Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) replaced Unemployment Benefit and Income Support for unemployed people on 7th October 1996. It is payable to people under state pension age who are available for and actively seeking work. Participants in some government training schemes are able to claim JSA. In addition to signing an agreement with Job Centre Plus stipulating work restrictions and a programme for finding work a person must: be living in Great Britain; be capable of work; not in education; not be working 16 or more hours a week on average.
Additionally, the partners of claimants of income-based JSA should not work for 24 hours or more per week JSA is either contribution or income-based depending on individual circumstances. Those who have paid sufficient National Insurance contributions receive contribution-based JSA for up to six months. Those who do not qualify for, or whose needs are not met by contribution based JSA, may qualify for income-based help for themselves and their dependents, where dependents are defined as children under the age of 16 plus young dependent adults aged 16 to 18.