Can I Claim JSA and Work?

If you over the age of 16 but below the age necessary to claim Pension Benefit, working fewer than 16 hours a week and are actively seeking employment, you may be eligible to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). This means that you are indeed entitled to claim JSA and work, so long as you are working fewer than the allowed amount of hours per week. There are two types of JSA, one based on contributions, one on your income. The contributions based JSA can be claimed if you’ve paid enough National Insurance Contributions and is claimable for up to 6 months. After this time, or if you’ve not paid enough National Insurance, you’ll be eligible to claim income based JSA.  The amount you can claim is reduced if you have income from part time employment or savings of over £6,000. For those with savings over £16,000 or a partner in full time employment, JSA is unlikely to be available. To claim JSA you need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions through their website or visit/telephone their local jobs centre. Regular interviews are required to review your situation and the claim must be confirmed in person every fortnight.