If your employment or self-employment has been impacted by the COVID-19 virus, please follow this advice to ensure that you are applying for the benefit and support that is appropriate to your circumstances.
If you are unable to work due to an underlying condition, are self isolating or are diagnosed with COVID-19, you should not proceed with a claim to ‘New Style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).
Instead you should make a claim to ‘New Style’ ESA or Universal Credit.
If you are fit for work but employment was lost due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus, you should proceed with a claim to ‘New Style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) if you meet the qualifying conditions.
'New style' JSA
Universal Credit replaced Jobseeker’s Allowance. However if you have been credited with enough National Insurance contributions, you may be entitled to 'New Style' Jobseeker’s Allowance.
'New style' Jobseeker’s Allowance works in the same way as contribution-based JSA. Your partner’s income and savings won’t affect how much you’re paid.
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 aren’t guaranteed to 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.
How to claim
Before you start your claim, please read the guidance notes below on how to complete and send your New Style Jobseekers Allowance
Guidance note for PC/Laptop users
- Please note, this form is for Northern Ireland claims only.
- Click on the “New Style Jobseekers Allowance form” link below to open the interactive form..
- Complete all relevant boxes, failure to do so may delay the processing of your application.
- Click on the envelope icon at the top left of screen.
- Click on “Send Copy”.
- Select the “Default email application” option and click on “Continue”.
- If prompted, select “Allow Adobe Acrobat”.
- An email will pop up with your completed New style Jobseekers Allowance form attached.
- Type the holywoodroad.jsaonline@nissa.gsi.gov.uk email address into the send box.
- Send your email.
Complete your claim for ‘New Style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance by using the interactive claim form.
Once you have completed the interactive claim form you can send it to holywoodroad.jsaonline@nissa.gsi.gov.uk
Important – Please note the email address above is a no reply mailbox and must only be used for sending New Style Jobseekers Allowance claims
If you are unable to complete your claim online then you may also claim ‘New Style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance by contacting the Department for Communities (DfC) on 0800 022 4250.
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:
Please note if you are deaf or suffer from hearing loss, you can contact us by using a Textphone to ring 0800 587 1297 and you will be put through to our TexBox service.
Please be mindful that during the COVID-19 period our telephones lines will be extremely busy and you may experience a longer period of waiting time for your call to be answered.
If you can we would advise you use the interactive form above.
Once we receive your claim we will contact you to complete the claim form by telephone call. You may receive a SMS text from us before hand just to let you know when we will be calling to do this. It is important that you answer our call when we make contact with you as not doing so may delay our ability to process your claim.
When claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance you may receive text messages (SMS) from the Department for Communities (DfC). They will always be clearly marked as ‘DfC’ and will never ask you to give, or click on a link, to give personal information or financial details by message or email.
Under normal circumstances, as part of your entitlement, to ‘New Style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance you would have needed to attend your JBo for an interview, where an adviser would help you draw up a 'Jobseeker's agreement' which would set out the steps you agree to take to find work.- Due to the current COVID-19 crisis this interview has been suspended.