How many holidays on jsa

There are 2 types:. Previously, single parents who did not work, or worked under 16 hours per week, were able to claim Income Support until their oldest child was From May , were phased in so that single parents with a youngest child aged 5 or above were unable to claim Income Support and will be expected to look for paid work.

While looking for work, you will be entitled to claim JSA, or Employment and Support Allowance if you are not able to work due to a health condition or disability.

You will be notified 8 weeks before your Income Support will be stopped. You will be asked to attend a voluntary interview where Jobcentre Plus will discuss the changes with you and what needs to happen next.

Jobcentre Plus will arrange a New Jobseeker Interview for you at your local Jobcentre Plus office after the initial voluntary interview. At this interview, you will meet with a personal adviser and together you will decide the steps you need to take in order to improve your chances of finding a job.

The agreement is flexible, so if your circumstances change while you are on JSA, you can discuss with your adviser the steps that need to be amended. In order to receive your JSA, you will need to attend regular Jobsearch Reviews at your local Jobcentre Plus — your adviser will make you aware of the dates, which are normally every fortnight.

At each review, you will need to sign a statement that says you are still available for work and that you have been actively looking for jobs. If your circumstances change at all, it is a good idea to discuss them with your adviser at these reviews. So, in order to keep receiving JSA, you need to do three things:.

Instead, you may be allowed to sign on by post. Discuss with your personal adviser how to do this. The JSA advisors guide states the following:. In some cases a person with care and responsibilities for a child may not be able to attend the Job Centre Plus office for fortnightly job centre review during the school holidays, for example they are unable to make arrangements for short term childcare to cover their attendance. In such circumstances and where the advisor agrees that no appropriate, affordable short term childcare is available to cover the attendance at the fortnightly attendance review, a person with care and responsibility will be allowed to sign by post during the school holiday period.

In order to claim JSA, you need to show your adviser that you are looking for work, or improving your chances of gaining work. This could mean writing a CV, or updating an existing one, completing a job application, speaking to a potential employer, or going for a job interview.

In order to claim JSA, you need to be in a situation where you are able to start a job. For example, if you are offered a job interview, you will need to attend within 7 days, and if you are offered a job you should be able to start within 28 days.

You will need to prioritise being available for paid work over any voluntary or educational commitments see below for further information. The first time you meet your adviser at Jobcentre Plus, it will be important to explain what kind of work you want to do and for how many hours. If you are a single parent who cares for children who are aged 16 years and under, you are entitled to state that you do not want to work for more than 16 hours per week, even if there are no such jobs in your area.

You need to tell your adviser exactly how much you are earning and how many hours you work per week, as this can affect your claim. If you are currently working under 16 hours per week then you will be entitled to claim JSA. Talk to your adviser about what hours you would and would not like to do — if you are caring for children who are 16 years old or under, you can say that you do not want to work for more than 16 hours per week.

This should not affect your claim. Volunteering does not count as paid work. If you are currently volunteering, or would like to volunteer to gain new skills, discuss this with your personal adviser at Jobcentre Plus.

It may be possible that you can work part-time and volunteer around your working hours. However, you will have to be prepared to put paid work first and perhaps leave a voluntary position if it makes you unavailable for paid work.

Under European law, entitlement may be exported or awarded to you if you reside in the European Economic Area or Switzerland. If you are caring for someone, but the person being looked after does not accompany the carer, Carer's Allowance will cease from your date of departure. Before going abroad, you should always contact Disability and Carers Service to check if your benefit may be affected. You are considered as temporarily absent if, at the beginning of the period of absence, your absence is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks.

A claimant who is temporarily absent from Northern Ireland shall be treated as being present for the first 13 weeks of absence and PIP payments can continue to be paid for this 13 week period. If you receive Bereavement Support Payment or widows benefits, these may be affected if you go abroad.

International Pension Centre will arrange for payment abroad and advise on methods of payment available when the case is transferred the method can vary according to the country. Where preferred, benefit can be left to accumulate and arrears paid on return to Northern Ireland, provided the absence is intended to be less than two years. In other countries the benefit will stay at the same rate as you left the UK, or when you first qualified for the benefit if you were already living abroad at the time.

