How much can you get?

The weekly rates of contribution-based JSA are £57.90 if you are under 25 and £73.10 if you are 25 or over. Contribution-based JSA is paid for up to approximately six months, after which you will be obliged to transfer to income-based JSA (see below).

There are no additional payments for a partner or children. If you cannot live on contribution-based JSA, you may be able to top up what you get with income-based JSA – as long as you satisfy the means test (see below).

If you have a partner and/or children, you may have a choice of which benefits to claim. For example, you could seek to top up your contribution-based JSA by claiming income-based JSA as well, or your partner could claim either Income Support (see page 27, or income-based JSA (see page 32).

If you have any earnings from a part-time job which involves working for fewer than 16 hours a week, the first £5.00 of your weekly earnings (or more for certain groups of workers including share fishermen, part-time firefighters and reservists) will be disregarded.

Above that amount, your earnings will be taken into account and your benefit will be reduced penny for penny. Income of more than £50 a week from an occupational or personal pension will also be taken into account.