Jobseeker's Allowance Calculator UK 2026

Understanding Jobseeker's Allowance in the UK

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) provides financial support when you're unemployed and actively looking for work. There are two types available in 2026: New Style JSA (contribution-based) which depends on your National Insurance record, and income-based JSA which is means-tested based on household income and savings. The amount you receive depends on your age, household situation, and personal circumstances.

From April 2026, JSA rates increased by 3.8% in line with inflation. Single claimants under 25 now receive up to £75.65 per week, while those 25 and over get £95.55 weekly. These rates apply to both New Style and income-based JSA, though the actual amount you receive may be lower after deductions for part-time earnings, savings, or other income. Understanding your eligibility and potential entitlement helps you plan finances during unemployment.

The UK government expects JSA claimants to actively seek work and attend regular Jobcentre Plus appointments. You must create and follow a Claimant Commitment outlining your work-search activities. Most claimants need to show they're looking for full-time work of at least 35 hours per week, though exceptions exist for carers and those with certain health conditions. If you're considering a career change, JSA can provide temporary support while you retrain or search for opportunities in a new field.

How Much Jobseeker's Allowance Will I Get in 2026?

Your JSA payment depends primarily on your age and household type. For New Style JSA in 2026-2027, single claimants under 25 receive £75.65 per week, while those aged 25 or over receive £95.55 weekly. These rates remain the same for income-based JSA, but couples claiming income-based JSA together receive a joint payment of £149.95 per week when both partners are 18 or over.

JSA is typically paid every two weeks directly into your bank account, meaning under 25s receive £151.30 fortnightly and those 25 and over get £191.10 fortnightly. When calculated monthly (multiplying weekly rates by 4.33), this equates to approximately £327.82 per month for under 25s or £413.72 for those 25 and over. However, various factors can reduce these amounts before payment reaches your account.

The actual amount you receive may be lower than the standard rates due to deductions. Part-time earnings, personal or occupational pensions, tariff income from savings, and sanctions for not meeting work-search requirements all reduce your JSA payment. New Style JSA deducts 50% of weekly earnings above £30, while income-based JSA deducts earnings above £5 pound for pound. Understanding these deductions helps set realistic expectations about your actual JSA income.

Weekly JSA Rates for 2026-2027

New Style JSA vs Income-based JSA: What's the Difference?

New Style JSA (previously called contribution-based JSA) requires you to have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions as an employee for at least 2 of the last 3 tax years. Your savings and your partner's income do not affect this benefit, making it available regardless of household wealth. However, it only lasts for a maximum of 182 days (approximately 6 months), after which payments stop unless you transition to other benefits.

Income-based JSA does not require National Insurance contributions, but it is means-tested based on your household income and savings. If you have more than £16,000 in savings, you cannot claim it at all. Savings between £6,000 and £16,000 reduce your payment through tariff income calculations. Unlike New Style JSA, income-based JSA has no time limit and continues as long as you remain eligible and meet work-search requirements.

You can claim both types simultaneously if you meet the criteria for each. For example, if you have sufficient National Insurance contributions but low savings, you might receive New Style JSA topped up by income-based JSA. This combination provides maximum support during unemployment. New Style JSA can also be claimed alongside Universal Credit, whereas income-based JSA is only for those not claiming Universal Credit.

Key Differences Between JSA Types

Eligibility Requirements for Jobseeker's Allowance

To claim JSA, you must be aged 18 or over but under State Pension age (currently 66). You need to be physically in Great Britain and available for work, meaning you can start a job within one week of being offered one. You must work less than 16 hours per week on average, as working 16 hours or more disqualifies you from JSA regardless of other circumstances.

For New Style JSA specifically, you must have worked as an employee and paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions. Self-employed workers who only paid Class 2 contributions generally cannot claim New Style JSA, with exceptions for share fishermen and volunteer development workers. You need contributions from 2 of the last 3 complete tax years, though National Insurance credits can count for one of these years if you received certain other benefits.

