Jobseeker's Allowance

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is a form of unemployment benefit paid by the Government of the United Kingdom to people who are unemployed and actively seeking work. It is part of the social security benefits system and is intended to cover living expenses while the claimant is out of work.

JSA is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in England, Wales, and Scotland, and in Northern Ireland by the Social Security Agency – an executive agency of the Department for Social Development. Claimants must be between 18 years of age and the State Pension age.

There are two forms of Jobseeker's Allowance, contribution-based and income-based. Universal Credit was due to replace Jobseeker's Allowance and other benefits for 500,000 new claimants from October 2013, and eventually will replace income-based Jobseeker's Allowance entirely.

To be eligible for JSA, claimants must state that they are actively seeking work by filling in a Jobseeker's Agreement form and attending a New Jobseeker interview (NJI). They must also go to a Job Centre every two weeks to "sign on", that is, to certify that they are still actively seeking work. Claims for Jobseeker's Allowance are maintained by the Jobseeker's Allowance Payment System (JSAPS).

The first unemployment benefits were paid in 1911 under the National Insurance Act 1911 to job seekers who had paid National Insurance contributions ("the stamp"). The maximum amount payable was seven shillings a week. These payments were thus made only to people who had recently been in work, and not simply to those on low incomes. Furthermore, benefits were only paid for up to twelve months, by which time a claimant had to have regained work.

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