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Holiday whilst actively jobseeking on JSA.

Hey there - I have a question that i'd like answered.
First off, I've only been on JSA for 3 weeks and I am actively looking for a job (for example, applied to work in every Bar/Hotel/Retail shop - twice, or in some cases 3 times).
Local newspapers have no valid jobs (or require some kind of experience), and jobsearch's whilst "signing on" have returned no results in any of the 3 specified areas above. The fact that it took me ages to get an interview locally (the guy on the jsa claim line hinted that it never usually takes as long as it did) points out the lull of employment in my area (FYI - I live in ryde, on the isle of wight).
I'm available to work any hours..and would prefer bar work, so i have some valid experience for when i move away from home to goto university (im 18 and have just finished a 2 year diploma at college) - but anything is better than JSA.
Anyhow, my problem is - when my nan died in august, she left me 500 pound in her will - and I want to use this to go on a short tour (preferably a month, or a little under) of eastern europe. Because I know if i just have it sitting in my bank-account, it'll get eaten away at, until i have nothing significant to show for it.
Knowing that at the moment I have to sign on every 2 weeks, and god-forbid im still looking for a job in Jan/Feb (when I intend to go) - Will i be able to take a break in my payments?
I understand how this is a sticky subject...why should i be holidaying on JSA...but i hope the above points, and the facts that my parents have been paying tax all their life (they are 60-/+ now) validate my claim.
Thanks in advance for any advice :wave:
First off, I've only been on JSA for 3 weeks and I am actively looking for a job (for example, applied to work in every Bar/Hotel/Retail shop - twice, or in some cases 3 times).
Local newspapers have no valid jobs (or require some kind of experience), and jobsearch's whilst "signing on" have returned no results in any of the 3 specified areas above. The fact that it took me ages to get an interview locally (the guy on the jsa claim line hinted that it never usually takes as long as it did) points out the lull of employment in my area (FYI - I live in ryde, on the isle of wight).
I'm available to work any hours..and would prefer bar work, so i have some valid experience for when i move away from home to goto university (im 18 and have just finished a 2 year diploma at college) - but anything is better than JSA.
Anyhow, my problem is - when my nan died in august, she left me 500 pound in her will - and I want to use this to go on a short tour (preferably a month, or a little under) of eastern europe. Because I know if i just have it sitting in my bank-account, it'll get eaten away at, until i have nothing significant to show for it.
Knowing that at the moment I have to sign on every 2 weeks, and god-forbid im still looking for a job in Jan/Feb (when I intend to go) - Will i be able to take a break in my payments?
I understand how this is a sticky subject...why should i be holidaying on JSA...but i hope the above points, and the facts that my parents have been paying tax all their life (they are 60-/+ now) validate my claim.
Thanks in advance for any advice :wave:
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Comments
I was on JSA last year and my parents took me to Greece with them for a holiday (they paid!) - I had to sign off JSA and sign on again as soon as I got back - It was hell and I don't recommend it!
I'm guessing that even if i get a job sometime in january, they have to accept my already planned holiday (unless its temp work?)
I know with Income Support (which I'm on) you can't go abroad for the first 22 weeks but the benefits adviser told me that people do, they just don't tell the DWP.
Reg 19(1)(p) of the JSA Regs does allow for a claimant to be away from home (on holiday) for up to 14 days, on the basis that they allowed to be treated as actively seeking work, although they must still be available for work. However, JSA entitlement is still normally dependent on the claimant being in GB (sec 1(2)(i) Jobseekers Act 1995). Regulation 50 of the Jobseeker’s Allowance Regs does allow for some exceptions to this for varying numbers of weeks where someone is “temporally absent from GB. These are also summarised on page 639 of the current CPAG Handbook, but none of the exceptions are as "straightforward" as a claimant being on holiday.
I spose that is probably too much to ask...ahwell - i doubt it'll even come to this, in the next couple of days im going to ask my local pubs if i can do work experience at em...
Atleast that way i can put i do have barwork experience on my applications
i was moving house on the day i had to sign on and couldnt make it, so i had to fill in some holiday form and sign on at the next appointment for 4 weeks worth. this happened in september.
i dont know if you could do it for a month though. if youre lucky with appointment times, you could leave the day after you sign on and come back 26 days later to sign on the next day.