jsa whilst waiting for start date for job?

I have just been approached by someone who has been offered a job, but has not yet had a start date as he needs to get a DBS (old CRB) . He has been told by JC that he cant get his JSa. I can see that he probably is not actively seeking work (unless he says he is looking for temporary work?) but I would have thought that there would be some assistance in these circumstances, otherwise he will be without any income for several weeks.

I know someone that was in this situation, and not only did he continue to get JSA until he started but also got a free bus pass for two months.

I have scoured CPAG (and I know it is easy to miss things) and the DM guide but I cant find any guidance at all on thois matter.

Any help please?

I have had personal experience of this. I volunteered for 9 months while signing on before being offered a full time post. I told JC+ i was starting in 1 months time and they threatened to stop my benefit as i had stopped doing my jobsearches, as i had already found a job. For the next month I had to provide my jobsearches to continue to receive. Its just going thru the motions, and i recommend your client does the same to continue to get JSA

thank you - I guessed that is probably what would be required. unfortunately, I have a nasty feeling that the pesrson concerned as already told them that he hasnt been looking for work as he has a job now. I will tell him to reclaim if they have already stopped his money and he can ‘look’ for some temporary work. I did think I had read some rule to say you can be treated as actively seeking in this situation, but I must have dreamed that as I cant find it anywhere .

I suppose that if he had no income for a month while waiting to start then his housing benefit would still be paid based upon nil income, if this is so?

thank you - but he doesnt have any housing costs so this isnt really a problem (still lives at home with Mum). I am just wondering about the reasonable steps argument - is it reasonable to expect someone to look for another job if they already have one? (I guess they may say you could look for temporary/casual work) but I will try this anyway. I need to know the exact wording on the decision to end claim first so I know what I am appealing. Will update once I know outcome - maybe useful for others.

I got caught in the same situation myself, while waiting to start my first “real” job, as a HB assessor.  If I’d put a bit more effort into looking for something else in those few weeks, maybe I wouldn’t be here now.  Hindsight, eh?

This just shows the rigidity in parts of the JSA provisions.  However, what kind of jumped up little jobsworth in the DWP decided to ‘not look the other way’ for the last moments of this man’s award when he informed them that he had found a job?  Well done that person!  I hope you’re proud of yourself.

I totally agree Nevip. What sort of an incentive is this to get a job? the young person (18 yrs old) has said to me that he wont even be able to afford to get to work without the JSA as he cant afford any bus fare/travel pass and his Mum is a lone parent who is not working. It might not have been so bad if he actually was told that he had to carry on with job search but they seem intent on demonising the people who are actually trying to get a job!