Guidance

Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance: what you need to tell us if you do any work

Updated 15 September 2023

You must tell Jobcentre Plus if you or your partner do any work while you’re getting income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

We use ‘partner’ to mean either of the following:

• a person you live with who is your husband, wife or civil partner
• a person you live with as if you are a married couple

Your benefit might be reduced or stopped if you do not report a change straight away.

You cannot usually get income-based JSA if:

• you work 16 hours or more a week on average
• your partner works 24 hours or more a week on average

You may still be able to get income-based JSA if you or your partner work more hours in certain jobs.

The amount of income-based JSA you get may be reduced if:

• you work for less than 16 hours a week
• your partner works for less than 24 hours a week

What to do if you or your partner do any work

We need to know about any work you and your partner do.

If you attend regular appointments at the jobcentre

You will need to:

• take the pay slips to the appointment
• fill in a form at your appointment with your work coach to tell us about any work done in the last 2 weeks

If you do not attend appointments at the jobcentre

You will need to ask your work coach to send you a ‘declaration of work’ form and B7 form for each job. Fill in the forms and send them back to the jobcentre with the pay slips.

What you need to tell us

When you complete the forms about any work you and your partner have done, you’ll need to tell us:

• if you, your partner or both of you did any work
• each employer’s name, address and phone number
• the dates worked
• the number of hours and minutes worked each week
• how often you or your partner were paid
• the date or dates you or your partner were paid
• how much you or your partner earned before any deductions
• the amount of deductions for things like tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, union subscriptions and child maintenance payments
• if your or your partner were paid any money for anything else, and if so, how much and what the money was for (for example bus or train fares or work expenses)

You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.

If you or your partner work regularly

If you or your partner work regularly, your work coach will tell you if you can reduce the amount of information you need to provide each time.

How earnings affect income-based JSA

The amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance you get will depend on how much you or your partner earn in the week you work.

If you do not claim for a partner

You usually can earn up to £5 a week before your earnings affect your income-based JSA. Earnings over £5, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, will reduce your income-based JSA.

For example, if you earn £50.25 a week, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, your income-based JSA will be reduced by £45.25.

If you are a lone parent, you can earn up to £20 a week before your earnings affect your income-based JSA.

If you claim for yourself and your partner

You and your partner can usually can earn up to £10 a week between you before your earnings affect your income-based JSA. Earnings over £10, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, will reduce your income-based JSA.

For example, if you earn £50.25 a week and your partner earns £30.25 a week, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, your income-based JSA will be reduced by £70.50.

If you or your partner is disabled or a carer

You and your partner can earn up to £20 a week between you before your earnings affect your income-based JSA if either of you get an extra amount added to your income-based JSA called a disability premium.

You and your partner can also earn up to £20 a week between you before your earnings affect your income-based JSA, if both the following apply:

• either of you get an extra amount added to your income-based JSA called a carer’s premium
• either of you get Carer’s Allowance, or are treated as getting Carer’s Allowance

Earnings over £20, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, will reduce your income-based JSA.

For example, if you earn £50.25 a week and your partner earns £30.25, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, your income-based JSA will be reduced by £60.50.

If you or your partner work in certain jobs

You and your partner can earn up to £20 a week between you before your earnings affect your income-based JSA if either of you are:

• a part-time firefighter
• an auxiliary coastguard for coastal rescue services
• a part-time lifeboat crew member or are involved in launching a lifeboat
• a member of the armed forces or reserve forces

Earnings over £20, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, will reduce your income-based JSA.

For example, if you earn £50.25 a week and your partner earns £30.25, after deductions for things like tax, National Insurance and pension contributions, your income-based JSA will be reduced by £60.50.

When there is no limit to the hours you can work

You may still be able to get income-based JSA if you work 16 hours or more a week on average, or your partner works 20 hours or more a week on average, and any of the following apply:

• you work as a childminder in the childminders home
• you work for a charity or voluntary organisation or are a volunteer and the only payment you get is for expenses
• you’re on a training scheme and get a training allowance
• you’re a part-time fire-fighter
• you work as an auxiliary coastguard for coastal rescue services
• you work as a part-time lifeboat crew member or are involved in launching a lifeboat
• you’re a member of the armed forces or reserve forces
• you’re a local councillor
• you’re paid to be a foster parent
• you’re paid to provide respite care
• you care for a former child under continuing care arrangements
• you get funding to take part in sport
• you’re on a work experience programme
• you’re on a mandatory work activity scheme
• you’re on a scheme for assisting persons to obtain employment