Changes to Job Seekers Allowance in 2012

Dave H68 im also suffering depression , with severe anxiety im living in rural wales with no car no family not a rural bus service jobs are only seasonal , im at the moment on employment and support due to my problems and just found out only from a friend ill have to look for 24 she said not 32 hours a week thats impossible here , id never get home , i just adds to the stresses ive got my last bus is at 6pm in the week so im totally stuck

Hi Dave - if you would like some free advice from Gingerbread, try calling our helpline on 0808 802 0925, open today until 4pm.

Im a single dad on jsa. I need the right help and advice. My daughter is 12 and im finding it hard to find work inbetween school hours and during school holidays. I seem to be hitting barriers all the time. At first i found my jsa advisor quite helpful. Was told would be looking for 16 hrs part time during school hours and flexible work because of holidays. But now some months down the line they are expecting me to work 32 hr all of a sudden and not even local. Im stuggling to be in two places at once. I suffer from depression and this is only making things worse for me. I was on isa for a short while but not long. Im just worried they will stop my jsa if i dont apply for anything these days. Need help and advice from anyone who can help please

My son is 6 and the changes will affect me soon. I have to say that providing there is training to get help me back into work then I'm all for it. They will have to take into account that there is very little childcare beyond 6pm and help us find day time work. What is launch pad?

I am also worried about the change to JSA I am a grandmother with a residence order, my grandson will be 5 soon and i am told i have to change from IS to JSA. His father is decseased, he is not allowed any contact with his mother, his brother and sister are in care. I feel he has so much happened to him in his life, that i dont want to go to work and have someone else look after him, i agreed to look after him not a childminder. I was planning to start work (16hrs) when he was about 6-7 as my mother retires then and she would be able to look after him. I told my adviser at my last 6 monthly interview this and she said it wouldnt make any difference and leaving children in childcare is 'part of working these days' I am worried sick about the upcoming changes.

martina I found this information that answer your question. October 2011 Income Support Change: The government has proposed to introduce a change this month which would mean to claim Income Support as a lone parent your youngest child must be under 5. Many lone parents would have to claim Jobseeker's Allowance unless they qualify for Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support for another reason. This would then affect existing claimants from April 2012. Update to follow once this change is confirmed.

Hi Martina - you probably will be affected by JSA changes so I suggest you call the Gingerbread helpline: 0808 802 0925.

i am doing a course called launch pad it ment to help me to get back to work because my adviser has told me that when my child reaches 5 i will have to switch over to jobseekers can you tell me if this is true as i have,nt seen anything about this ?? new change !