Job seekers Allowance when doing an intergrated fATPL?

[Kiev23]

Hi,

just wondered if you are entitled to job seekers allowance, when your doing your studies??

[ab33t]

No jobseekers while on any training, the argument is that you are not out there looking for work.

[Treeshaver]

How are they going to know u are in full time training?

Its not like when u are a student, when u have to register with the local authority that you are in full time education, they have no idea if you are on an integrated course if u dont tell them. Im sure u can find time to sign on between flights.
Anyway, u might as well go on the dole now, as u sure as hell will be when you finish training. :E

[davepearsall]

I imagine they will be a little suspicious if you have hadto take a loan out to pay for your training. I think they may ask what the loan is for.

[Deano777]

How are they going to know u are in full time training?

Its not like when u are a student, when u have to register with the local authority that you are in full time education, they have no idea if you are on an integrated course if u dont tell them. Im sure u can find time to sign on between flights.

Because you have to sign on once a week at a specific time and day, if you don't then you will not get any money. Tell me how you can manage this if you are doing your IR and you are away for the day? simple, you can't.
Also if they find out about it then you are in the proverbial.

[Deano777]

Edit- Just to add to the previous post when i signed on many moons ago in practice you really could pretty much sign on whenever you wanted as long as you rang to tell them beforehand.

I was made redundant last Dec (06), I started my IR in January + MCC in April. I could not sign on until the course was done. Then when I was signed on you had to sign on on the day & time of the week they have allocated you. If you want to change this then you had to have a very good reason, plus they won't allow you to change it more than once or twice.

As far as having to go for interviews in "sausage factories" etc you can tell them you are looking for an airline job or a job "in your field", but you can only be looking for a maximum of 13 weeks, then you have to go for allsorts of interviews.

[Re-Heat]

Unfortunately illegal, and not to mention that when asked about your employment history, you would be legally obliged to disclose that fact that you were on jobseekers allowance.

If you think you can avoid disclosing that you were on jobseekers allowance to a potential employer - think again - it is on databases everywhere once you sign up.

(PS - probably lost in the post by the government and sold to the highest bidder!)

[2close]

I signed on during the ATPL Theory self study period. I told them exactly what I was doing and the very helpful people at the local Job Centre Plus actually told me that (a) provided I was seeking and prepared to take on suitable work during this period - I was, part time - there was nothing wrong with what I was doing and (b) also advised me that I was permitted to attend two weeks training (the mandatory brush up phase) without losing my entitlement.

When the theory ended and I moved on to flight training, obviously the claim had to cease as I was no longer available for work.

False claims = possible prosecution and conviction for the criminal offence of obtaining property by deception = shows up on your Criminal Records Bureau check = some employers telling you to shove off!! In some case, you may not get an Airside pass.

[Pilot Pete]

Be very careful before you decide to do such a thing. Remember it is ILLEGAL and you will be breaking the law. Any time claiming Job Seekers Allowance will be recorded and you will HAVE to disclose it during any CRB check (which you will HAVE to have if you get an offer of airline employment).

If you are genuinely available for work and seeking employment then claim, you are entitled to it, but are you really prepared to take the risk of being caught and potentially blowing ANY chance of airline employment once your training is finished by claiming illegally?

I paid thousands of pounds a month in tax and National Insurance in my previous career and when I started training for this new career I claimed when I was entitled to. Why not come clean from the outset, talk to someone at the Job Centre and see if there are any 'schemes' available which may allow you to claim during parts of your training. When I did all this 10 years ago I got onto a 'Training for Work Scheme' which was running at the time. They allowed me to go full time to complete my PPL whilst claiming Job Seekers Allowance without signing on, all above board. You may be surprised at the reaction you get if you explain everything and show how much self investment you are putting in to gain qualifications which should mean that you end up as a huge net contributor to the tax system. I used this tack and explained that I was only asking for a bit of help during part of my training......

Be careful, a criminal record will not help you get into this industry.

PP