Income-based JSA has different criteria. You cannot claim if you have more than £16,000 in savings, or if your partner works 24 hours or more per week. You must be actively seeking work, which typically means looking for full-time employment of at least 35 hours weekly. Part-time study is allowed, but full-time students can only claim JSA in limited circumstances. Before applying, check your notice period obligations if leaving current employment to ensure you remain eligible.

JSA Eligibility Checklist

• Age requirements: 18 or over and under State Pension age (66)
• Residence: Living in England, Scotland, or Wales (different rules for Northern Ireland)
• Work hours: Working less than 16 hours per week on average
• Availability: Available to start work within one week and actively seeking employment
• National Insurance (New Style JSA only): Class 1 contributions paid in 2 of last 3 tax years
• Savings (income-based JSA only): Less than £16,000 in household savings and capital
• Partner's work (income-based JSA only): Partner works less than 24 hours per week
• Not in education: Not studying full-time, or meet specific student eligibility criteria
• Not in a trade dispute: Not involved in an employment dispute with your employer
• Fit for work: Not prevented from working by illness or disability (claim ESA instead)

How Savings Affect Your JSA Calculation

For New Style JSA, your savings do not matter at all. You can have £100,000 in the bank and still receive the full New Style JSA rate based on your age. This makes New Style JSA particularly valuable for those who have savings but need support while searching for work after redundancy or leaving employment. However, this benefit only lasts 182 days, so plan accordingly if you have substantial savings.

Income-based JSA applies strict savings rules. If you have over £16,000 in total household savings and capital, you cannot claim income-based JSA at all. Savings under £6,000 do not affect your payment, allowing you to receive the full rate. The tricky middle ground is between £6,000 and £16,000, where every £250 of savings counts as £1 of weekly income through tariff income calculations.

What counts as savings for JSA purposes? The Department for Work and Pensions includes current accounts, savings accounts, ISAs, premium bonds, stocks and shares, and property other than your main home. They also include your partner's savings if you're in a couple. Certain types of payments are ignored, such as personal injury compensation held in trust or money you're due to receive but haven't yet received. If you've deliberately reduced your savings to qualify for JSA (called deprivation of capital), the DWP may still count those savings.

How Tariff Income Is Calculated

For every complete £250 of savings between £6,000 and £16,000, the DWP counts £1 as weekly income, which directly reduces your income-based JSA payment. For example, if you have £7,000 in savings, the first £6,000 is ignored, leaving £1,000. Dividing £1,000 by £250 gives 4, meaning £4 per week is deducted from your JSA payment. With savings of £10,000, you'd have £4,000 above the threshold, resulting in 16 x £1 = £16 weekly deduction.

Working Part-time While Claiming JSA

You can work part-time and still claim JSA, but you must stay below 16 hours per week on average. Working 16 hours or more automatically disqualifies you from JSA, regardless of how little you earn. Part-time work can help you maintain employment skills, make contacts, and demonstrate work readiness to potential employers, while JSA tops up your income to a liveable level.

For New Style JSA, you can earn up to £30 per week before deductions apply. Any earnings above this threshold reduce your JSA by 50% of the excess amount. For example, if you earn £70 per week, that's £40 above the threshold, so your JSA is reduced by £20 per week. This work allowance encourages part-time work by allowing you to keep some of both your wages and your JSA.

Income-based JSA has a stricter earnings disregard of just £5 per week. Earnings above this amount reduce your JSA payment pound for pound, meaning working part-time often provides little financial benefit with income-based JSA alone. However, if you're claiming both types together, the more generous New Style JSA rules apply to your combined claim. When considering part-time work, use our take-home pay calculator to understand your net earnings after tax and JSA deductions.

JSA Payment Schedule and How You Get Paid

JSA is paid fortnightly (every two weeks) directly into your bank, building society, or credit union account. You cannot receive JSA payments in cash or by cheque. If you're unable to open or manage a standard account, you may use the Payment Exception Service to access your money. Your first payment usually arrives around two weeks after your successful claim, though processing times vary.

