New Style Jobseeker's Allowance and Universal Credit from the Department for Communities, and statutory redundancy pay: who qualifies and how to claim.
Describe what has happened. The checker answers only from this guide, plus what you tell it, and says so if something is not covered.
Check What I Can Claim →People in Northern Ireland who have lost their job, or are about to, and want to know what they can claim: New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Universal Credit and statutory redundancy pay.
To get New Style JSA you must have worked as an employee and paid enough Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually within the last two relevant tax years. National Insurance credits may also count.
You must be unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week on average, not have an illness or disability which stops you from working, and live in Northern Ireland.
Your savings and your partner's income and savings will not affect how much New Style JSA you are paid. An occupational pension or part-time earnings may reduce it.
You can get New Style JSA for up to 182 days. While you get it, you must take reasonable steps to look for work as agreed with your work coach. You also get Class 1 National Insurance credits.
You can no longer apply for income-based JSA.
Claim online on nidirect. If you cannot claim online, contact the Department for Communities New Style Jobseeker's Allowance Processing Centre on 0800 022 4250.
If you want your claim backdated, you must give the date you want it to start from and the reason your claim was delayed. It may not be backdated without a good reason.
You can claim Universal Credit on its own or at the same time as New Style JSA. If you get both, your New Style JSA is deducted from your Universal Credit payment, so you may not get any extra money.
In Northern Ireland, Universal Credit is normally paid to a household twice a month. You can ask for it to be paid monthly instead. Your first payment comes about five weeks after you claim.
If you get money for housing costs, it is paid direct to your landlord. A couple making a joint claim can ask for payments to be split between them.
This guide does not give the Northern Ireland Universal Credit amounts or savings limits: check nidirect or ask Advice NI.
Statutory redundancy pay needs at least 2 years of continuous employment, in Northern Ireland as in the rest of the UK.
No more than 20 years can be counted. For redundancies from 6 April 2026, a week's pay is capped at £783. The most statutory redundancy pay can be is £23,490.
Your employer must tell you in writing how your redundancy pay has been worked out. Your contract may give you more than the statutory amount.
Department for Communities: claim New Style JSA and Universal Credit online on nidirect. New Style Jobseeker's Allowance Processing Centre: 0800 022 4250. For an existing JSA claim, contact your Jobs and Benefits office.
Labour Relations Agency (LRA): 03300 555 300. Free, confidential and impartial advice on employment rights, including redundancy pay.
Advice NI: 0800 915 4604
Comments are loading…
UK Work Rights is completely free and always will be. If this guidance helped you, a small donation helps keep the site running and updated for everyone.
100% goes to running and maintaining this free service. No pressure — the guidance is always free.