, or a disallowance of, your claim.

You do not need to contact the Department for Communities unless it has been more than five days since you applied and you haven’t heard anything.

The Department for Communities may contact you by phone should any further information be needed in order to assess your entitlement for new style Jobseeker's Allowance.

When claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, you may get text messages from the Department for Communities. The sender identification will be ‘DFCbenefits’ and will never ask you to click on a link, or to give personal information or financial details by message or email.

Your New Style JSA interview

If you’re invited to an interview, you must go to it. The interview will be at your local Jobs and Benefits office.

You will be asked to provide documents to confirm your identity and then you will make an agreement about what steps you’ll take to look for work.  

Proof of identity

You will need to bring all of these documents to your interview:

• one photographic proof of identity
• one proof of address
• one further proof of identity such as a P60 or a bank card

If you have a P45 from your previous employer, bring this to your interview. When you present it, tell your work coach if you’ve already got or claimed a tax refund from HM Revenue & Customs for the current tax year. You can also use this as your further proof of identity.

Examples of photographic identity include:

• current passport
• driving licence
• biometric residence permit
• certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen
• permanent residence permit

Examples of proof of address include:

• payslip or pension statement dated within the last six months
• utility bill dated within the last six months
• rates bill dated within the last six months
• student loan documents

Examples of further proof of identity include your:

• P60
• savings account book
• personal cheque book
• current debit, credit or store card with a statement confirming the card details

Utility bills can be used for proof of address and as further proof of identity if they are from different suppliers.

Support at your interview

You can take someone with you to your Jobseeker's Allowance interview.

Contact the Jobs and Benefits office before the interview if you need:

• support because of a disability or health condition (for example, if you’re deaf and need a sign language interpreter)
• a foreign language interpreter and do not have someone who can help with interpretation

You can find the contact details of your Jobs and Benefits office at: 

• Jobs and Benefits offices 

Your agreement to look for work - claimant commitment

At your Jobseeker's Allowance interview, you must sign an agreement about what steps you’ll take to look for a job. This is called a ‘claimant commitment’.

You and your work coach will agree what goes in your claimant commitment.

This could include:

• what you need to do to look for work - for example registering with recruitment agencies, writing a CV
• how many hours you need to spend looking for work each week

What you agree to do will depend on things like:

• your health
• your responsibilities at home
• how much help you need to get work or increase your income

Your new style Jobseeker's Allowance might be reduced or stopped if you do not do what you’ve agreed to in your claimant commitment and you cannot give a good reason.

When claiming new style Jobseeker's Allowance, you may get text messages from the Department for Communities. 

They will always be clearly marked as ‘DfC’ or DFCNI, and will never ask you to click on a link, or give personal information, or financial details by message or email.

If you are not eligible for new style Jobseeker's Allowance you will get a letter to explain why you are not entitled.

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to make a claim for Class 1 National Insurance credits. This is known as claiming as a non-claimant.

If you disagree with a decision

You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

After your Jobseeker's Allowance interview

The Department for Communities will write to you to either:

• let you know you are eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance and how much you’ll get

or

• explain why you’re not eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance

How much new style Jobseeker's Allowance you will get

There’s a maximum amount you can get, but how much you’re entitled to depends on your age.

Use a Benefits Calculator  to check how much new style Jobseeker's Allowance you can get, and how your other benefits will be affected.

How you’re paid

All benefits, pensions and allowances are usually paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Your first payment

You may have to serve seven waiting days at the start of your claim for new style Jobseeker’s Allowance.  No benefit is paid for these first seven days.

You are required to go to review meetings with your work coach from your local Jobs and Benefits office. The date your first payment will be made depends on when you go to review meetings.

Your first payment may not be for the full amount.

After your first payment

Payments will usually be made every two weeks and they will be the full amount you are entitled to. You must attend and participate in review meetings and fulfil the agreed actions on your claimant commitment to get your payments.

Maintaining your Jobseeker's Allowance claim

You must continue to fulfil the agreed actions on your claimant commitment.

You can search and apply for work at JobApplyNI

You must tell the Jobs and Benefits office or the Jobseeker’s Allowance Processing Centre if your circumstances change, for example you start working or your income changes.

Failure to declare any change in circumstance, may result in an overpayment of benefit which you may have to repay.

Going to regular appointments

Your work coach will arrange appointments with you at regular intervals.  It is important that you go to these meetings, as failure to do so may result in your payments being reduced or stopped.

At these appointments, you must show your work coach what you’ve been doing to look for work, for example proof of job applications and interviews.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you might be able to get a break of up to 13 weeks from job seeking. Speak to your work coach if you need this support.

Sanctions and when payment can be reduced or stopped

Your Jobseeker's Allowance payments can be reduced or stopped for a period if you do not do something your work coach asks you to do. This is called a sanction.

You may get a sanction if you:

• do not take part in an appointment with your work coach
• do not accept or keep to your agreement to look for work
• turn down a job or training course
• do not apply for any jobs you’re told about
• do not take part in any interviews you’re invited to
• do not go to any training booked for you or take part in employment schemes

You may also get a sanction if you:

• are not available to start work straight away
• choose to take a pay cut at your current job without a good reason
• have your pay cut at your current job because of something you did such as your behaviour
• leave your last job or training without good reason or because of your behaviour

Contact your Jobs and Benefits office as soon as possible if any of these apply to you. You may avoid a sanction if you have good reason.

You’ll be told how long your payment will be reduced or stopped for. It could be for up to 26 weeks (about six months).

If your Jobseeker's Allowance payment is reduced or stopped

If your payment is reduced or stopped, you should keep looking for work. Your benefit payment could be affected for longer if you do not.

