Latest news with #JobseekersAllowance
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
All the benefits that could stop on your next birthday including Universal Credit
Plus we reveal how you can check how much state pension you can get TO YOUR BENEFIT All the benefits that could stop on your next birthday including Universal Credit Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you are claiming benefits you should be aware that once you reach a certain age, they could stop. Once you reach 66, the age of retirement in the UK, you can no longer claim Universal Credit and begin claiming the state pension instead. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Once you reach state pension age you can no longer claim Universal Credit Credit: Getty It is currently worth £230.25 a week, but how much you get depends on your circumstances. But it means you will lose out on other benefits you might have been claiming such as Universal Credit. And you can top up your state pension if you are on a lower income, with benefits specially available for those of retirement age. Meanwhile, some state benefits are available regardless of age, such as Attendance Allowance. It is also worth noting that the state pension is different to a pension you may have through work, which you can access when you are 55. This will rise to 57 come 2028, and the age you can claim the state pension will rise to 67 in the same year. Below we explain what benefits which stop at state pension age, what you can continue claiming and new help available. What benefits stop at state pension age? There are a number of benefits that stop when either you or your partner reach the state pension age. This includes legacy benefits such as Jobseekers Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support. You also can not claim Universal Credit when you reach state pension age. Cash for Care So if you're in a couple and are different ages, then it's when the youngest person reaches state pension age that joint Universal Credit claims will stop. Two benefits stop when you reach state pension age, and regardless of your partner's age. These are: Contribution-based JSA Contributory ESA Two further benefits available to the bereaved also stop: Bereavement Support Payment Widowed Parent's Allowance You can still claim PIP and Disability Living Allowance if you were already receiving the benefit before you reached state pension age. You can not make a new claim if you have not claimed the benefit before. Which benefits continue after state pension age? There are several other benefits that you can continue to get after reaching the state pension age, if eligible (for instance, your income is low). They include: Child Benefit Carer's Allowance Guardian's Allowance Statutory Sick Pay Housing Benefit Council Tax support Support for mortgage interest Working tax credits (if you already get it, but not for new claims) Child tax credits (if you already get it, but not for new claims) Help with health costs Cold Weather payments Warm Home Discount Scheme What benefits can I start claiming after state pension age? Once you reach state pension age you could be eligible for a number of other benefits including Pension Credit. This is a benefit which tops up your state pension if you are over the state pension and on a low income. It can top up your weekly income up to £218.15 if you're single or joint income to £332.95. The exact value will depend on your income but DWP says the average reward is worth more than £3,900 a year. It's not difficult to apply for Pension Credit, you can do it up to four months before you reach state pension age through the government website or by calling 0800 99 1234. Applying for Pension Credit can also give you access to a number of other benefits including a free TV licence, which can save you £174.50 per year. Claiming the state pension can also give you access to the Winter Fuel Payment, worth £300 a year. The payment was axed for millions of pensioners last winter and only those on certain benefits qualified. But this winter it will be paid to individuals with a taxable income over £35,000 following public outcry.
Dublin Live
09-07-2025
- Business
- Dublin Live
Social welfare Ireland: TD says €12 dole rise in Budget 'not feasible' as row deepens
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Nearly 13,500 people have been on Jobseekers Allowance for over five years, with nearly 5,000 on the payment for a decade or more, new figures have revealed. It comes as the coalition is on yet another collision course over whether to increase pension rates and the social welfare rates to the same extent during Budget 2026. John Paul O'Shea, a Fine Gael TD and Chairman of the powerful Oireachtas Social Protection Committee, stated a €12 dole rise "will not be feasible" in October's budget as he said there is "no reason" why people should be on the payment for more than 12 months. Last week, Tánaiste Simon Harris suggested that he was "not convinced that you need to see as significant a rise in the dole as you do on the pension, for example, at the time when our country's in full employment and there's lots of supports out there for people getting into work". However, speaking in Japan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned against creating distinctions and said that Fine Gael had never proposed the idea of differing increases. This is despite senior Fine Gael sources confirming to the Irish Mirror that it was put forward by then Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys as an option. New figures provided to the Irish Mirror by the Department of Social Protection confirmed that 46,940 people had been on Jobseeker's Allowance for more than one year. Some 9,809 people have been receiving the payment for between two and three years, while 5,066 people have been on Jobseekers for three to four years. Another 2,784 people have been receiving the weekly payment for four to five years. In total, 13,391 people have been on Jobseekers for more than five years. Of