The standard JSA payment cycle means you receive 26 payments per year, not 12 monthly payments. This affects budgeting, especially for monthly bills like rent or mortgage. If you're under 25, your fortnightly payment is £151.30 (£75.65 x 2), while those 25 and over receive £191.10 fortnightly. To calculate your approximate monthly income, multiply your weekly rate by 4.33, the average number of weeks per month.

Your JSA payments can be delayed or reduced for several reasons. Sanctions for not attending appointments or failing to meet work-search requirements can reduce your payment by a percentage or stop it entirely for a period. If you have direct deductions set up for rent arrears, fuel debts, or court fines, these are automatically taken from your JSA before you receive it. Always report changes in circumstances promptly to avoid overpayments, which must be repaid even if the error wasn't your fault.

Additional Support Available with JSA

Claiming JSA can open doors to other financial support that helps reduce living costs during unemployment. If you're on income-based JSA, you may automatically qualify for maximum Housing Benefit for your circumstances, helping cover rent costs. You may also be eligible for Council Tax Reduction, which can reduce your council tax bill by up to 100% depending on your local authority's scheme.

JSA claimants can access Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) after claiming for 39 weeks (about 9 months). SMI helps pay the interest on your mortgage or secured loan, though not the capital repayments. It's paid as a loan that must be repaid when you sell your property or transfer ownership. You also qualify for free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, and eye tests while claiming JSA, providing significant savings on healthcare costs.

Other passported benefits include free school meals for your children, Healthy Start vouchers for pregnant women or families with young children, and the £150 Warm Home Discount if you're eligible. If you have children, you should also claim Child Benefit separately, as it's not included in JSA. Many local authorities offer additional support schemes like food vouchers or council tax hardship funds for those on JSA facing financial crisis.

Premiums That Can Increase Your Income-based JSA

If you're claiming income-based JSA, you may qualify for additional premiums that increase your weekly payment. The disability premium adds money if you or your partner receive certain disability benefits or have limited capability for work. The severe disability premium provides extra support if you live alone (or are treated as living alone) and receive certain disability benefits with no one claiming Carer's Allowance for you.

The carer premium is available if you or your partner care for someone at least 35 hours per week who receives certain disability benefits. The enhanced disability premium provides additional support for people with the most severe disabilities who receive the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance or the enhanced daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. These premiums can significantly increase your total JSA payment.

What Happens After 6 Months on New Style JSA

New Style JSA ends automatically after 182 days (approximately 6 months) of payments. This time limit applies whether you receive payments continuously or have breaks in your claim. Once you reach this limit, you cannot claim New Style JSA again until you've worked and paid sufficient National Insurance contributions to rebuild eligibility, typically requiring at least 26 weeks of work paying above the Lower Earnings Limit.

Before your New Style JSA ends, your work coach will discuss alternative support options. Most people transition to Universal Credit, which has no time limit but is means-tested against household income and savings. If you're still looking for work, Universal Credit can continue supporting you indefinitely as long as you meet the work-search requirements and eligibility criteria. Unlike JSA, Universal Credit is paid monthly, requires digital claiming, and includes housing costs.

If you were also claiming income-based JSA alongside New Style JSA, your income-based JSA will continue after the 182 days if you remain eligible. However, many areas are now closed to new income-based JSA claims due to Universal Credit rollout. If your area is fully covered by Universal Credit, you'll need to claim that instead once your New Style JSA ends. Consider using our job offer comparison tool to evaluate any job opportunities that arise during your claim.

JSA Sanctions and How to Avoid Them

JSA sanctions reduce or stop your payment for a fixed period if you fail to meet your work-search requirements without good reason. Low-level sanctions typically last 1-4 weeks for first failures, increasing to 13 weeks for repeated failures within 12 months. Medium-level sanctions last 4-13 weeks, while high-level sanctions for serious failures can stop your JSA for 13-156 weeks depending on how many times you've been sanctioned before.