If you want to know what effect the departure would have on benefit rates you must contact: The Northern Ireland Pension Centre Pensions Service or International Pension Centre Awards if already residing overseas. Generally not payable unless the absence is to get medical treatment or you have been continuously incapable of work for at least six months at the date of departure, but is only payable for a maximum of 26 weeks in most circumstances. However, if you are authorised to go to the EEA, Switzerland or certain Reciprocal Agreement countries to get treatment, or have been continuously incapable of work for six months at the date of departure, is not restricted to 26 weeks.

You must contact the Incapacity Benefits Branch with full details of the reason for the absence. It is not payable unless Reciprocal agreement can assist. Entitlement may continue for up to four weeks if you were receiving Income Support immediately before the absence began, the absence will not exceed 52 weeks, and you satisfy one of the following conditions:.

If you are going with a child abroad for medical treatment entitlement may continue for up to eight weeks. If your absence is temporary, the effect it will have on your Jobseeker's Allowance will depend on the reason for your absence and whether you told your local Jobs and Benefits office before going away. If you go abroad during your Maternity Allowance period and confinement takes place there, you may in certain circumstances, be treated as going for treatment.

Maternity Allowance is payable if the Maternity Allowance period commences in the EEA, Switzerland and certain Reciprocal Agreement countries provided all conditions for receipt of benefit are satisfied.

Any absence that is not temporary will mean administration of your benefit must transfer to the International Pension Centre. If you insist on payment abroad but do not want payment into an account, the International Pension Centre will arrange payment abroad on transfer of the case.

The first payment may be an adjusting payment to bring the case on to cycle. The International Pension Centre will arrange for payment abroad and advise on methods of payment available when the case is transferred the method can vary according to the country. You can leave your benefit to accumulate and have the arrears paid on return to the United Kingdom, provided the absence is intended to be less than two years.

Annual increases are only paid in the EEA, Switzerland and in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement with the UK on Social Security which enables increases to be paid. Anyone wanting to know what effect the departure would have on benefit rates must contact the benefit paying branch or the International Pension Centre if already residing overseas.

There are also rules about the date on which a claim is made. Severe Disablement Allowance may be payable in certain circumstances for up to 26 weeks if you have been incapable of work for the past six months immediately before going abroad.

Generally not payable after 26 weeks of temporary absence unless the reason for the absence is to get medical treatment. In certain cases, it may continue to be paid in the EEA and Switzerland with no restriction on the length of absence, providing you are covered by EC regulations. From 1 May new EU Regulations came into effect which mean that if you apply to transfer your Jobseeker's Benefit, it will be paid directly to you.

You are still required to register with the employment services of the country where you have gone to look for work within a week. You may transfer your JB payment more than once while you are unemployed provided you do not exceed the maximum period of 13 weeks. If you are claiming JB, you can claim increases for your qualified adult and children who are living in another EEA member state. Jobseeker's payments can also be paid on your return from representing Ireland in an amateur capacity at international sporting event.

You must get written confirmation of the sport and time involved from the governing sporting body. Rent Supplement is not normally payable while you are outside the country. You should contact the officer dealing with your claim if you intend to leave the country, even for a short absence.

Payment may be made in certain circumstances for short absences from the country, such as holidays etc. Carer's Allowance can be paid if you accompany the person you are caring for abroad to get medical treatment.

Disability Allowance can be paid if you are studying an approved course outside the State under the Back to Education Allowance scheme or getting medical treatment not available in Ireland. You must notify the Department and provide proof of medical treatment or education abroad. Under legislation you have no entitlement to be paid Disability Allowance while on holiday. However, in practice Disability Allowance may be paid for 2 weeks while you are on holiday abroad.

You should inform the Department of Social Protection before you go on holiday. One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional payment can be paid up to a maximum of 3 weeks while you are on holiday abroad. You must notify the Department in advance that you are going abroad.

If you are getting Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension , State Pension Non-Contributory and Blind Pension you can go abroad in exceptional circumstances for a limited period and the Department will review your entitlement when you return.

You must notify the Department before leaving the State. If you are getting State Pension Non-Contributory or Blind Pension and take up residence in Northern Ireland, the pension is payable until you become entitled to an equivalent payment from Northern Ireland or for a period of 5 years whichever is the shorter. Child Benefit can be paid to volunteer development workers and members of the Irish Defence Forces or Irish Civil Service serving abroad.

It can also be paid if you are working abroad for an Irish employer and paying Irish social insurance contributions. For further information about transferring your social welfare payment abroad, or taking holidays while getting a social welfare payment, contact the section in the Department of Social Protection that pays your social welfare payment or your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.