Have jobseeker payments stopped

1. How does the Jobseeker's Allowance work?

JSA is a benefit that assists you while you are jobless and searching for employment.

When you apply for JSA, you will meet with one of our work coaches at the jobcentre who will assist you in finding employment. They will learn about your circumstances and:

help you establish what you need to do to find employment and confirm it in your Claimant Commitment – also known as a Jobseeker's Agreement – meet with you on a frequent basis to monitor your progress

Your work coach may advise you to participate in an employment program. Employment schemes are provided by specialized organizations to assist you in finding and keeping a job. Your plan provider may also outline steps you must do in order to find job.

2. What you must do in order to maintain your benefit payment

The reason your previous work ended will always be investigated, and benefits may be terminated if you were fired for misbehavior or left without good cause. You will continue to receive benefit payments as long as you:

are willing to work and agree to the terms of your Claimant Commitment (Jobseeker's Agreement)

Attend appointments with your work coach on schedule and participate in interviews to apply for relevant employment. Do all your job coach wants you to do in order to get employment, such as completing a training course or updating your CV.

Participate in job programs as directed by your work coach – You must do the following:

Meet with your employment program provider on time and do what they advise you to do in order to get job. Meet with your job coach and do whatever they instruct you to do to find employment.

If you are unable to accomplish or have not done these things, immediately notify your work coach or employment plan provider.

You will get your benefit payment if you can demonstrate that you have a valid cause for not performing what you were advised to do. Please provide as much information as possible as soon as feasible. For example, if you are unable to attend an interview, contact your job coach as soon as possible. Inform them of the reason. Your job coach may utilize this time to assist others in finding employment, and you will continue to receive your benefit payment if we determine you have a valid reason for not attending.

Your benefit payment may be halted or decreased depending on whether you get New Style JSA or income-based JSA.

If you apply on or after January 27, 2021, you will get New Style JSA.

If you applied before January 27, 2021 and have been receiving JSA without an interruption, you will get income-based JSA.

3. JSA in a New Style

Depending on how your previous work ended, your New Style JSA might be terminated or reduced. It may also be halted or decreased if you fail to perform what your work coach has requested you to do or agree to in your Claimant Commitment without a valid cause. This is known as a sanction.

There are three degrees of punishments, which are determined by what you did and how often you did it.

New Style JSA faces just minor penalties.

If you do not comply, you may face a low-level sanction:

Attend a meeting with your job coach.

participate in a job program

Perform anything agreed upon with your work coach to assist you transition into or closer to work

do things to find job that you agreed on with your work coach

If you do not perform what your job coach has requested you to do, your benefit payment may be suspended or decreased. As a result, the sooner you start, the less money you will lose. After that, it will be suspended for another 7 days, or up to 28 days if you have received another low level punishment within the last year.

If you can demonstrate that you have a legitimate cause for not performing any of these items, your benefit may not be suspended or decreased.

Sanctions at the medium level for New Style JSA

If you do the following, you may get a medium level sanction:

do not do everything possible to get job and are unable to begin work immediately

If you can demonstrate that you have a legitimate cause for not performing any of these items, your benefit may not be suspended or decreased.

Sanctions at the highest level for the New Style JSA

You might face serious consequences if you:

Leave your job without justification

lose your job due of your behavior lose your income for no apparent reason

lose salary as a result of your behavior do not apply for or accept a job

If you can demonstrate that you have a valid cause for doing any of these activities, your benefit may not be suspended or decreased.

4. JSA dependent on income

Your benefit payment might be suspended for up to 26 weeks (about 6 months). This is known as a sanction. There are three sanction levels: lower, middle, and higher. The severity and duration of your sentence are determined by:

the reason you're claiming JSA – for example, if you were fired for misbehavior at your previous job or quit without good cause; what you haven't done to find employment; if you've received an earlier punishment in the recent year; or your claim has been terminated; and the reasons for this.

Income-based JSA punishments at the lower and intermediate levels

A lower level sentence (4 or 13 weeks) may be imposed if:

You do not attend meetings with your work coach on time or participate in interviews. You do not do what your work coach tells you to do to find work, such as attend a training course or update your CV. You do not participate in employment schemes when your work coach tells you to. You do not meet with your employment scheme provider on time or take the actions they tell you to.

If you get an intermediate level sentence (4 or 13 weeks), your claim may be terminated if you:

You are not available for work and are actively looking for job.