If your JSA has stopped or been reduced
Mae'r cyngor hwn yn berthnasol i Cymru. Gweler cyngor ar gyfer Gweler cyngor ar gyfer Lloegr, Gweler cyngor ar gyfer Gogledd Iwerddon, Gweler cyngor ar gyfer Yr Alban
Call your local Jobcentre and ask why your JSA has been stopped or reduced.
Make a note of the date and time you call. Also write down the name of the person at the Jobcentre you spoke to.
The DWP should have written to tell you your JSA is being stopped or reduced, but it’s still worth calling. You can find out more about why it’s been stopped and ask any questions. You should also ask them to send you a letter about their decision if you haven't had one.
If the Jobcentre say you’ve been sanctioned
Your JSA might have stopped or been reduced because the DWP think you didn’t do something you were meant to. This is called a ‘sanction’.
If the Jobcentre say you’ve been sanctioned, ask them:
why you’ve been sanctioned
when the sanction started
how long the sanction will last
For example, when you call you might find out you’ve been sanctioned for 4 weeks for missing a job interview.
If you’ve been sanctioned, you might be able to get some money to pay for essentials like heating. This is called a ‘hardship payment’. When you call, ask the Jobcentre if you can apply for one.
You might be told you can’t apply when you can. Check if you can get a hardship payment.
Even though you’ve been sanctioned, you should keep to your jobseeker's agreement. For example, keep applying for jobs or going on a training programme.
If you can’t, check if you can change your jobseeker's agreement.
If the Jobcentre think you’re not looking for work
Your JSA might have stopped because your work coach thinks you’re not doing enough to look for work.
If the Jobcentre says they’re checking you’re doing enough, ask them:
why they think you’re not available for work or looking for work
what evidence you can give them to prove you’re available and looking
how and when you should give them the evidence you have
the date your JSA stopped
While your JSA has stopped, you might be able to get some money to pay for essentials like heating. This is called a ‘hardship payment’. When you call, ask the Jobcentre if you can apply for a hardship payment.
You might be told you can’t apply when you can. Check if you can get a hardship payment.
Income-based JSA ends on 31 March 2026
You’ll need to move to Universal Credit when you get a letter telling you to claim by a certain date. This is called a 'migration notice'. You should have got a migration notice by now.
You should claim Universal Credit by the date on the letter to keep getting financial support.
If you think you should have been sent a migration notice, contact the DWP. The DWP might eventually contact you, but it’s a good idea to speak to them as soon as you can. This is so you can move to Universal Credit without a gap in payments.
Universal Credit migration notice helpline
Telephone: 0800 169 0328
Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 169 0328
You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.
Access a live interpreter on the Video Relay Service if you use British Sign Language (BSL).
You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.
Challenging the decision
If you disagree with the DWP’s reasons for stopping or reducing your JSA, you can ask them to change the decision.
Even if your JSA was stopped because you didn’t do something, you should challenge the decision if you had good reason for not doing it. For example, if you missed a Jobcentre appointment because you were too sick to go.
You’ll need to ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’ to challenge a JSA decision.
Getting help while your JSA has stopped
You could get help with things like food or items you need for your home - for example a bed or cooker. Check what help you could get in your area.
If you already get Housing Benefit and are challenging the decision to stop your JSA, tell your local council. They can make sure your Housing Benefit doesn't stop because you're not getting JSA.
Get help with debt
If you’re worried about getting into debt or paying debts while your JSA has stopped, you can get help with debts online or contact your nearest Citizens Advice.