Common reasons for sanctions include missing Jobcentre appointments without good cause, refusing a suitable job offer, leaving a job voluntarily without good reason, or being dismissed for misconduct. Not applying for jobs your work coach directs you to, refusing to participate in the Work Programme, or not doing enough to look for work based on your Claimant Commitment can also trigger sanctions. The longer your sanctioning history, the longer future sanctions will last.

To avoid sanctions, always attend appointments on time and contact the Jobcentre immediately if you can't make it. Keep evidence of your job search activities including application confirmations, interview invitations, and networking contacts. If you refuse a job or leave work, document valid reasons such as health and safety concerns, caring responsibilities, or transport impossibilities. You can challenge sanctions through mandatory reconsideration and appeals if you believe they were applied unfairly.

Claiming JSA as a Student

Most full-time students cannot claim JSA, as the government expects student finance to support you during study periods. However, part-time students can generally claim JSA if they can meet work-search requirements and attend Jobcentre appointments around their study schedule. Part-time usually means studying less than 16 hours per week, though course intensity and structure also matter.

Full-time students may claim JSA in limited circumstances. If your course is Level 4 or below (equivalent to a BTEC Higher National Certificate or first year of university), you don't receive a maintenance loan, grant, or bursary, and you can meet work-related requirements, you might be eligible. Some students on full-time courses can claim during the summer holidays, though most should consider student finance or Universal Credit instead. Check our student loan calculator to understand your total student finance package.

If you're studying and claiming JSA, you must be genuinely available for work and willing to leave your course if offered a suitable job. Your course must allow enough flexibility for you to start work within one week and attend interviews or appointments at short notice. Evening or distance learning courses are more likely to be compatible with JSA than full-time day courses requiring attendance during standard working hours.

JSA and Universal Credit: Can You Claim Both?

You can claim New Style JSA alongside Universal Credit if you're eligible for both. This is called "New Style JSA and Universal Credit together" and many people receive both simultaneously. New Style JSA provides additional income that tops up your Universal Credit payment, though it is counted as unearned income when calculating your Universal Credit amount, reducing your UC payment pound for pound.

You cannot claim income-based JSA and Universal Credit together. If your area is covered by Universal Credit rollout (most of the UK now is), you must claim Universal Credit instead of income-based JSA. If you were claiming income-based JSA before Universal Credit was introduced in your area, you might still be on the legacy system, but any change in circumstances could trigger a move to Universal Credit.

The advantage of claiming New Style JSA with Universal Credit is that it extends your overall support. While your UC payment is reduced by your JSA amount, you're building up an entitlement record that can help if you later have breaks in your claim. New Style JSA also maintains your National Insurance contribution record, protecting your State Pension and other contributory benefits. Apply for both if eligible to maximise your support during unemployment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Jobseeker's Allowance

How much is Jobseeker's Allowance in 2026?

New Style Jobseeker's Allowance rates for 2026-2027 are £75.65 per week if you're under 25, and £95.55 per week if you're 25 or over. Income-based JSA rates are the same: £75.65 weekly for under 25s, £95.55 for those aged 25 and over, and £149.95 for couples where both are 18 or over. These rates apply from April 2026 and represent a 3.8% increase from the previous year. The amount you receive depends on your age, household composition, savings, other income, and National Insurance contribution history. Deductions for part-time earnings, pensions, or sanctions may reduce the amount you actually receive.

How is JSA calculated with savings?

For income-based JSA, your savings affect your payment if you have over £6,000. Savings under £6,000 do not affect your claim. Between £6,000 and £16,000, every £250 of savings counts as £1 of weekly income, reducing your JSA payment. If you have over £16,000 in savings, you cannot claim income-based JSA at all. New Style JSA is not affected by your savings regardless of the amount. The DWP counts all savings including current accounts, ISAs, premium bonds, stocks, shares, and property other than your main home. They also include your partner's savings when calculating income-based JSA entitlement.

Can I work part-time and claim JSA?

