Just Lost Your Job? Here's What to Claim First and How Fast You'll Get Paid

Quick summary: If you've just lost your job, the two main things to look at are New Style Jobseeker's Allowance, which isn't affected by your savings or a partner's income, and Universal Credit, which is means-tested but can be claimed at the same time. Apply for both as soon as possible, since delaying only pushes your first payment back further. Below is exactly what each pays, who qualifies, and how fast the money actually arrives.

The two benefits to look at first

New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is based on National Insurance contributions from your recent work, not your savings or household income. To qualify, you'll usually need to have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, the kind paid through employment, over the last 2 to 3 tax years. If you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 contributions, you won't qualify for this one, see our separate guide for self-employed support.

Universal Credit is means-tested. You can get it if you or your partner are under State Pension age and have £16,000 or less in savings between you. You can claim it at the same time as New Style JSA, DWP will count any JSA you receive as income when working out your Universal Credit.

Claiming both, where you're eligible for both, is generally worth doing, since New Style JSA is unaffected by savings and Universal Credit fills in the gap on top.

What New Style JSA actually pays

Age	Weekly amount
Under 25	Up to £75.65
25 or over	Up to £95.55

You can get it for up to 182 days (about six months). After that, your work coach will talk through your options.

How fast the money arrives

For New Style JSA, you may wait up to 7 days after applying before your claim starts, and then up to a further 2 weeks for your first payment, and that first payment might not be the full amount. After that, payments come every 2 weeks in full.

For Universal Credit, the wait is longer by default, usually around 5 weeks for a first payment, though you can request an advance to bridge that gap. We've written a full guide on exactly how: Universal Credit Advance Payment: How to Get Money Fast.

How to claim

• Check eligibility and apply for New Style JSA through GOV.UK's Jobseeker's Allowance service
• Apply for Universal Credit through your online account, and consider requesting an advance at the same time if you need money before the 5-week wait ends

You'll be invited to an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus after applying, where you'll agree a "Claimant Commitment", setting out the job-hunting steps you'll take.

What happens to your redundancy pay

If you've worked for your employer for at least 2 years, you're entitled to statutory redundancy pay, calculated from your age, your weekly pay, and how long you were there. You have 6 months from your last day to apply if it isn't paid automatically. You can work out roughly what you're owed here:

Calculate your statutory redundancy pay, GOV.UK

Redundancy pay itself is treated as savings, not income, for benefit purposes, so it won't stop you claiming New Style JSA, though a large payout could affect your Universal Credit if it pushes your total savings over £6,000 (where it starts to reduce what you get) or £16,000 (where it stops Universal Credit altogether).

Notice pay and holiday pay are different. These count as earnings and can delay when your benefit starts, so don't be surprised if your first payment doesn't land until any notice period has run its course.

Help while you're job hunting

The Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service can help with CVs, job searching, training, and in some cases money towards travel, childcare or equipment costs for interviews. It's available if you're at risk of redundancy, during your notice period, or for up to 13 weeks after you've been made redundant. You can reach it by emailing rrs.enquiries@dwp.gov.uk with your postcode included. Full detail on all of this, including help with debts and a possible tax refund if you've had your final pay and haven't started a new job, is on GOV.UK:

Being made redundant: finding work, claiming benefits and managing debts, GOV.UK

If self-employment is more your situation

If it's your own business that's folded rather than a job you were employed in, the rules are different, there's no statutory redundancy pay and New Style JSA usually isn't available. See our guide: Self-Employed and Struggling? Here's What You Can Still Claim.

While you wait for your first payment

Two benefit claims running at once still means a wait before any money lands. If things are tight in the meantime, your council may be able to help through the Crisis and Resilience Fund, see our guide: Struggling With Bills or Food? Here's How to Get Council Crisis Help. And if food is the immediate pressure, search for a food bank near you, no benefit claim needed, or see our full first-48-hours guide: No Money for Food? What to Do Right Now.

Frequently asked questions

Can I claim New Style JSA and Universal Credit together?

Yes, if you're eligible for both. Any New Style JSA you get is counted as income when your Universal Credit is worked out, but claiming both is usually still worth more than either alone.

Does my redundancy payout stop me claiming benefits?

It won't affect New Style JSA at all. For Universal Credit, it's counted as savings, if your total savings (including the payout) go over £16,000, you won't qualify for Universal Credit until they fall back below that.

What if I was dismissed rather than made redundant?

The benefits process is the same either way, New Style JSA and Universal Credit both depend on your circumstances now, not on why your last job ended, though your employer's reason for dismissal can matter for something like an unfair dismissal claim, which is a separate issue.

I only worked part-time, do I still qualify?

You can still qualify for New Style JSA if you're currently unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week on average, provided you meet the National Insurance contribution conditions.

How long can I claim New Style JSA for?

Up to 182 days, about six months. After that your work coach will discuss your next steps with you.

I'm not sure if I'll qualify for anything, is it worth applying anyway?

Yes. Eligibility depends on details DWP checks against your record, and it costs nothing to apply. If you're unsure beforehand, a free benefits calculator can give you a good idea first.