If you disagree with the decision to impose a sanction, you can ask for the decision to be looked at again - this is called a ‘mandatory reconsideration’.

If you disagree with the outcome of the mandatory reconsideration, you can appeal to the Appeals Service 

You should continue with any Jobseeker's Allowance claim until the dispute is settled.

Report a change of circumstances

You must tell the Department for Communities if your circumstances change, for example you start working or your income changes. This might affect how much you get.

Call the Jobseeker's Allowance helpline if you’re not sure whether you need to report a change.

If you’re claiming Universal Credit as well as new style Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must report changes to both services.

You can report a change of circumstances by contacting Jobseeker’s Allowance Processing Centre

New style Jobseeker’s Allowance

If you get new style Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must report if you: 

• change your name, address, bank details or phone number
• become ill or go into hospital
• start or stop caring for someone
• start or stop education, training or an apprenticeship
• start a job, including self-employment
• do any paid, unpaid or voluntary work, even if it is only for a few hours
• start getting, stop getting, or get a different amount of other benefits or pensions
• leave Northern Ireland for any period of time
• go on holiday, including holidays in Northern Ireland

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

If you get income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must report the following changes.

Changes to personal details

You need to report if:

• you, or your partner, change name, address, bank details or phone number  
• anybody starts or stops living with you  
• you, or someone included on your claim, changes immigration status
• you go on holiday, including holidays in Northern Ireland
• you, or anyone who lives with you, leaves Northern Ireland for any period of time
• your partner, or someone you live with, dies

You also need to report if you, your partner, or anyone who lives with you:

• gets married or forms a civil partnership
• gets divorced or ends a civil partnership 
• has a baby or gets pregnant
• goes into prison or legal custody

Changes to work and education

You need to report if you, your partner, or anyone who lives with you:

• starts or stops education, training or an apprenticeship
• finds or finishes a job, or starts working different hours
• is involved in a trade dispute, or is unable to work because of a trade dispute, for example, if there’s a strike

Volunteering will not normally affect your Jobseeker’s Allowance but you should report it before you start.

Changes to income and benefits

You need to report if your household income goes up or down. Tell us if you or anyone who lives with you:

• has a change to earnings
• gets paid back-pay (sometimes called arrears) for earnings from work
• gets a different amount of benefit or pensions
• has a change to the amount of any other money coming in, for example, student loans or grants, sick pay, or money from a charity

Changes to your savings or assets

You need to report if the total savings and assets in your household is more than £6,000.

You also need to report if you or anyone who lives with you:

• has a change to the amount of savings or investments they own  
• becomes the owner of any land, buildings or premises, or sells any land, buildings or premises
• gets a one-off payment, such as inheritance or lump sum payment

Changes to a medical condition or disability

You need to report if:

• you, or someone included on your claim, has any changes to a medical condition or disability
• you, or someone included on your claim, goes into hospital, a care home or sheltered accommodation
• you, or someone included on your claim, starts or stops caring for someone
• anybody starts or stops getting Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment, or an extra amount of Universal Credit for caring for you

If you’ve been paid too much

If you do not report a change straight away or give wrong or incomplete information, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to pay the money back.

Get a proof of benefit letter for Jobseeker’s Allowance

A proof of benefit letter may be needed to access various government supports and services.

If you need proof that you are getting Jobseeker’s Allowance you can get a proof of benefit letter.

If you cannot use the online service, phone Jobseeker’s Allowance on the Benefits Freephone number: 0800 022 4250. 

It is important that you select the correct benefit that you are / or were getting when requesting a proof of benefit letter.  Selecting the incorrect benefit will result in no letter being issued.

Benefit overpayments

There are circumstances when you may be paid too much benefit and you will be asked to repay this.

To make a repayment contact Debt Management.

If you require further support, contact Debt Management as soon as possible to discuss an affordable repayment plan and other potential options.

New style JSA - review of claims with an inherited pension

You may be entitled to a payment if you claimed new style Jobseeker’s Allowance before 29 November 2023 and said on your claim that you had a pension.

New style Jobseeker’s Allowance claims made before 29 November 2023 are being reviewed because during that time, income from a pension inherited from someone who died may have been incorrectly treated in the same way as income from other pensions.

Income from other pensions can affect how much new style Jobseeker's Allowance you get. Income from pensions inherited from someone who has died does not affect new style Jobseeker's Allowance claims.

Eligibility

You may be owed some money if all the following apply:

• you made a claim for new style Jobseeker's Allowance before 29 November 2023
• you told the Department for Communities that you had income from a pension

and

• you had income from a pension inherited from someone who has died

How to apply

The Department for Communities are writing to claimants who may be eligible for a payment

If you are eligible you can return the reply slip included with the letter and send it to:  

Jobseeker’s Allowance
JSA Benefit Processing Centre
106 – 108 Holywood Road
Belfast
BT4 1NU

You will need to include:

• your National Insurance number
• copies of your pension statements showing that the pension is inherited and the amounts of pension paid for the dates of your new style Jobseeker's Allowance claim
• your bank, building society or credit union account details (if they have changed since you claimed new style Jobseeker's Allowance)

You can contact the Benefits Freephone on 0800 022 4250 if you would like further information or to discuss if you think you are eligible.

After you apply

Your claim will be looked to see if you should have been paid more new style Jobseeker's Allowance. 

If you are owed money you will receive a letter and you will be paid into the bank, building society or credit union account your new style Jobseeker's Allowance was paid into, or another nominated account.

More useful links

• Support if you're employed or looking for work
• Looking for work
• Housing Benefit / Rates Relief
• Universal Credit if you're claiming other benefits
• Contacting 08 and 03 numbers