1. What is ‘new style’ jobseeker’s allowance?
‘New style’ jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) is for people who are unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week and who are looking for work.
It is a flat-rate personal allowance, payable for up to six months. To be entitled, you must have paid national insurance contributions over a certain number of years. ‘New style’ JSA is taxable.
The benefit cap, which limits the total weekly benefits that can be claimed, applies to ‘new style’ JSA (see
Chapter 15(10) and
Box F.6).