# Career break - jobseekers benefit allowed?



## theTinker (11 Sep 2009)

Hi Everyone, 
I found similar threads but only ones which apply to Public sector job, I'm in private employment. I basically want to do an intensive home study course to redirect my future career, should take the next 2 years. I've been working 10 years now and feel like its now or never. An opportunity has arisen where my job has offered a two year career break. I could only afford to take it if i can claim job seekers benefit as i don't have enough savings. 
Am i able to claim JsB under the follow career break conditions?

•    Under the scheme an employee may take up alternative employment(Not with a competitor)
•    All employee benefits will be suspended during the career break. 
•    Resignation provision – employees can resign during this period
•    Return to work – employees will return to the company to a similar position on the same salary and level.
•    There is no early return provision in the scheme.

aside: I'm OK with the moral implications of claiming even though i wont be looking for a 9-5 job, I'll spend the next 30 years working so I'll make up for it then!


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## Teknon (11 Sep 2009)

As you haven't resigned or lost your job you would have no P45 to declare to SW.


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## GreenQueen (11 Sep 2009)

You seem well aware that one of the main conditions of claiming jobseekers benefit is that you must be actively seeking work.  

Really what you're looking for here is someone to condone you breaking the law.

It's not just morally wrong; it's legally wrong and if you can't afford to take a career break without financial support then you shouldn't take it at all imho.


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## theTinker (15 Sep 2009)

Was away for the weekend.



GreenQueen said:


> You seem well aware that one of the main conditions of claiming job-seekers benefit is that you must be actively seeking work.


 Yes, It seems to be one of the main conditions. Shouldn't pose me any problems.


GreenQueen said:


> Really what you're looking for here is someone to condone you breaking the law.


 I'm not the looking for agreement type, I happy enough to make my own decisions. I'm looking for information, if i wanted judgment, I'd go to confession.


GreenQueen said:


> It's not just morally wrong; it's legally wrong and if you can't afford to take a career break without financial support then you shouldn't take it at all IMHO.


 I'm not concerned with the legality TBH. I'm comfortable with it. It would take me 5-7 years to save enough enough money to live off my own savings for 2 years. I'm not wasting that many years in a career i feel no affection for. It would be a waste of life. I'd rather be a bold boy now and spend the next couple of years studying so in 5-7 years, I'll be in a career that i really love.


Hmmm...the P45. I'll have to double check with my employer regards this. The conditions of the break allow me to work for other places so I'm not sure if this means they record the employees as unemployed or not to the company.

I read that there is a 9 week no claiming period if you leave your job voluntarily. I think this section would apply to me. The website talks mostly about lay offs, and redundancy. Very little about voluntary leaving of job. I'm not sure how SW treat this. Can they refuse me the allowance (after the first 9 weeks) since i'll have no income?


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## Welfarite (15 Sep 2009)

Firstly, you are taking a career break to free yourself up to sudy; therefore youa re not available for full-time work. Secondly, you will not be coinsidered to be unemployed by SW and therefore won't qualify for JB.


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## theTinker (16 Sep 2009)

Welfarite said:


> Firstly, you are taking a career break to free yourself up to sudy; therefore youa re not available for full-time work. Secondly, you will not be considered to be unemployed by SW and therefore won't qualify for JB.



The study is home study so I'll qualify for that.

What reasons would I not be considered unemployed by SW? The terms of the career break allow me to take up employment with others and I'm certainly not employed during working hours during it as i'd be at home.


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## Welfarite (16 Sep 2009)

theTinker said:


> The study is home study so I'll qualify for that.
> 
> What reasons would I not be considered unemployed by SW? The terms of the career break allow me to take up employment with others and I'm certainly not employed during working hours during it as i'd be at home.


 
I don't think you understand. The term 'Home study' is irrelevant. The fact is you gave up work in order to study, thus showing that you are not available to work full-time because of it. SW are not going to replace your income with Jobseeker's payments just because you find it easier not to work. It would be fairly hard to argue that youa re looking for and available for work when you gave up a perfectly good job to make time to study!

The term 'not unemployed' means that you have a job to go back to and SW treat all persons on career breaks as 'not unemployed'.


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## theTinker (16 Sep 2009)

I of course would not be telling SW that i took the break to study. The break is only offered because the company is facing huge financial losses and needs to cut staff anyways. I'm just concerned about whether a career break that leaves me income less/without a job for 2 counts as unemployed? I'd prefer not to wait on a redundancy order since that won't provide a safe net in 2 years, which seems like a good idea at the moment! 

If I am able to get my p45, does that automatically count as unemployed to the SW?


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## Black Sheep (16 Sep 2009)

You are unable to obtain your P45 because technically you are still employed by your company while on a career break.

If they gave you a P45 you would not be on a career break you would be unemployed.


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## Welfarite (17 Sep 2009)

theTinker said:


> I of course would not be telling SW that i took the break to study.


 

Thread closed


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