Ever signed on the dole in between gigs?

[northernladuk]

Yeah and we haven't had a poll before so will be interesting.

Nah would be interesting. Only a couple of people posted in the prof forums on it.

I did after first gig and it was such an utter nightmare and only got 6 days worth before I got another gig. Never again.

[EternalOptimist]

no. i treat the time as a holiday. plus i am thoroughly sick of dealing with the bureaucracy of it all

[mudskipper]

Only been contracting for a few years, with no real unplanned downtime. I think I would if I really couldn't find anything after 3 months.

[formant]

No but I would for the 12 weeks or whatever it is before they start expecting you to do anything, if I was legally entitled to.

Well they still expect you to show up every two weeks and complete a diary about your applications/efforts to get a job - right from day one. The only thing that changes after 12 weeks is that they expect you to apply for stuff outside your comfort zone.

I've only been contracting since November. Signed on for 3 months between last temporary employment and start of this contract. It's a huge hassle for 71quid a week (contributions based JSA). But I viewed it as getting a bit of my tax and NI back. *shrug*
I hope to grow enough of a warchest in the future so that I won't have to claim again.

[Support Monkey]

It's soul destroying just applying, you have to jump through hoops, i would rather shovel sh*t than go in a jobcenter and go through that process again, it would be a dark day if i ever have to sign on, build up your warchest to cover time off instead

[Kelstar]

I haven't had any significant time between gigs but I can't see me ever doing it, regardless if I'm technically entitled to it or not.

[VectraMan]

No, but I probably should have a couple of years ago. I'd be several thousand pounds better off now if I had, especially if I'd got housing benefit too, and at the end of the day it probably wouldn't have been that terrible.

Currently not allowed to claim anything (as I resigned from my permie job at the end of last year).

[psychocandy]

Yep. Done it in the past. It is hassle because they just don't get it.
But I managed to get money in the end.

Note though you've got to stop paying yourself salary. Divis I think are ok but obviously not salary and of course company can't have any side income. (Which would have been a problem for me when I thought my recent contract was ending - I've got a small retainer deal with another client).

Signing on is hassle but as I've said before the job centre people were pretty good with me. They leave you alone to be honest.

It would be too much hassle if you claim just for a few days and then get another gig but if you're at home anyway? And of course you've got to get claim in on day 1 and who knows how long you're going to be benched for.

Way I look at is OK its £300 month or whatever. This £300 less thats coming out of my warchest. As such warchest lasts a tiny bit longer.

Not sure what I'd do after 12 weeks when they started expecting me take IT support job in local library for £14K. Probably turn up at interview in my pants or something (aint that what other jobseeking skivers do? :-)

But don't expect any mortgage help if ur partner works. This benefit is NI contribution based only (and it only lasts for 6 months I think?).

Anything else is income based so if partner earns more than about £10K they dont give a tulipe..... You're on your own here.

System doesn't work for people who previously worked and paid tax but works fine if you're 17 year old female and up the duff.

[VectraMan]

Note though you've got to stop paying yourself salary. Divis I think are ok but obviously not salary and of course company can't have any side income.

In my case, I had about £10K in the company account (after tax etc), and I was paying minimum wage as salary, so I felt I couldn't (or shouldn't) claim to have no income when MyCo. could keep paying the same salary for about 10 months. And to pay myself a £10K dividend and then claim the company has no money to pay me would have been taking the piss.

[deanosity]

Not sure what I'd do after 12 weeks when they started expecting me take IT support job in local library for £14K. Probably turn up at interview in my pants or something (aint that what other jobseeking skivers do? :-)

Does the benefit stop after 12 weeks if you don't get a job?

If I was on benefits, I wouldn't turn my nose up at a 14K job. It may only be £241 a week, but IT support can't be very hard and you could walk whenever you want.