Help with jobs and benefits
If you are worried about losing your job and about what you would do for money if the worst happened, there is a wide range of services and help available to support you.
If you are looking for a new job
Jobcentre Plus can tell you about the advice and support you can get if you are out of work and looking for a job, want to find out about learning or training opportunities, can’t work at the moment, or need financial help.
To find out more visit
Job Centre Plus. To access thousands of vacancies online visit the jobs vacancies page of
Directgov.
If you need to claim benefits
If you are unemployed, you can find information about Jobcentre Plus services and benefits online. The usual benefit is Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), which you can claim over the phone. You will also be given an appointment to come into one of over 750 jobcentres for personal help and advice on finding work.
To make a claim for JSA you will need the following information: your National Insurance number; details of your rent or mortgage; details of your past or present employment; adults who live in your home; and details of other income and savings, including those of a spouse or partner.
Phone 0800 0 55 66 88 (phone lines are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday). The call will take about 40 minutes and if necessary we can call you back. Textphone 0800 023 4888.
You can also make a claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance
online where you will also be able to find out whether you may be eligible for other financial help.
Extra support to help you back to work
During the time that you claim JSA, Jobcentre Plus gives you access to a range of practical advice and support to help you get back to work.
If you are still unemployed and claiming JSA after three months you will be given more intensive help to find work.
If you are still unemployed after six months, from April 2009 we may offer you extra support, including: help to set up a business – advice on creating a business plan, plus funding for the first months of trading; new training places – extra funding for training places to help you get new skills in order to increase your chances of getting a job; volunteering options – more opportunities to volunteer to help you keep your skills and experience up to date or develop new skills; and the opportunity to be employed by an employer who may receive a recruitment subsidy and in-work training support.
The longer you are out of work, the harder Jobcentre Plus will work with you. Visit
Directgov [www.direct.gov.uk] to search for a job.
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