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Part-time Earnings

If you are in part-time work you can earn the following weekly amounts before your benefit is affected:

• £5 if you are single, or you have a partner and you get contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• £10 if you have a partner, and you get income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• £15 in special circumstances (if you receive income-based Jobseeker's Allowance). For example: lone parents, people with disabilities, carers, men over 60, part-time members of the fire brigade, members of the territorial or reserve forces, lifeboat people and some coastguards
• £15 in special circumstances (if you receive contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance). For example: part-time firefighters, members of the territorial or reserve forces, lifeboat people and some coastguards.

If you are unsure whether your part-time earnings will affect your benefit, ask your Employment Service Advise.

What Counts as Earnings?

Earnings are any money or profit earned from your employment, including:

• bonus or commission
• compensation payment
• most holiday pay
• retainers
• certain payments made under the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Acts 1992.

Earnings do not include:

• any payment in kind
• redundancy payments
• payments made in respect of a period of maternity leave or absence from work because of illness
• payment of work expenses
• any occupational pension
• certain other redundancy payments.

Allowable Deductions

Under Jobseeker's Allowance the amount of earnings taken into account is worked out by deducting income tax, Class 1 National Insurance contributions and half of any payments made to occupational and personal pension schemes. Earnings are taken into account when they are due to be paid.

Partner's Earnings

Partners of jobseekers who get income-based Jobseeker's Allowance can work up to 24 hours a week on average.

Where your partner's earnings exceed the amount of Jobseeker's Allowance after the disregard, your entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance will cease.

Also, any partner's earnings may increase the Back to Work Bonus. For more information, please see "Helping You Back To Work".

Occupational and personal pensions

You can get an occupational or personal pension of up to £50 a week before your contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance is affected. This applies regardless of your age.

Occupational and personal pensions will be taken fully into account in income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.