

Switching from Job Seekers allowance to sickness benefit?

Discussion in 'benefits and housing' started by Sparxxx, Mar 10, 2010.

  1. Sparxxx

    Sparxxx Well-Known Member

    I'll try and keep this short and not ramble ;)

    Basically i'm on a anti psycotic aswell as anti depressant, been on them for about 3 months now....I'm looking into getting put on sickness benefit whilst i get my head sorted out...

    Having never claimed sickness benefit is it easy to get swap over from JSA? I already spoke to the doctor i spoke to about all of whats been going on and he has wrote to my GP about me getting signed off...

    I'm just worried about how much hassle this is going to be to be honest.....I live alone and don't really want it messing up my housing benefit also

    Any help is appreciated.:)
  2. geminisnake

    geminisnake a complex mass of conflicting ideas

    I don't see why it should prove to be a problem but how good are your local job centre? IIRC your benefit rate wouldn't be changing(unless you're signed off for over a year) so it shouldn't muck up your housing benefit, and even if your rate does change you'd still be on benefits which again shouldn't affect the housing side of it, unless you go onto Incapacity.

    Are you on income or contributions based JSA?
  3. Paulie Tandoori

    Paulie Tandoori shut it you egg!

    You would need to claim something called Employment and Support Allowance

    You would need a medical certificate from your GP to make the claim, and you will then be expeted to have a medical assessment to see if you can stay on the benefit - for the first 13 weeks, it pays the same as JSA, and then if you are still entitled, it rises by ~£25p/w. Even on this benefit, you will still be expected to undertake some kind of work-related activity and attend regular work focussed interviews, although less frequently than when signing on for JSA.

    It shouldn't have a detrimental impact on your housing benefit but anyone knows that changes to one benefit can sometimes lead to mistakes being made with others, so you would be well advised to notify the local authority as soon as you make any change to your claims.

    If you did claim ESA and they decided that you weren't entitled, then you could simply move back to claiming JSA instead. Good luck :)
  4. fernhill heath

    fernhill heath New Member

    first you will have to claim e.s.a as long as you have i sick note. the money stays the same for the first year but at least you wont have to have the hassle on signing on every 2 weeks. then after about 6 months they will ask you to go to assesment where they ask you various questions about your capability to work both pyshical and mental.
    you have to score at least 15 points for them to pay you full sickness benifit £90a week. if you dont score enough points like i didnt then you can appeal, during the appeal process you will still get e.s.a providing you get a sicknote from your doctor.

    they told me i wasnt eligable for full sickness benifit but this was back in november and i am still waiting to hear about my appeal and if this fails i can appeal again.

    i have been on e.s.a for almost a year and had no shit from them as long as you show a sicknote, i have 1 till june.
    it wont affect your housing benifit, you may have to fill in a few forms but you will basicaly get the same housing benifit.

    dont worry its easier than you think and you will be spared the hassle of signing on and the job search dairy nonsense. its ace :cool:
  5. punchdrunkme

    punchdrunkme the fuck I do?

    Just get a sick note and hand it in to the job centre where your claim is. They will change your claim over for you. Then read up about ESA. The rules for being able to continue claiming it are a bit tricky. They do a lot of assesments but the first step is just to hand a sick note in and then they will take it from there. :)

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