New Style Job Seeker’s Allowance
For full details of New Style JSA and how to apply, visit the UK government website.
Visit Citizens Advice Scotland for more advice on your application for New Style JSA.
It is now called New Style Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA), as a previous category has been removed, where people who had not paid enough National Insurance contributions (NICs) would still be eligible.
Eligibility
- You have worked as an employee (if you were self-employed, you are not eligible)
- You have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions in the last 2-3 years (you can check your National Insurance record on the UK government website)
- You are over 18 (there are some exceptions for 16- or 17-year-olds)
- You are under State Pension age (you can find out your State Pension age on the UK government website)
- You are not in full-time education
- You are available to start working (you are currently not working, or you only work a maximum of 16 hours per week)
- You do not have an illness or disability which prevents you from working
- You live in the UK
