Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) is a benefit for people aged 18 (or in some cases 16) or over and under pension age who are available for and actively seeking work and are on a low income. You cannot get income-based JSA if you are working for 16 hours or more a week (and/or if your partner is working 24 hours or more a week) or if you have savings of over £16,000. Your income must be less than the set amount the law says you need to live on (known as your ‘applicable amount’). New claims for income-based JSA are not possible. Instead, get advice about claiming UC, or claiming ‘new-style’ JSA, which is based on your national insurance record.