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Find a job

The government's job search service, plus New Style Jobseeker's Allowance if you have worked as an employee and paid enough National Insurance.

Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Official links

Show links for:

Official source	Applies to
GOV.UK: find a job www.gov.uk/find-a-job	England, Wales, Scotland
GOV.UK: Jobseeker's Allowance www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance	England, Wales, Scotland
nidirect: finding a job www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/finding-job	Northern Ireland
nidirect: New Style Jobseeker's Allowance www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/new-style-jobseekers-allowance	Northern Ireland

Runs Universal Credit, State Pension, disability benefits and Jobcentre Plus, and issues National Insurance numbers.

Search and apply for jobs on the official Find a job service (Northern Ireland has its own service).
If you are out of work, check if you can get New Style JSA: you usually need to have paid Class 1 National Insurance as an employee in the last 2 to 3 years.
Apply online. DWP should contact you within 14 days.
Go to the interview at your Jobcentre Plus and agree your Claimant Commitment (what you will do to look for work).

Your National Insurance number
Your bank or building society account details
Details of your jobs in the past 6 months, including employer contacts and dates
For the interview: one photo ID, one proof of address and one more proof of identity (your P45 can count)

Not keeping to your Claimant Commitment without a good reason: your payments can be reduced or stopped.
Looking for income-based JSA: it is closed to new claims, so you apply for Universal Credit instead.
Thinking an old claim restarts by itself: to claim again you must make a new application.