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Claiming state benefitsFacts about claiming state benefits This section is all about how to claim and the current regulations which may affect those who have been made redundant. If you've been in gainful employment all your life, you probably have no idea what benefits you might be entitled to (or not) until you find a new job, let alone how to go about it. You might also feel very uncomfortable about it which is perfectly understandable. If you've been paying National Insurance contributions for years, however, state benefits are not handouts or charity. You've paid your way. Contrary to what some of the tabloids might have us believe, however, claiming benefit is not an endless road paved with gold (currently if you are over 25 the maximum Job Seeker's allowance or 'JSA' payment is £60.50 per week!). Prepare your statement of outgoing expenses The uncertainty of not knowing when some real money might flow back in to your household is often hard to live with, so finding out about benefits and readjusting your finances just has to be done. You can download and use the sample Household Expenses Tracker spreadsheet at the bottom of this page. The sooner you find out about what you can and can't claim for, the better it will be as claims tend not to be accepted as back-dated through ignorance of the process or anything else for that matter. Disclaimer: the rules and regulations change from time to time, loopholes are closed, new initiatives are launched. So, whilst we endeavour to outline the basics here you must check your own individual circumstances with the relevent authorities. You can go directly to the JobcentrePlus site to find out all the current rules on claiming benefits by clicking on the link to their entry at the bottom of the page. What will you get? The benefits agencies make a pretty clear distinction between those who have redundancy payments, savings and investments to help them survive their period of unemployment, and those who don't. So, you will need to complete the exercise on your expenses and income sources and bring along the appropriate documentation before you attend a benefits interview. Currently if you have savings over £8000 you will not qualify for income based Job Seekers Allowance and you won't be able to claim that particular benefit. Ever wondered how the Government manage to make unemployed people disappear from the official statistics? That's how! If you have significant savings or a redundancy settlement, you may still be able to claim contributions based Job Seekers Allowance though this is subject to a time limit of 24 weeks. Once it runs out, if you still have savings which disqualify you from claiming 'non contributions based' benefit, you may receive nothing at all unless you transfer to a another programme which, for example, might help you to set up your own business. Other key considerations by signing on to Jobseekers allowance include:
Tax credits (working or child) are also well worth applying for, again you can claim if your household income is under £30K/annum. An A-Z of benefits can be found here . How do you make a claim? Whether you are an unskilled, unemployed person or a former senior executive the process is exactly the same - the old 'Executive & Professional Register' track (for those who can remember it) doesn't exist any more. The clue is in the title - Job Seekers allowance means just that and you will also need to provide regular fortnightly feedback on your efforts and outcomes of job seeking. Mostly the Job Centre offices tend to be clean, smoke free, comfortable and modern places these days and the staff are generally empathetic. There will always be exceptions to this of course. It helps if you arrive at your appointments on time, have the correct information to hand and have a positive attitude to finding employment. There are plenty of people who pitch up at these places with none of these things and also seem to have left their manners at home. The job can be tough for the staff as well as the claimants. Sadly, many seem to feel the need to employ Security Guards on the premises. To find your nearest centre and make an appointment call 0845 603 2852 or click here. You will be told which documents to bring with you and you will be required to provide your National Insurance Number. There is so much scrutiny on fraudsters that the process is quite tiresome but just has to be stoically endured.  Find out more in the New Life Handbook - to buy your copy for £10.99 plus p&p click here. Useful resources
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