Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) is the means-tested component of JSA, the benefit for people who are unemployed (or working less than 16 hours a week) and seeking work (see Chapter 13).

Income-based JSA is being replaced by universal credit. It is not possible to make a new claim for income-based JSA. If you are already getting income-based JSA, at some point you will be invited to claim universal credit instead (see Box E.1 in Chapter 14). See Chapters 14 to 19 for more on universal credit.

Income-based JSA provides for basic living expenses for you (and your partner, if you have one). It is taxable.

Income-based JSA can help passport you to other benefits in the same way as income-related employment and support allowance – see Chapter 20(9).