Yes, you can work part-time and claim JSA, but you must work less than 16 hours per week on average. For New Style JSA, if you earn over £30 per week, your JSA is reduced by 50% of your earnings above this threshold. For income-based JSA, earnings over £5 per week reduce your payment pound for pound, with a £5 weekly disregard. You must still be actively seeking full-time work (usually 35 hours per week) and attend Jobcentre appointments. Part-time work can sometimes help you keep work-search skills active while receiving JSA support, and you may be better off financially than claiming JSA alone.

How long can I claim Jobseeker's Allowance?

You can claim New Style JSA for a maximum of 182 days, which is approximately 6 months. After this period ends, you may be able to claim Universal Credit if you meet the eligibility criteria. Income-based JSA has no time limit and can continue as long as you remain eligible and meet the work-search requirements. If your New Style JSA ends after 6 months, your work coach will discuss alternative support options available to you, including transitioning to Universal Credit or other appropriate benefits depending on your circumstances. To claim New Style JSA again, you need to work and rebuild your National Insurance contribution record.

Do I need National Insurance contributions to claim JSA?

For New Style JSA (contribution-based), yes, you must have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions as an employee for at least 2 of the last 3 tax years. National Insurance credits can count for one of these years. For income-based JSA, you do not need National Insurance contributions, but it is means-tested based on household income and savings. If you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 contributions, you typically cannot claim New Style JSA unless you worked as a share fisherman or volunteer development worker. Check your National Insurance record online through your personal tax account to confirm your eligibility.

What deductions can reduce my JSA payment?

Several deductions can reduce your JSA payment including part-time earnings above the disregarded amount, personal or occupational pensions, tariff income from savings between £6,000 and £16,000, other benefits you receive, and sanctions for not meeting work-search requirements. For New Style JSA, 50% of weekly earnings above £30 are deducted. For income-based JSA, earnings above £5 per week are deducted pound for pound. Child maintenance payments you receive also reduce income-based JSA but not New Style JSA. Direct deductions may also be taken for rent arrears, fuel debts, or court fines, which are automatically removed from your payment before you receive it.

Can couples claim JSA together?

For income-based JSA, couples can make a joint claim if both partners meet the eligibility criteria, with a joint payment of £149.95 per week for 2026-2027. However, if your partner works 24 hours or more per week, you cannot claim income-based JSA. For New Style JSA, each person must claim individually based on their own National Insurance record. The couple rate only applies to income-based JSA, not New Style JSA. If one partner is working, their income is taken into account when calculating income-based JSA entitlement, and their savings are added to yours when applying the £16,000 capital limit.

What is the difference between New Style JSA and income-based JSA?

New Style JSA is contribution-based, requiring National Insurance contributions, and is not affected by savings or partner's income. It lasts maximum 182 days. Income-based JSA is means-tested, does not require National Insurance contributions, but is affected by household income and savings over £6,000. You cannot get income-based JSA if you have over £16,000 in savings. You can claim both types simultaneously if eligible. New Style JSA can be claimed alongside Universal Credit, while income-based JSA is for those not claiming Universal Credit. Both have the same payment rates but different eligibility rules and duration limits.

How much JSA will I get per month?

JSA is paid fortnightly, not monthly, but the approximate monthly equivalent for 2026-2027 is £327.82 per month if you're under 25, or £413.72 per month if you're 25 or over. This is based on the weekly rates of £75.65 and £95.55 multiplied by 4.33 weeks per month. Couples on income-based JSA receive approximately £649.44 per month. Actual payments depend on your circumstances, deductions, and whether you're claiming New Style JSA, income-based JSA, or both. Payments are made directly into your bank account every two weeks, so budgeting for monthly bills requires planning around the fortnightly payment cycle.

Can I claim JSA if I'm studying?

If you're studying part-time, you may be eligible for JSA provided you can meet the work-search requirements and attend appointments. If you're studying full-time, you can only claim JSA if your qualification is Level 4 or below, you do not receive a maintenance loan, grant or bursary, and you can meet work-related requirements. Full-time study is generally considered to be 16 hours or more per week. Most full-time students should instead consider student finance, Universal Credit, or other appropriate support rather than JSA. You must be genuinely available to start work within one week and willing to leave your course if offered a suitable job.