How is job seekers allowance means tested?

emilymemily

Is there a threshold on how much you can earn before youre means tested or do they means test your weekly earnings regardless of how much you earned?
Im teaching full time covering a sick leave in a Primary school and have been since the end of September, I will be in the school until the Christmas holidays. I was receiving full JA before starting work. I have received a decent enough wage during this time but as the job is short term I will have less than 4000 in earnings over 2 and a half months. I don't know how much I will receive exactly as I didn't get paid for the first 6 weeks and have only been paid for 2 weeks so far. Will I be means tested and if so, could I lose my entitlement to JA?

Cherry Blossom

You are not entitled to JA if you are working full time. You should have signed off the day you started your job. You sign back on when the contract is finished.

emilymemily

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

You are not entitled to JA if you are working full time. You should have signed off the day you started your job. You sign back on when the contract is finished.

I never said that I am signed on JA, my payments have been suspended while im working.

Id appreciate if you'd read the actual question before answering or replying.
Thanks.

Crunchymomma

In fairness, your post did read like you are still signing on.....

emilymemily

emilymemily wrote: »

Is there a threshold on how much you can earn before youre means tested or do they means test your weekly earnings regardless of how much you earned?
Im teaching full time covering a sick leave in a Primary school and have been since the end of September, I will be in the school until the Christmas holidays. I was receiving full JA before starting work. I have received a decent enough wage during this time but as the job is short term I will have less than 4000 in earnings over 2 and a half months. I don't know how much I will receive exactly as I didn't get paid for the first 6 weeks and have only been paid for 2 weeks so far. Will I be means tested and if so, could I lose my entitlement to JA?

My payments are suspended. Can someone please just try to answer my question? Thanks

Cherry Blossom

I could but I can't be bothered now to be honest.

Elmo

emilymemily wrote: »

My payments are suspended. Can someone please just try to answer my question? Thanks

Generally when you get full time work your payments are suspended until you go back to your local office to say you’ve finished your temporary job. AFAIK because your coming out of JA your not entitled to any allowance, even if only part time/ pro rata hours.

Suspended JA means that you don’t have to be reassessed while working and reassessed when the job is over.

But best to consider the options with your local branch.

emilymemily

Elmo wrote: »

Generally when you get full time work your payments are suspended until you go back to your local office to say you’ve finished your temporary job. AFAIK because your coming out of JA your not entitled to any allowance, even if only part time/ pro rata hours.

Suspended JA means that you don’t have to be reassessed while working and reassessed when the job is over.

But best to consider the options with your local branch.

Thanks Elmo, its confusing because im getting mixed responses from my social welfare office.
They said the suspension will be lifted when my employment ends, I just have to bring them a letter from the school with my working dates and nothing else but the last time I subbed they told me I wouldnt be means tested so I just brought them down the letter as they told me to, when I handed this in they told me I should have been given forms for my employer to fill out, I needed pay slips etc to calculate my earnings and to means test my payment and told me they couldn't lift the suspension until this was all sorted out. I couldnt get them this info as the school was so far away and it was during Summer, I couldnt get through to anyone, I had also spent my earnings on my college fees as I was told I wouldnt be means tested. I only worked for two weeks so had very little money but even so my JA was cut to 60 euro regardless and they had no clue how much I had earned.
Now this time theyre telling me two different things. The first woman I spoke to told me I would be means tested but never gave me any forms to fill out, the second lady I spoke to said I wouldnt be and my wages where none of their business as long as im not getting JA.

Im lost on what to do. I cant get a straight answer from anywhere.

ttsnar

You should go the office as soon as the contract is finished at Xmas. Bring a P45 or a letter from your employer stating the job is finished.
You will not be means tested on your earnings as you are finished work, this is only done if you are part-time,

emilymemily

ttsnar wrote: »

You should go the office as soon as the contract is finished at Xmas. Bring a P45 or a letter from your employer stating the job is finished.
You will not be means tested on your earnings as you are finished work, this is only done if you are part-time,

Thanks ttsnar, so why was I means tested the last time? My money was cut even though it was suspended while I was earning? Is there anyone I can contact that can give me definite information on this? I tried ringing social welfare head office but they didnt know either, the guy on the phone had to go look for someone who could answer my question but I still got very little information out of them. Im just concerned that I will end up with no money after my position ends. I dont want to end up on the street, the rent has to paid.

splinter65

There’s seems to have been terrible miscommunication between yourself and your local office. Claimants sign of JSA in order to take up full time temporary work and their claim is suspended for up to 12 weeks while they are employed. But if the temporary work is for more then 12 weeks then you will be making a brand new claim when the job comes to an end and yes you will be means tested but no the means test will not be against your payslips while you were at work. They will want bank statements to see if you have in excess of €20000 which is the capital means test limit.
What I would do if I were you is sit down and write to the SW inspector and ask him how your claim for JSA will be treated when this temporary job comes to an end. Don’t forget to include your PPSN ask him/ her to write back to you as soon as possible as you are anxious about your financial situation.
Phoning and emailing is really pointless when dealing with government depts as there is no real proof of anyone ever responding .

emilymemily

splinter65 wrote: »

There’s seems to have been terrible miscommunication between yourself and your local office. Claimants sign of JSA in order to take up full time temporary work and their claim is suspended for up to 12 weeks while they are employed. But if the temporary work is for more then 12 weeks then you will be making a brand new claim when the job comes to an end and yes you will be means tested but no the means test will not be against your payslips while you were at work. They will want bank statements to see if you have in excess of €20000 which is the capital means test limit.
What I would do if I were you is sit down and write to the SW inspector and ask him how your claim for JSA will be treated when this temporary job comes to an end. Don’t forget to include your PPSN ask him/ her to write back to you as soon as possible as you are anxious about your financial situation.
Phoning and emailing is really pointless when dealing with government depts as there is no real proof of anyone ever responding .

Thanks so much Splinter, this was really helpful, Ill send them a letter on Monday.

LegacyUser

First of all €20,000 is not the limit for capital, it is the disregard and that is very different.

You can have €50,000 in savings and still get €128 JSA per week.

You asked about temporary work and they told you the procedure for temporary work but you are different because you are a teacher.

Education Sector Workers have a percentage of their wage paid towards accrued holiday pay, some as high as 56%.

You need to get a form called UP2 c/d from your local office and have this completed by your employer.

This form gives details of your holiday entitlement during the school breaks.

emilymemily

Its all been sorted, thanks to everyone who took the time to respond with helpful answers. x