If i am self employed and have short spells out of work can i still get job seekers allowance?

Question

child tax credits

Answer 1

NO. You're self employed.

Answer 2

Depends

There are two types of JSA - Income based and contribution based.

For income based if you have capital or savings of over 6000 or if your partner works more than 24 hours per week you do not qualify

For contribution based you need to have paid Class A Type 1 national insurance for 2 complete tax years prior to the claim. Your partner and your savings do not count.  you will only be paid for 26 weeks of the year. You will also have to be available for, capable of and actively seeking work for both types of JSA.

You will also have to demonstrate (through your accounts) that you have ceased trading, which may be a problem for you if it is only a temporary measure