Claiming contributions based JSA

[psychocandy]

Its been a few years and I remember it being somewhat problematic but has anyone done recently when on the bench?

Personally, I think you can claim as you're not working and available for work. Probably can't continue to pay yourself salary from limited company and not sure about dividends (but then again if I got dividends from barclays shares it hardly effects my employment status).

But, I take pretty much all the money out as dividends and stick in personal savings anyway. Pretty sure contribution-based JSA doesnt take account of savings either.

Yes, its complicated and the job centre is not a cool place. OK, there are those who won't bother but the way I look at it is its £71.70 a week for bugger all. Or £310 a month I don't have to take out of my savings.

Worse comes to the worse and I'm the bench for 6 months (max time for JSA). Thats £1860 in JSA which, in effect for me, makes savings last another month. Worth it IMHO.

[petergriffin]

Feckless! Scrounger! Foreign! Leftie scum!

Sorry I have run out of steroids and I have regressed into Daily Hail mode.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Its been a few years and I remember it being somewhat problematic but has anyone done recently when on the bench?

Personally, I think you can claim as you're not working and available for work. Probably can't continue to pay yourself salary from limited company and not sure about dividends (but then again if I got dividends from barclays shares it hardly effects my employment status).

But, I take pretty much all the money out as dividends and stick in personal savings anyway. Pretty sure contribution-based JSA doesnt take account of savings either.

Yes, its complicated and the job centre is not a cool place. OK, there are those who won't bother but the way I look at it is its £71.70 a week for bugger all. Or £310 a month I don't have to take out of my savings.

Worse comes to the worse and I'm the bench for 6 months (max time for JSA). Thats £1860 in JSA which, in effect for me, makes savings last another month. Worth it IMHO.

Yes you are basically right - you are not in employment so not getting a salary. I think you can take some dividends as they are not looking at your bank accounts but you should check up on that.

[northernladuk]

You could of course go back to the thread you started Jan 2012 year on exactly the same topic??

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...jsa-bench.html

Or back to the thread you started in Oct 2012 on exactly the same topic??

http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...alary-etc.html

or just general searches of other threads.....

http://claiming JSA site:forums.cont...counting-legal

[psychocandy]

You could of course go back to the thread you started Jan 2012 year on exactly the same topic??

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...jsa-bench.html

Or back to the thread you started in Oct 2012 on exactly the same topic??

http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...alary-etc.html

or just general searches of other threads.....

http://claiming JSA site:forums.cont...counting-legal

New tax year NLUK. Things change - hence why I asked if anyone had claimed recently....

[psychocandy]

On a similar note, I see the savings limit for any sort of other benefit is £16K. Not a huge amount.

Seems a bit unfair that the system caters for those who piss it all up against the wall and not for those who make a bit of effort saving.

Just wondering if there's any way around this? Stick savings offshore/ cash it all out? Buy gold? Wonga loan?

[ThomserveBAS]

On a similar note, I see the savings limit for any sort of other benefit is £16K. Not a huge amount.

Seems a bit unfair that the system caters for those who piss it all up against the wall and not for those who make a bit of effort saving.

Just wondering if there's any way around this? Stick savings offshore/ cash it all out? Buy gold? Wonga loan?

Put it in partner/spouse account?

EDIT: That's a question not a recommendation

[psychocandy]

Put it in partner/spouse account?

EDIT: That's a question not a recommendation

Dont think that works. Surely they look at family income/savings?

[malvolio]

Dont think that works. Surely they look at family income/savings?

Silly thought but why not read the PCG's guide to JSA and get the definitive answers?

[psychocandy]

Silly thought but why not read the PCG's guide to JSA and get the definitive answers?

Have done but it refers to tax year 2009 which doesn't exactly fill me with confidence as to its relevance.