Jobseeker's Allowance

What is it?

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is a benefit for people who are unemployed, who are available to take up full-time work immediately and who are actively seeking work.

It is a single allowance with 2 routes of entitlement –

Contribution based JSA – 'JSA(Cont)'
Income based JSA – 'JSA(IB)'

JSA(Cont) and JSA(IB)

Entitlement to JSA(Cont) is based on your National Insurance record. It is not means-tested.

JSA(IB) is an income-based benefit and is paid to you if either:

you are not entitled to JSA(Cont)
your entitlement to JSA(Cont) has run out
the amount you need to live on is more than the amount of JSA(Cont) you get

You don’t have to have paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for JSA(IB).

Basic qualifying conditions

To qualify for JSA you must satisfy several conditions, as follows.

You must:

be available for work
be actively seeking work
be capable of work
enter into a Jobseeker's Agreement which remains in force
be under state pension age
be in the Isle of Man

You must not be in full-time education - that is guided learning of 16 hours or more a week.

Also, from 5 November 2017, you must not be in remunerative work – that is work of 16 hours or more a week – if you are self-employed, a share fisherman or a company director (note: this condition does not apply if you are an employee working for someone else).

You must also be living in the Isle of Man.

National Insurance contribution conditions for JSA(Cont)

As well as the above basic qualifying conditions, for JSA (Cont) you must also be able to meet the following conditions

First contribution condition

The first contribution condition is satisfied if, in either of the previous 2 tax years before you claim JSA, you have actually paid Class 1 contributions or share fisherman's/volunteer development worker's Class 2 contributions on earnings at the lower earnings limit for at least 26 weeks during that tax year.

Second contribution condition

The second contribution condition is satisfied if you have paid and/or been credited with Class 1 contributions of not less than 50 times the lower earnings limit in both the last 2 complete tax years before the benefit year in which your jobseeking period begins.

JSA(IB)

There are no National Insurance contribution conditions for JSA(IB). However, entitlement to JSA(IB) is means-tested.

You must also be an Isle of Man worker to qualify for JSA(IB).

Also, from 5 November 2017, you will not qualify for JSA(IB) if your partner (if you have one) works for 24 hours or more a week in a self-employed capacity or as a share fisherman or a company director (note: this condition does not apply if your partner is an employee working for someone else).

The maximum amount of JSA(IB) which can be awarded to you is known as your 'applicable amount.' It is reduced by any reckonable income which you, your partner or any of your other dependants receive.

Your applicable amount is made up of the following elements:

Personal allowances: these go towards normal day to day living expenses such as food, heating and lighting
Premiums: these extra amounts are only allowable in certain circumstances, for example if your partner cares for a severely disabled relative or is of state pension age
Housing costs: these go towards rent, rates, service charges or mortgage interest, etc.

Changes to JSA for share fishermen

Certain changes are being made to the rules for share fishermen claiming JSA from 5 November 2017. These are explained in detail in the downloadable document entitled 'Information for share fishermen July 2017' opposite.

People aged 16/17 years

In general 16/17 year olds are only entitled to JSA(IB) if they are in a vulnerable group, for example lone parents and people with disabilities. However, certain young people are entitled to JSA(IB) if they would be at risk of suffering severe hardship.

How much JSA could I get and how am I paid JSA?

Please see Benefits Rates for further details.

You can collect your JSA in cash fortnightly at a Post Office using your MiCard.

JSA(Cont) can be paid for a maximum period of 6 months at a time. There is no limit to the period for which JSA(IB) can be paid, provided you continue to meet the qualifying conditions .