# Can I claim Jobseekers Allowance while working for an agency?



## metaphor (Mar 13, 2007)

I'm currently registered with Reed Employment and have been told by them that they'll be sending me to placements for the odd week here and there, but they said for some weeks I might not be working at all.

Will I be able to claim Jobseekers Allowance (and Housing Benefit for that matter) for the weeks that they don't find me work? 

Thanks!


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## baldrick (Mar 13, 2007)

I would imagine that stopping & starting your claim is going to be more hassle than it's worth.

If you're going to start agency work - sign up for as many as you can, then if Reed only give you a week's work you've got other avenues.

With agencies - phone every Monday morning so you can fill in for no-shows/sickness and then every Thursday so you can go on the availables list for the following week.


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## subversplat (Mar 13, 2007)

Rapid Reclaim isn't that much of a hassle. Just remember to declare the weeks where you work under 16 hours and sign off for the weeks you work over 16 hours. It's a bit more work but depends how much you want the money


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 13, 2007)

metaphor said:
			
		

> I'm currently registered with Reed Employment and have been told by them that they'll be sending me to placements for the odd week here and there, but they said for some weeks I might not be working at all.
> 
> Will I be able to claim Jobseekers Allowance (and Housing Benefit for that matter) for the weeks that they don't find me work?
> 
> Thanks!




as baldrick says, it is hassle, but not just hassle, it's an absolute fucking nightmare  

Years and years ago, you used to be able to temp, go in fortnightly, declare your work, show your timesheet etc. and they wouldn't pay you.  BUT... they did leave your claim open.

Then it changed... and by God did it become hell.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 13, 2007)

then again, I'm not sure what subversplat is talking about but maybe it's all changed again


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## subversplat (Mar 13, 2007)

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Dev_008558.xml.html

You've got 12 weeks until they properly delete your claim and you basically just need to sign a paper saying "My circumstances have not changed" and you're back on the dole.


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## GoneCoastal (Mar 13, 2007)

I don'y know what it's like now but I used to sign on and off in between jobs work when I contracted via an agency. They gave me a P45 each time the contract ended because I was registered with multiple agencies so there was no guarantee which agency I'd be working with from time to time


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## AnnO'Neemus (Mar 13, 2007)

Don't know what it's like now, but years ago when I first started temping, there used to be a bit of a double whammy.

Your dole money is paid fortnightly.

Week one, you do some work through a temp agency (but you don't get paid any money, because it's a week in hand).

Week two, you don't do any work, because they don't have an assignment for you (but you do get paid at the end of that week, for the previous week's work).

The double whammy is that you didn't get any dole money.

Week one, they'd say you'd worked too many hours and didn't qualify, so they didn't pay out for that week (even though you weren't actually paid).

Week two, although you hadn't worked, you received some money, so they didn't pay out for that week either.

Check out what the situation is now, but be very careful.  Especially if you're on housing benefits and the like, because you could end up working for one week, getting paid the next, and having to fork out for two weeks' rent, council tax, bills, living expenses out of only one week's temp pay.


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