How much is Job Start Payment? What is it? If I live in Scotland, can I get this benefit? This is one of many benefits you may get if you recently got a job offer after not being able to work. You may be eligible if you are young or a careleaver. Lastly, you may receive one of two one-off payments. Your Benefits article will tell you all you need to know about Job Start Payment.

Can I get Job Start Payment?

You may be eligible to receive Job Start Payment. However, for this to be true, you must either be a care leaver, or a young individual. 

Once you get a job offer, you can apply for this benefit for up to 3 months afterwards. Furthermore, you must expect to work a minimum of 12 hours weekly. This average needs to be over a period of 4 weeks.

How to apply as a young person

For you to apply for Job Start Payment as a young person, a number of things need to be true about your situation. More specifically, you need to have all of the following apply to you:

• Not have done paid work for 6 months prior to receiving your job offer;
• Be between 16 and 24 years old by the time you receive your job offer (you may apply if you receive an offer on the day before your 25th birthday, but not later);
• Have received a qualifying benefit for a minimum of 6 months by the date on which you receive your job offer;
• Not have received this benefit in the past 2 years;
• Have received a job offer in the past 3 months;
• Have been residing in Scotland at the time of receiving the job offer.

However, you may instead have gotten the contribution-based or related part of these benefits. Then, you can simply have received them for a minimum of 6 months prior to getting the job offer.

You must have been living in Scotland at the time of receiving the job offer. However, you may move outside of Scotland for the job following this. Indeed, this will not affect your eligibility to Job Start Payment.

How to apply as a care leaver

You may apply for Job Start Payment this benefit if you are a care leaver. In fact, this is the case if you stop receiving care on your 16th birthday or later. Then, you need to have all of the following apply to you:

• Have not been doing paid work on the day that you received your job offer;
• Be between 16 and 25 years old by the time you receive your job offer (you may apply if you receive an offer on the day before your 26th birthday, but not later);
• Have received a qualifying benefit on the date on which you received your job offer;
• In the past 3 months, have received a job offer;
• Have been residing in Scotland at the time of receiving the job offer;
• Not have received this benefit in the past 2 years.

How to get Job Start Payment

You can apply for Job Start Payment online, by phone or by post. However, note that the most efficient way to claim is usually online. Furthermore, you will need a couple of information in order to make your claim. More specifically, the following:

• Information about your job offer;
• Your address, name and date of birth;
• If you have it, your National Insurance number;
• Information about your employer;
• The date of birth and name of your partner, if you have one;
• Information about your building society, credit union or bank account;
• Information concerning any children you currently care for, if any.

Claim Job Start Payment online

You may apply for Job Start Payment online on the socialsecurity.gov.scot website. Typically, the form can be completed in about 10 minutes. However, do not worry if the application process takes you longer to complete.

Note that not everyone can apply online. Indeed, this may be the case for you if one of the following applies. Then, you will have to claim by post or phone, you:

• Have no permanent address;
• Are both 18 or 19 years old, and receive no payments or benefits, however, your carer or parents receives one for you;
• Have no bank account, and worked out a way to receive payments with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP);
• Are claiming this benefit on behalf of someone unable to do it themselves.

How to apply by phone or post

If you wish to apply to Job Start Payment by phone, you may do so by contacting Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222. Then, you may complete your application over the phone, from 8am to 6pm Monday through Friday. 

You may apply by post. Then, you may do so by completing a paper form. Indeed, it is called the Job Start Payment application form. Additionally, you may ask for a pre-paid envelope to send this. To do this, you may call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 and ask for one. 

What if I already sent my Job Start Payment claim?

Social Security Scotland may ask for additional information once you apply for Job Start Payment. After you have applied, you should be ready to send any additional documents that they require.

Furthermore, you may need to prove that you are the main person taking care of a child. Then, you will need to send a legal order for each of the children under your care. More specifically, one of the following, a:

• Residence Order;
• Adoption Order;
• Permanence Order;
• Compulsory Supervision Order;
• Kinship Care Order;
• Other legal order indicating that you are the child’s main carer.

The address is as follows:

Job Start Payment
PO Box 10315
Dundee
DD1 9GP

What is Job Start Payment Scotland?

Job Start Payment is a Scottish benefit. It can help you cover the costs that might be incurred from starting a new job if you live in Scotland. In order to apply for this benefit, a couple of things need to be true. In fact, you can either be young or be a careleaver for whom both of the following are true, you:

• Are earning certain qualifying benefits;
• Have been without work for some time.

Note that some more things need to be true about your eligibility. However, these are the general terms. Additionally, you will receive a one-off payment. 

How much is Job Start Payment?

Job Start Payment consists of a one-off payment. There are two different rates that you may be able to receive. They are as follows:

You will not receive weekly payments with Job Start Payment. Instead, you will get one of these two amounts. Additionally, you do not need to pay these amounts back. Furthermore, you may spend this money however you like to pay for the costs of your new job. This may include things such as:

• Childcare;
• Lunch food;
• A new uniform or clothes;
• Train or bus passes, or any other travel costs.

You need the details of your own or someone else’s bank account to apply. Indeed, this is so Social Security Scotland can send the money for this benefit. The payment will be sent to the bank account directly.

You may use someone else’s bank account information to apply for this benefit. However, first make sure that they are OK with this. Furthermore, make sure that you will have a way to access the money once payments are made.

What is a qualifying benefit for Job Start Payment?

In order to receive Job Start Payment, you must have received a qualifying benefit by the time you get your job offer. The following are considered qualifying benefit:

• Universal Credit;
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA);
• Income Support;
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA).

In most cases, you will need to be receiving one of these benefits by the time you get your job offer. However, this may differ depending on your situation.