can i go on the dole?

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i've been forced to study part-time this year after failing my second year at uni for the second time. i'm studying in london and pay expensive rent etc but because i'm part-time i'm not entitled to a loan. someone told me i might be able to go on the dole and get my rent paid is this true? i know i should get a job and believe me i'm trying, but it's pretty difficult to find one. has anyone been on the dole before? what kind of questions will i be asked when applying? do you have to take up jobs they make you get interviewed for etctec? all advise/opinions will be much appreciated.

― terry lewis, Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

in *theory* if you are studying for less than 16 hours a week (which i'm guessing you will be), you *may* be entitled to Job Seekers Allowance (ie the dole). if you do receive this (or even if you get a crappy minimum wage job) you *should* be entitled to both housing and council tax benefit, but all of this depends on your individual circs. (ie if you have a huge stash of money in the bank/savings yr stuffed ;)) i'd suggest a visit to your local friendly Citizens Advice Bureau, you can find your local one here:

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm#searchbox

alternatively, your student union's welfare peeps should be able to help, or you could even go down to yr local jobcentre and have a chat (if yr at kcl, there's one on denmark street). if you have specific days you are studying on, it shouldn't be too bad to fit work around them.

hope this helps terry, all the best :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:44 (twenty-one years ago)

also the thing with JSA is you have to be "actively seeking work", but it sounds like you are keen to get a job if you can. i suppose even if the idea to finish off the second year part-time and then go back full-time for the third year, you can still commit to a year of working which most employers would be happy with.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

thanks alot for the advice, it's much appreciated. to be honest i'm seriously considering quitting, but everything seems much worse than it appears first thing in the morning.

― terry lewis, Friday, 24 September 2004 06:34 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

3 weeks and no dole payment has arrived, I'm beginning to think this is one big hilarious joke

― This is the day when fisticuffs happened everywhere (country matters), Tuesday, 10 March 2009 23:14 (sixteen years ago)

anything up to 8 weeks is normal over here, i can't imagine ye're that much different.

get out and sweep the fucking streets, ya layabout.

― Anthony, I am not an Alcoholic & Drunk (darraghmac), Wednesday, 11 March 2009 01:09 (sixteen years ago)

they're currently processing claims from the 4th of march... apparently. having to help out the gf while she waits for her dole to come through. she's in london.

get yer bass and yer poetry and a hat and.. actually, don't do that.

― Crackle Box, Wednesday, 11 March 2009 23:15 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah, there's a massive backlog at the moment. It took me ages to get mine, but it's finally coming through.

― Dances With Psychedelic Owls (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 11 March 2009 23:16 (sixteen years ago)

if that documentary from a while back is to be believed they're working at about 50% over the number of people they can really cope with, so this is no surprise. LJ, you're under 25, right? £49 per week + only £220 towards your rent + still having to pay the water and sewerage for your council tax = a joke. Six months of that was a lot of fun.

― Ralph, Waldo, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Merdeyeux), Wednesday, 11 March 2009 23:34 (sixteen years ago)

Am living at home, thank fuck. Hey, it doesn't matter if dole money never comes - I've got 900 quid's overdraft left before I'm totally screwed. Good times, great memories.

― This is the day when fisticuffs happened everywhere (country matters), Thursday, 12 March 2009 00:53 (sixteen years ago)

ive been gorging on technology purchases while my girlfrieds on holiday to make sure ive a nice little studio before my likely trip to the dole office. its completely impossible to live on it but if theres a couple of hundred in the back and do a few shady commercial designs in cash on the sly the first couple of months is a hoot.

― straightola, Thursday, 12 March 2009 10:57 (sixteen years ago)

back-bank

― straightola, Thursday, 12 March 2009 10:57 (sixteen years ago)

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