Redundancy And Benefits??

[canuearme]

never claimed benefits in 40 years of work, if made redundant, what if any benefits would I get, have my own house, savings for a rainy day, wife works and receive small Forces pension.

[tonyav]

Six months of around £60 a week.

[bednobs]

will you look for another job? Are you retirement age?

[Buenchico]

You'd be eligible for Contribution-Based Job Seeker's Allowance (which is NOT means-tested), which is £72.40 per week:
https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance

That lasts for up to 6 months. Thereafter you could apply for Income-Based JSA but that IS means-tested (with your wife's income being included in the calculation) and you'd almost certainly receive absolutely NOTHING.

You might be eligible for a reduction in your Council Tax but that's also means-tested and I doubt that you'd get anything.

Otherwise (apart from the Contribution-Based JSA for up to 6 months) you're expected to live on your pension and your savings (plus your wife's income) until you find work.

[sunny-dave]

Is contribution based JSA paid once you are over 60, Chris? I have a vague memory that something changes at that age?

[BlackadderV]

Take a day trip to Calais, come back and claim asylum. You'll be rolling in it.

[Buenchico]

S-D:
Contribution-based JSA is paid up until State Pension Age.

The reason that many people used to stop receiving it at 60 was because they were better off applying for Pension Credit instead. That was paid (to both men and women) at age 60 because that was the State Pension age for women. However that's now rising in stages so that, for example, I won't be eligible for Pension Credit until I'm 63-and-a-bit, when a woman born on the same day as me will get her State Pension. (I'm now 61½)

[sunny-dave]

Ah - yes - that's what I was thinking of.

Thanks Chris.