Help if you start work

The Job Grant is a one-off, tax-free payment of £100 for people who have been getting IS, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Severe Disablement Benefit for 26 weeks before starting a full-time job that is expected to last for at least five weeks. Lone parents and couples with children receive £250.

If you are a lone parent and have been claiming IS, JSA or ESA (or a combination of these) for at least 52 weeks and you take a job where you’re working at least 16 hours a week, you may be able to get an in-work credit worth £40 a week, or £60 if you live in London. Ask your local Jobcentre Plus office for more details (www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/ContactJobcentrePlus/DG_186347)