these, 8,487 people have been in receipt of it for more than five years, while 4,904 have been classified as unemployed for a decade or more. Deputy O'Shea, Fine Gael TD for Cork North-West and chair of the Oireachtas Social Protection Committee, told the Irish Mirror that "there is no reason why people should be on Jobseekers for longer than 12 months". When asked if he agreed with the Tánaiste's suggestion that social protection rates and pensions did not need to be increased at the same rate as part of Budget 2026, he said, "Absolutely". He continued: "We obviously went and gave everyone on social welfare benefits €12 of [an] increase last year. I don't think that is feasible this year, given the conversations we've had only last week in terms of trying to fund the [third level] student contribution fee as part of Government next year. "A €1 increase [to social welfare payments] would actually pay for the whole of the entire student contribution fee that's required. "I don't [know] why we should be prioritising job seekers who are on Jobseekers for over 12 months, and not to mention five years or 10 years, on the basis of the other requirements we have to fund within budget." At a press conference on Monday following the Government's Competitiveness Summit, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers declined to wade into the potential budget clash between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. He said: "[Social Protection] Minister [Dara] Calleary will obviously examine the different supports that exist in the social protection system and how best to prioritise that in the context of Budget 2026. "One component is obviously Jobseekers. There's Disability Allowance, Carers and obviously pension supports as well. "It's within that context that he'll have to assess what the relative increases will be as part of next year's budget. "But it will be in a different fiscal context than we've seen in previous years, and that means every minister will have to prioritise the increased supports they want to see for different areas that they're responsible for." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
TD says €12 dole rise in Budget 'not feasible' as social welfare row deepens
Nearly 13,500 people have been on Jobseekers Allowance for over five years, with nearly 5,000 on the payment for a decade or more, new figures have revealed. It comes as the coalition is on yet another collision course over whether to increase pension rates and the social welfare rates to the same extent during Budget 2026. John Paul O'Shea, a Fine Gael TD and Chairman of the powerful Oireachtas Social Protection Committee, stated a €12 dole rise 'will not be feasible' in October's budget as he said there is 'no reason' why people should be on the payment for more than 12 months. Last week, Tánaiste Simon Harris suggested that he was 'not convinced that you need to see as significant a rise in the dole as you do on the pension, for example, at the time when our country's in full employment and there's lots of supports out there for people getting into work'. However, speaking in Japan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned against creating distinctions and said that Fine Gael had never proposed the idea of differing increases. This is despite senior Fine Gael sources confirming to the Irish Mirror that it was put forward by then Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys as an option. New figures provided to the Irish Mirror by the Department of Social Protection confirmed that 46,940 people had been on Jobseeker's Allowance for more than one year. Some 9,809 people have been receiving the payment for between two and three years, while 5,066 people have been on Jobseekers for three to four years. Another 2,784 people have been receiving the weekly payment for four to five years. In total, 13,391 people have been on Jobseekers for more than five years. Of these, 8,487 people have been in receipt of it for more than five years, while 4,904 have been classified as unemployed for a decade or more. Deputy O'Shea, Fine Gael TD for Cork North-West and chair of the Oireachtas Social Protection Committee, told the Irish Mirror that 'there is no reason why people should be on Jobseekers for longer than 12 months'. When asked if he agreed with the Tánaiste's suggestion that social protection rates and pensions did not need to be increased at the same rate as part of Budget 2026, he said, 'Absolutely'. He continued: 'We obviously went and gave everyone on social welfare benefits €12 of [an] increase last year. I don't think that is feasible this year, given the conversations we've had only last week in terms of trying to fund the [third level] student contribution fee as part of Government next year. 'A €1 increase [to social welfare payments] would actually pay for the whole of the entire student contribution fee that's required. 'I don't [know] why we should be prioritising job seekers who are on Jobseekers for over 12 months, and not to mention five years or 10 years, on the basis of the other requirements we have to fund within budget.' At a press conference on Monday following the Government's Competitiveness Summit, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers declined to wade into the potential budget clash between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. He said: '[Social Protection] Minister [Dara] Calleary will obviously examine the different supports that exist in the social protection system and how best to prioritise that in the context of Budget 2026. 'One component is obviously Jobseekers. There's Disability Allowance, Carers and obviously pension supports as well. 'It's within that context that he'll have to assess what the relative increases will be as part of next year's budget. 'But it will be in a different fiscal context than we've seen in previous years, and that means every minister will have to prioritise the increased supports they want to see for different areas that they're responsible for.'
