Problems claiming unemployment benefit whilst working part-time
31 December 2010
I was recently made redundant from my full time job, i looked around for another job but i did not find much out there, especially in my local area. I expanded my search but there was not much around. I decided to look at the part time jobs, now this would not be ideal as i am used to working full time and getting the money that goes with it but i didnt have much choice. I did hope though that i could still claim, i read somewhere about unemployment benefits and part time work that said if you worked less than so many hours you could still claim. I was not sure on though what this amount of hours was and found it hard to find out the exact amount, even the jobcentre didn’t seem to know!. I started work doing 16 hours a week, this is only part time i had though, no one can be expected to work 16 hours a week and just live on that! its pays pennies especially when it is minimum wage. I put in an application for jobseekers but it was turned down based on the fact that they class 16 hours as full time! it is absolutely crazy! how on earth can they expect someone to work so little hours and survive on that wage. I wrote a unemployment benefits appeal letter to try and get the decision reversed but it was turned down! my only choice was either to find a full time job elsewhere or maybe drop an hour off my week so i was classed as part time and could then claim jobseekers.