On the bench - keep warchest to pay salary or splunk it all on dividendand claim JSA?

[psychocandy]

on reflection too unfair even for PC.

However, last week you had a renewal granted it didn't pay well but it paid something. What on earth are you doing?

Sorry eek. Should have made it clear. Talking 'in general' not about my specific situation now.

Yes I have been offered extension and also got other stuff on the go. Either way I wont be claiming JSA just yet :-)

[psychocandy]

Contribution based JSA isn't means tested - you can get it for 6 months if you've paid your NI.

Not sure if theres still a savings limit though?

[Pondlife]

If NWP2C is looking down on you, then your life really isn't working out.

Ouch. That's just plain mean.

[psychocandy]

IMO, FWIW, the time to claim JSA is when you've been benched for a while, can't get work and your warchest is running low. Not for a month between gigs when you've still got money in the business account.

If you know its only going to be a month then great. 4-5 months down the line you'llbe thinking - wish I'd claimed from day 1. They wont backdate it.

[fullyautomatix]

If you know its only going to be a month then great. 4-5 months down the line you'llbe thinking - wish I'd claimed from day 1. They wont backdate it.

Have you thought about pimping yourself a bit ?

[Ticktock]

Every bit of advice out there says "Start claiming from Day 1". As PC says, you don't know how long you'll be out of work, and if you've contributed like everyone else then it's owed.

Back in my permie days I was made redundant once and was too proud to claim - I was out of work for a few months and ran down my meagre savings before I got a job.
I was made redundant a 2nd time, this time by a large multinational who set up "exit workshops" with recruiting fairs, CV help, outplacing services, etc, and had a session where they walked you through options - again the advice was sign on on day 1. Again, that time I was out of work for 6 months. Signing on was a hassle, but not only did it mean I had a little bit of income, it also meant that when my savings ran out again I could go and discuss housing benefit, council tax relief etc - unfortunately I'd been too proud to do this at the start and only considered it at the end as I was at rock bottom and only had 1 months rent left in the bank. Luckily I then found another job.

I don't really understand where all of the bashing comes from when someone says they are going to sign on. I don't see everyone posting "Why aren't you paying full PAYE? You earn enough and the salary / divi's mix wasn't intended for 1-man contractor Ltds". Or posts about "Why are you draining NHS resources? You should be on private health only". It's legal (you don't have to be made redundant, being laid off due to lack of work is enough), you've paid towards the safety net, and not everyone is sitting on a pile of cash. I have over a year of warchest now, and wouldn't sign on personally until that started running out, but everyone is in a different situation.

[psychocandy]

Every bit of advice out there says "Start claiming from Day 1". As PC says, you don't know how long you'll be out of work, and if you've contributed like everyone else then it's owed.

Back in my permie days I was made redundant once and was too proud to claim - I was out of work for a few months and ran down my meagre savings before I got a job.
I was made redundant a 2nd time, this time by a large multinational who set up "exit workshops" with recruiting fairs, CV help, outplacing services, etc, and had a session where they walked you through options - again the advice was sign on on day 1. Again, that time I was out of work for 6 months. Signing on was a hassle, but not only did it mean I had a little bit of income, it also meant that when my savings ran out again I could go and discuss housing benefit, council tax relief etc - unfortunately I'd been too proud to do this at the start and only considered it at the end as I was at rock bottom and only had 1 months rent left in the bank. Luckily I then found another job.

I don't really understand where all of the bashing comes from when someone says they are going to sign on. I don't see everyone posting "Why aren't you paying full PAYE? You earn enough and the salary / divi's mix wasn't intended for 1-man contractor Ltds". Or posts about "Why are draining NHS resources? You should be on private health only". It's legal (you don't have to be made redundant, being laid off due to lack of work is enough), you've paid towards the safety net, and not everyone is sitting on a pile of cash. I have over a year of warchest now, and wouldn't sign on personally until that started running out, but everyone is in a different situation.

Like this bit. Selective consciences on this forum.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

If NWP2C is looking down on you, then your life really isn't working out.

Cheap dig that - but seriously it's a bit arrogant for you to assume that your life is better than others.....

[Old Greg]

Cheap dig that - but seriously it's a bit arrogant for you to assume that your life is better than others.....

Lighten up for gawd's sake. It's a psychodrama lifeblog thread.

[eek]

Cheap dig that - but seriously it's a bit arrogant for you to assume that your life is better than others.....

If you are not self aware enough to accept a joke online is just that a joke you'll give yourself an early heart attack...