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Warning for thousands on benefits who could have their payments STOPPED over summer holiday mistake
ANYONE on Jobseeker's Allowance could see their benefits slashed and even fined up to £5,000 if they make one simple holiday mistake. Those on the benefit heading abroad need to tell the DWP as it is classed as a change in circumstances. 1 Fail to do so, and it could see your claim stopped, reduced and you might be slapped with a £50 penalty. If you're found to have deliberately not reported going away, this is classed as benefit fraud, which is illegal. In this case, you will be told to pay back any overpaid benefits you've received. You may also be taken to court or asked to pay a penalty between £350 and £5,000. Sarah Coles, senior personal finance expert at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "There's so much to do before you go away, but if you're claiming benefits and travelling overseas, make sure you tell the DWP. "It may not seem important, but if you don't let them know you could have your claim stopped or cut – and you could even be fined." The exact government rules state that you cannot claim income-based JSA while abroad. You may be eligible to claim New Style JSA though, if you're in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for up to three months. However, you also need to: be entitled to it on the day you go abroad register as a jobseeker at least four weeks before you leave be looking for work in the UK up to the day you leave be going abroad to look for work register at the equivalent of a Jobcentre in the country you're going to follow the other country's rules on registering and looking for work be covered by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement Three key benefits that YOU could be missing out on, and one even gives you a free TV Licence The same rules that apply to going abroad if you're on Jobseeker's Allowance also apply to a host of other benefits. If you are on Universal Credit, you can stay abroad for one month and carry on receiving payments. But, you have to tell your work coach you're going away and carry on meeting the conditions of your claim. There are exceptions, such as if you're abroad for medical treatment (you can stay up to six months) or if a close relative passes away. Meanwhile, if you receive Personal Independent Payment (PIP), you can stay abroad for up to 13 weeks, or 26 weeks for medical treatment. How to report a change in circumstances How you can report a change in circumstances varies depending on your benefit. If you're on JSA, you have to report any changes by calling the JSA helpline on 0800 169 0310. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. You can also write to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your JSA, the address for which will be on any letters you get about your JSA. If you're on Universal Credit, you can send a message on your journal, or speak to your work coach. You can contact the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644, or you can textphone to 0800 328 1344 too. The line is open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday. If you want to speak to someone in Welsh, the number to call is 0800 012 1888. For other benefits, check the government's website. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
DWP could stop your universal credit if you have this amount in savings
DWP could stop your universal credit if you have this amount in savings The Department for Work and Pensions will start withdrawing support and are going to be checks to ensure people are not cheating the welfare system Universal Credit claimants are being warned that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could withdraw benefits from those with a certain amount of savings (Image: John Myers ) Universal Credit claimants are being warned that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) could withdraw benefits from those with a certain amount of savings. To qualify for DWP benefits, individuals typically must not possess more than £16,000 in savings or investments and new measures are being introduced to prevent system abuse. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, has said: "We are turning off the tap to criminals who cheat the system and steal law-abiding taxpayers' money." She further warned of tougher repercussions for those defrauding the system: "This means greater consequences for fraudsters who cheat and evade the system, including as a last resort in the most serious cases removing their driving licence." Kendall also highlighted the introduction of new safeguards: "Backed up by new and important safeguards including reporting mechanisms and independent oversight to ensure the powers are used proportionately and safely." F or money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here . Government guidelines for Universal Credit stipulate: "To claim Universal Credit, you must usually have no more than £16,000 in money, savings and investments as a single claimant or if you are living with a partner. If you have money, savings and investments between £6,000 and £16,000, your Universal Credit payments will be reduced." If individuals have more than £6,000, their payments will be reduced incrementally. Payments will be cut by £4.35 for every £250 that a person has between £6,000 and £16,000. Article continues below An additional £4.35 is deducted for any remaining amount that isn't a complete £250. This is because the DWP assumes that someone can generate a monthly income of £4.35 for every £250 in their bank account. So if a person has £6,500 in a savings account, £6,000 of it will be disregarded and the remaining £500 will be considered as providing you with a monthly income of £8.70. This amount is then subtracted from your monthly Universal Credit payment. If an individual is receiving Jobseekers Allowance or income-related ESA, they will have £1 a week deducted from their benefits for every £250 (or part thereof) in their savings exceeding £6,000. This also applies to income support and housing benefit. These benefits are typically paid into accounts fortnightly. Article continues below Several key financial changes are happening in May that could impact your wallet. The main changes include the introduction of tax return penalties, NatWest's takeover of Sainsburys bank, and inflation updates. Premium bond winners have already been announced and HMRC has begun charging people a daily rate for submitting tax returns late. Ofgem is also set to announce the new energy Price Cap figures for the next three months meaning the cost of energy bills might finally be able to come down. You can read more about this month's changes here.
