Redundancy Query

[bednobs]

hi, i am being made redundant end of this month. I will be getting 13 months pay as a redundancy payment, and i plan to look for another job after having a few weeks off. I am disabled, so will be limited to the jobs i can do (for example i won't be able to work in a job that involves a lot of standing or walking) so im not sure how long it will be before i get a job
i have never not had a job before. Do i need to sign on?

[albaqwerty]

sign on bednobs, you may not be entitled to JSA but I think you will be credited NIC.

Am very sorry to hear about your redundancy.

[Peter Pedant]

yes

[bednobs]

eek how do i even go about signing on??

[albaqwerty]

best way to do it (allegedly) is online.
I think gov.uk website, alternatively google Job Seekers Allowance - form can take up to 1/2hr to complete, depending on their speed for loading their infernal pages.
They will thend send you a text within 48 hours giving you an appointment date and time.
Take proof of id and address with you.

[hc4361]

Phone the Jobcentre - they'll give you lots of advice and tell you how to sign on

https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus

[Peter Pedant]

blimey my end of the woods is so full of them
they even have a building stuffed with the little blighters

Be on the look out for trick questions so they dont have to pay you
( are you on holiday - do you need la-la? etc )

[albaqwerty]

please be careful about having a few weeks off before signing on, they don't take kindly to that (in my experience)

[murraymints]

you will be able to claim JSA for 6 months thereafter it will be means tested...but sign on for NI conts as this will have a bearing on your state pendion and any sick pay etc even when/if JSA is not payable.. any period of payment in lieu of notice ?

[bednobs]

no pilon

[murraymints]

then you can claim right away..it should not matter if you claim a couple of weeks later..up to you !

[murraymints]

if you get family allowance ask about home responsibilities regarding NI conts.. in my time if you had FA then you were credited conts for the duration..but check as that may have changed ?

[murraymints]

if Home respnsibilities is still in play then you need not sign on for conts only once 6 months of jsa is up...but mind and ask..they will not usually offer such info..

[murraymints]

ps.. sorry Harry is spoken for ! ;0) xx

[bednobs]

what is family allowance?

[hc4361]

Child benefit

[New Judge]

"what is family allowance?"

It's now known as Child Benefit. £20.70 per week for the first child, £13.70 for each additional child.

[murraymints]

lol..still referred to as FA up here..but yes child ben !

[ParsleyDumpling]

Hi bednobs, my sister was in the same position as you (redundancy, but didn't want to look for a job straight away). She signed on for her NI contributions, but then found out that she was expected to look for another job immediately. She had to show evidence of searching and applying for jobs, for a certain amount of hours each day. She only worked part time for the MOD (before voluntary redundancy) but was spending more hours looking for work than she had actually worked in her job. She is now an assistant practice manager (at my doctor's surgery, ironically), but does regret signing on straight away. Things may have changed in the three years since she was took redundancy, and obviously her circumstances are slightly different to yours.