Job seeking conditions
To get Jobseeker's Allowance, you have to show that you meet certain conditions about looking for work. You have to actively seek work, be available for work and have a current Jobseeker’s Agreement or Claimant Commitment with the Jobcentre Plus office. In Northern Ireland, this is with the Social Security Agency. A Jobseeker’s Agreement is a document which says what you have agreed to do to find work. A Claimant Commitment is a new kind of Jobseeker’s Agreement that aims to set out more clearly what you have to do to find work. You will have to sign on at the Jobcentre Plus office at least every 2 weeks so that they can check whether you meet these conditions and see if you need any extra help to find work. You can be called into the Jobcentre Plus office at any time and if they think that you are not keeping to your Jobseeker’s Agreement or Claimant Commitment, your benefit may be cut or stopped, (see under Jobseeker's Allowance and sanctions).
In some cases, Jobcentre Plus has to treat you as if you've signed a jobseeker's agreement or Claimant Commitment. This means you could get JSA even if you're not able to look for work for a period of time. This may apply to you, for example, if you have experienced domestic violence.
If you are one of a couple who live together (and you do not have a dependent child) both you and your partner usually have to meet the job seeking conditions to get income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance. This means you will both have to sign on and look for work.
If you are a member of a couple and you want to know whether you both have to sign on, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.