Check if a change affects your JSA

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

You’ll need to tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in writing about some changes to your work, money or family life. This is called a ‘change of circumstances’.

Most changes have to be reported in writing within 1 month - but you should report them as soon as you know about the change, if you can.

The change might increase your payment and you might miss out on extra money if you tell the DWP late.

You should still tell the DWP if you think a change might reduce your JSA - you won't save money by reporting it later. If you tell the DWP late you could get paid too much and have to pay your benefits back to the DWP. This is called an overpayment - check how the DWP deals with overpayments.

You should also tell your work coach about any changes that stop you keeping to your jobseeker's agreement. Tell them even if it’s a small change, for example if changes to your childcare mean you have 3 hours less a week to look for jobs.

If you’ve been told to claim Universal Credit by a certain date

The Department for Work and Pensions are stopping some people’s benefits and telling them to claim Universal Credit instead.

If you get a letter telling you to claim Universal Credit by a certain deadline, this is a ‘migration notice’. You should claim Universal Credit by the deadline in the migration notice. Your old benefits will stop after the deadline.

You might miss out on some money if you apply after the deadline. 

Check what you should do if you get a migration notice.

Changes you have to report in writing

You have to report all these changes in writing to the DWP, even if you’ve already told your work coach.

You also have to tell the DWP even if another government department already knows. For example, if you tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about a change, you still need to tell the DWP.

If you’ve used the Tell Us Once service to report the death of someone claiming JSA, you don’t need to tell the DWP. Tell Us Once will let them know.

Work changes

You must write to tell the DWP if you or your partner:

  • starts working (even if it’s not paid)

  • increases your working hours - tell the DWP if you now work 16 hours a week or more, or your partner works 24 hours a week or more

  • stops working

  • starts earning more money

  • starts earning less money

You should tell them even if it’s just one payment, or won’t be the same amount regularly. Explain how much money you think it will be in total and how long for. If you don’t know the exact amount, work out what you think it might be and tell the DWP it’s an estimate.

If you’re starting a new job, include in your letter:

  • your employer’s name and address

  • when the job started

  • how many hours you work each week

  • how much money you earn - before tax and other deductions

  • if money is being taken off for a pension - tell them how much it is, if you can

Money, savings and benefit changes

You must write to the DWP about certain changes to your money or any other benefits you get.

Tell the DWP if you or your partner:

  • claims any new benefits (even if they’re not being paid yet)

  • stops getting a benefit - for example child tax credits

  • gets a one-off payment - for example if you inherit some money or are paid compensation

Changes to your savings

If you get income-based JSA and you have savings between £6,000 and £16,000, tell the DWP if they go up or down. This includes any savings your partner has.

Changes to do with your home and family

You must write and tell the DWP if you:

  • start studying full-time - or if under 19, start a full or part-time advanced education course, for example teacher training

  • reach state pension age - you can check your state pension age on GOV.UK

  • go to prison

If you get income-based JSA, you’ll need to tell the DWP if any of them happen to your partner. You must also tell them if:

  • you stop living with your partner

  • you start living with a new partner

  • you get divorced, married or form a civil partnership

  • your partner leaves the UK for more than 4 weeks - or 8 weeks if they’re accompanying a child getting medical treatment

If you’re under 18 and responsible for a child

Tell the DWP if the child you’re responsible for:

  • leaves school

  • moves out of your home

  • leaves the UK for more than 4 weeks - or 8 weeks if it’s to get medical treatment

You’re responsible for a child if they either live with you all the time or usually live with you and you’re their main carer.

Changes to your home

Tell the DWP if:

  • you move home

  • someone moves out of your home

  • someone moves into your home - for example if they rent a room

If you have a mortgage and your JSA is helping pay the mortgage interest, you need to tell the DWP if the amount you owe changes - for example because you re-mortgage.

Health changes

Once you’ve told your work coach, if a health problem lasts more than 2 weeks you should also write to tell the DWP.

You should tell them if you or partner goes into or leaves hospital. You should also tell them if your partner goes to stay in or leaves a care home.

If your health problems mean you can’t do all your work activities, ask to change your jobseeker's agreement. It’s worth doing even for a small change, for example if regular doctor appointments mean you have 2 hours fewer a week to look for work.

If you’re claiming new style JSA, you might be able continue getting it after 13 weeks. This depends on your work coach’s discretion.

If you’re claiming income or contribution based JSA, you can only get that for up to 13 weeks.

When your JSA stops, you can get more money by:

If someone dies

You’ll need to tell the DWP about the death of:

  • your partner

  • your child - if you’re claiming JSA because you’re under 18 and responsible for a child

  • someone you were caring for

  • anyone over 18 and living with you

You can use the Tell Us Once service on GOV.UK to tell government departments about a death quickly and easily. You can also ask your work coach for a break from job hunting if a member of your family has died.

Writing to the DWP

Write ‘change of circumstances’ clearly at the top of the letter. Give as much information about the change as you can. For example if your partner has moved out, tell the DWP their name, when they moved and what their new address is.

Keep a copy of the letter and send copies of any evidence. For example, copies of your payslips if you’re reporting a change in income.

Ask the Post Office for proof of postage when you send the letter - you might need to prove when you posted it. Send it to the address on the letter that told you how much JSA you’ll get. If you can’t find this letter, call the DWP and ask which office to send it to.

Department for Work and Pensions Benefit Enquiry Line

Telephone: 0800 169 0310

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 169 0310

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Video relay - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).  

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

 If you’ve missed the 1-month deadline

It’s better to report a change late than not to report it at all.

You can report a change up to 13 months late, but in your letter you’ll need to explain why you couldn’t report the change on time. For example, if you were sick for a number of weeks.

You’ll get any extra JSA from the date you reported the change. If you’re entitled to less JSA, your payments will be reduced from the date of the change. This means if you reported the change after it happened you might have been overpaid - and will usually need to pay the money back.

Finding out how much you’ll get after the change

The DWP might ask you for more information so they can work out how much to pay you. They’ll send you a letter telling you:

  • what information you need to send them

  • when you need to send it by

It’s important to send the DWP the information they’re asking for in time - if you don’t, they might stop your JSA. Ask the Post Office for proof of postage when you send it. Call the DWP if there’s anything you can’t send.

When the DWP have got the information they need they’ll write to you to explain how your JSA will change. Look out for the letter - this confirms they’ve recorded your change of circumstances and will be paying you the right amount of JSA.

They’ll also tell you if there’s anything else you need to do. For example, if you must make a new claim as a single person.

Check the letter to make sure the DWP have recorded the right change of circumstances. You should tell them if they’ve made a mistake by calling the DWP. 

If you don’t get a letter from the DWP within 3 weeks

Call the DWP and ask them if they’ve recorded your change of circumstances. You’ll need details of what the change was and when you told them about it - for example proof of postage if you sent a letter.

Try to save the extra JSA if you think the DWP might be paying you too much. This will make it easier to pay it back if you need to.

Your nearest Citizens Advice can help if you’re having trouble reporting a change of circumstances.