Jobseeker's Allowance is a benefit that is paid to citizens of the United Kingdom who are unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week. There are two types: contributions-based Jobseeker's Allowance, paid to those who have made sufficient National Insurance payments; and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, for those who have not, the level of which is affected by an individual's savings and household income. Cancelling jobseeker's allowance can be achieved a number of ways.

Telephone your local jobcentre to inform it of your wish to cancel your Jobseeker's Allowance. A representative at the centre will ask you for a reason. Individuals usually cancel jobseeker's allowance because they have found employment but may also do so because they are going abroad.

  • Jobseeker's Allowance is a benefit that is paid to citizens of the United Kingdom who are unemployed or work less than 16 hours a week.
  • Telephone your local jobcentre to inform it of your wish to cancel your Jobseeker's Allowance.

Look in the back of your signing-on book. There should be a slip of paper about cancelling jobseeker's allowance. Fill this in, citing a reason for the cancellation, and mail it to your local jobcentre.

Stop going to sign on for Jobseeker's Allowance at your local jobcentre. This will cause your claim to lapse, and the jobcentre will contact you to find out why. If possible, avoid this method of cancelling your Jobseeker's Allowance as it may cause complications should you wish to claim the allowance at some point in the future.

TIP

If you have been receiving Jobseeker's Allowance for six months or more and are going into employment you may be able to receive follow-on payments from your Jobseeker's Allowance for the first four weeks of your job. These payments are intended to tide you over until you receive your first paycheck. Inform the jobcentre that you wish to cancel Jobseeker's Allowance only on the day before you start work. Even if it is not your usual signing-on day, you will be able to receive the allowance for the period up until that date.