First Job Centre Appointment

Unless things have changed drastically, the JobCentre will talk to her about what she's been doing and ask her about work she can do. They will explain what she has to do to receive JSA. She should mention that she would like to retrain, but is unlikely to receive funding. She will not receive JSA if she's doing a full-time course. Depending what the course is, she might be able to take out a repayable loan. The JobCentre might have a single parent advisor, who will discuss childcare with her and how that will affect work and benefits. If she has a CV, she should take it with her. She will be expected to write one.

She will need to sort out Housing Benefit herself, but that might have changed since Universal Credit was introduced. She will also need to apply for child tax credits, unless she's going to be paid Universal Credit. The JobCentre should explain exactly what she has to do.

Careful of zero hours contracts, because they can mess up benefits and mean that a claimant is worse off.

Its a proper minefield!! Had her meeting with JCP person who was not at all helpful at this her first experience ever in her working life. DD was told she needed to sign on weekly. She explained she may get a zero hours contract opportunity, she has, and of course the work is on the same day as the JCP appointment, so she has phoned and told them that and they have said she MUST ATTEND, she said are you really telling me to turn down the opportunity of some work!!, they have reluctantly given her another appointment, but when she told them the work was 16 hours for the next 2 weeks and then 4 hours on the 3rd week, that she will have to cancel her application for JSA now and then restart her claim on the 4th week. DD and I are both quite intelligent and we have trawled the Government web sites and none of what we had expected from reading all that is actually what seems to be happening. We also thought reading through all the info that you could work 16 hours without it affecting your claim. She is going to speak to CAB but it is all really stressful for her (she has had to attend GP due to the stress which is showing both mentally and physically due to it all and is on medication and on the waiting list for counselling). I'm not sure where the best place is to look for correct information! Sorry, just needed a vent!

That's why I advised to beware of zero hours contracts. The JSA advisor is correct. This happened to me. I declared the work I did, but ended up worse off then if I hadn't worked. It will also affect claims for housing benefit and LCHS (formerly know as council tax benefit) and the children's elibility for free school meals.

Please, please, please...I can't emphasise enough how important it is for your daughter to go to the CAB, where somebody will talk through all her options.

AFAIK your daughter can work up to 16 hours (ie 15 hours 59 minutes) and still be able claim JSA. She will only be allowed to keep a few pounds (can't remember exactly how much), but will still need to sign on and emonstrate she's looking for work. The advantage is that she can keep some of her other entitlements.

Has she applied for child tax credits? She won't be eligible for working tax credit, because she's not working enough regular hours. She's caught in a classic trap. Good luck!

To anybody reading this...I hope it dispels any myths that life on benefits is cushy!

Your daughter might find some of these factsheets useful:

gingerbread.org.uk/factsheet/30/Claiming-Jobseeker%E2%80%99s-Allowance-and-other-benefits

Thank you for your help daphnedill, I'll read through fact sheets.

You're welcome.

I've been in the same situation, so I know how daunting and worrying it all is.

I'm a bit hesitant about giving you exact details, because I know things have changed over the last couple of years.

I can't recommend the CAB enough. They'll go through all the options with your daughter and make sure she's signposted to any help available.

It sometimes surprises people how little the unemployed receive, so it's important she doesn't miss out on anything.