Check if a change affects your JSA

You must write to tell the DWP if you or your partner:

• starts working (even if it’s not paid)

• increases your working hours - tell the DWP if you now work 16 hours a week or more, or your partner works 24 hours a week or more

• stops working

• starts earning more money

• starts earning less money

You should tell them even if it’s just one payment, or won’t be the same amount regularly. Explain how much money you think it will be in total and how long for. If you don’t know the exact amount, work out what you think it might be and tell the DWP it’s an estimate.

If you’re starting a new job, include in your letter:

• your employer’s name and address

• when the job started

• how many hours you work each week

• how much money you earn - before tax and other deductions

• if money is being taken off for a pension - tell them how much it is, if you can

You must write to the DWP about certain changes to your money or any other benefits you get.

Tell the DWP if you or your partner:

• claims any new benefits (even if they’re not being paid yet)

• stops getting a benefit - for example child tax credits

• gets a one-off payment - for example if you inherit some money or are paid compensation

Changes to your savings

If you get income-based JSA and you have savings between £6,000 and £16,000, tell the DWP if they go up or down. This includes any savings your partner has.

You must write and tell the DWP if you:

• start studying full-time - or if under 19, start a full or part-time advanced education course, for example teacher training

• reach state pension age - you can check your state pension age on GOV.UK

• go to prison

If you get income-based JSA, you’ll need to tell the DWP if any of them happen to your partner. You must also tell them if:

• you stop living with your partner

• you start living with a new partner

• you get divorced, married or form a civil partnership

• your partner leaves the UK for more than 4 weeks - or 8 weeks if they’re accompanying a child getting medical treatment

If you’re under 18 and responsible for a child

Tell the DWP if the child you’re responsible for:

• leaves school

• moves out of your home

• leaves the UK for more than 4 weeks - or 8 weeks if it’s to get medical treatment

You’re responsible for a child if they either live with you all the time or usually live with you and you’re their main carer.

Changes to your home

Tell the DWP if:

• you move home

• someone moves out of your home

• someone moves into your home - for example if they rent a room

If you have a mortgage and your JSA is helping pay the mortgage interest, you need to tell the DWP if the amount you owe changes - for example because you re-mortgage.

Once you’ve told your work coach, if a health problem lasts more than 2 weeks you should also write to tell the DWP.

You should tell them if you or partner goes into or leaves hospital. You should also tell them if your partner goes to stay in or leaves a care home.

If your health problems mean you can’t do all your work activities, ask to change your jobseeker's agreement. It’s worth doing even for a small change, for example if regular doctor appointments mean you have 2 hours fewer a week to look for work.

If you’re claiming new style JSA, you might be able continue getting it after 13 weeks. This depends on your work coach’s discretion.

If you’re claiming income or contribution based JSA, you can only get that for up to 13 weeks.

When your JSA stops, you can get more money by:

• claiming ESA

• claiming Universal Credit

If someone dies

You’ll need to tell the DWP about the death of:

• your partner

• your child - if you’re claiming JSA because you’re under 18 and responsible for a child

• someone you were caring for

• anyone over 18 and living with you

You can use the Tell Us Once service on GOV.UK to tell government departments about a death quickly and easily. You can also ask your work coach for a break from job hunting if a member of your family has died.

You can only get income-based JSA if your immigration status lets you claim public funds. In some situations you must also still have a ‘right to reside’.

You can claim public funds if you have any of the following:

• British or Irish citizenship

• settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme

• indefinite leave - unless you came to the UK on an adult dependent relative visa

• refugee status or humanitarian protection

• right of abode

Adult dependent relative visas

Your client might have indefinite leave to remain even though someone signed a maintenance undertaking for them. This usually only affects people who came to the UK on an adult dependent relative visa.

In this situation your client can’t apply for income-based JSA until 5 years after they arrived in the UK - or earlier if the person who signed the maintenance undertaking dies.

If you have pre-settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme, you can claim public funds - but you also need to show you have a right to reside to get income-based JSA. Check if you have a right to reside.

If you’ve applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re waiting for a decision,  you can claim public funds - but you also need to show you have a right to reside to get income-based JSA. Check if you have a right to reside.

If you have any other immigration status, check if your immigration status lets you claim public funds.