Paid to people who are unemployed, willing and able to take up work immediately and actively seeking work. There are some concessions on the number of hours you can be expected to work : normally 40 but down to a minimum of 16 hours if a carer or there are limiting health or disability needs. You will have to sign a Jobseekers Agreement with Jobcentre Plus.
There are two types of Jobseekers Allowance - Contribution-based and income-based Jobseekers Allowance.
Contribution-based Jobseekers Allowance is paid if you have paid (or been credited with) enough National Insurance contributions in the appropriate tax years before you claim. Contribution-based JSA is not means-tested and can be paid regardless of what your partner’s circumstances are but it is only paid for 6 months.
Income-based JSA is means tested and will be affected by most income that you and your partner have. Income-based JSA is not paid if you have savings over £16000 and if you work 16 hours per week or more or your partner works 24 hours per week or more. Income-based JSA can help with mortgage payments.
Most payments received on leaving a job do not affect your Jobseeker’s Allowance but there are rules on savings and capital for income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
If you have a pension payment from an occupational or personal pension scheme any amount over £50 a week will be deducted from your contribution-based JSA entitlement and the whole amount would be offset against income-based JSA.