1. What is income-based jobseeker’s allowance?
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
Section E 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).