How to claim

You should claim JSA on the first day that you are out of work. You cannot get benefit for any day before you claim other than in exceptional circumstances — for example, if you have been given wrong advice. However, you cannot simply argue that you didn’t know about the benefit. Furthermore, you cannot get either contribution-based JSA or income-based JSA for the first three days that you are out of work. These “waiting days” start from the day you first make your claim.

Claims can be made online at: https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/jsaol/lp or at your local Jobcentre, where you will need to make an appointment to see a personal adviser. You will need your P45 (the “employee leaving” form) and your National Insurance number. You will also need to provide proof of identity (for example, a birth or marriage certificate or a passport).

If you are claiming JSA within 12 weeks of a previous period of receiving JSA and your circumstances have not changed, you should be able to apply on a simpler “rapid reclaim” form.

Unemployed couples without dependent children have to make a joint claim for income-based JSA, if at least one of the partners was born after 28 October 1957. The JSA application process is the same as that described above, but each partner will be required to sign the claim form, have a jobseeker’s interview, sign a jobseeker’s agreement, attend the Jobcentre regularly and will have access to training and employment programmes.

The partners have to decide which of them will receive the JSA. And if one of the partners breaks JSA rules, the other will receive a JSA payment at the single rate only.

You can ask for any decision about your JSA to be reviewed at any time, and you can appeal the decision about your JSA if you’re unhappy with it.

The DWP appeal form can be accessed at: www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@benefits/documents/digitalasset/dg_201702.pdf