Can I claim JSA

[princessgrif]

I am currently on maternity leave at the moment and claiming Maternity Allowance. My maternity leave is due to end in July and my employer has told that he's going to have to make me redundant. Would I be able to claim JSA? I am married and my husband earns �28,000 pa, will this affect my claim?

[buildersmate]

Your employer needs to be very very careful or it could find itself having a potential case for unfair dismissal (but you didn't ask that question). It needs to be very clear the reasons for your redundancy and that they are not related in any way to your pregnency/maternity leave. Assuming you are fairly declared redundant, you will be able to claim JSA provided your NI contributions in the previous year are enough (you will have been credited with NI during your maternity leave). You have to be looking for work, of course to claim JSA. Depending on whether your employer pays you money in lieu of asking you to work your notice, you may find you are ineligible to claim JSA until the notice period has expired. Your partners earnings are not relevant to any claim for JSA - you earn it in your right from your own NI contribution record.

[kags]

Just to add to buildersmate's answer, you are only entitled to contributions based Job Seekers Allowance for 6 months, after which it becomes means tested and your husband's income will be taken into account.