This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'How to claim JSA without using the Government Gateway'.

JSAOL CC Agent Script [v.4 – July 2013] 
 
Eligibility & Diagnostic Questions 
 
Section 3: JSA Online Eligibility Questions 
If the GAD identifies that the claimant has selected JSA from the IVR, ask the 
questions in the following table.  
 
If claimant is calling from a mobile phone or has special language 
requirements, follow Section 1 (Language Requirements) or Section 2 (Mobile 
Phone script) before returning to these questions 
 
Step Action 

[CQ] – ‘Hello good morning/afternoon, you are through to 
Jobcentre Plus, …………. Speaking.  Can I confirm you are calling 
to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance?’ 

If No, go to Step 3  
If Yes, go to Step 4 

Continue with CMS gather from [CQ] – ‘Are you claiming because 
of illness or disability?’ 

[CQ] – ‘Is the claim for you?’ 

If No, go to Step 6 
If Yes, go to Step 7 

Continue with CMS gather from [CQ] – ‘Can I ask why you are 
calling on their behalf?’ 

[CQ] – Do you wish to claim National Insurance Credits only 
without claiming full Jobseekers Allowance? 
 
Additional Text 
Non-claimants must be available for and actively seeking work and 
still have a New Jobseeker Interview. They do not have access to 
any of the programmes funded by Jobcentre Plus, or external 
providers  
 
If Yes, continue with NI Credits only process. 
If No, Go to Step 8 
 
NB: Claiming ‘National Insurance Credits only’ means that the 
claimant does not want to claim JSA regardless of their potential 
entitlement to it. 

CQ: Have you recently finished a training course arranged by the 
Jobcentre? 
 
If Yes,  
[CQ] – ‘As you have been on training you need to contact your 
Personal Adviser at the Jobcentre (consult FIND for number) to 
advise you on reclaiming’ 
 
If No, go to Step 9 


[CQ] – ‘Have you recently had a claim for Employment and 
Support Allowance which ended in the last calendar month?’ 
 
If Yes, go to Step 10 
If No, go to Step 15 
10 
CQ: Please can you tell me your name, address, date of birth and 
National Insurance number. 
 
Check CIS  
  Award History Screen: 
o  previous ESA claim; 
o  previous JSA claim end date within 26 weeks of 
IDOC; 
  Relationship History Screen 
o Appointee 
 Check 
PV 
marker 
   
UQ - has the claimant had a claim to income-based ESA which 
has ended in the last calendar month? (Note: the ESA claim does 
not need to have been closed) 
 
If Yes, go to Step 11 
If No, go to Step 16 
11 
[CQ] - Do you have a partner who lives with you or is temporarily 
living at a different address?  
By partner we mean a person you are married to or a person you 
live with as if you are married to them or a civil partner or a person 
you live with as if you are civil partners. 
 
If Yes Go to Step 12 
If No Go to Section 6 : ESA-JSA Transition process. 
12 
[CQ]: Do you or your partner have responsibility for a child? 
 
If Yes, Go To Section 6 : ESA-JSA Transition process. 
If No Go to  Step 13 
13 
[CQ]: Do you or your partner have a job at the moment, paid or 
unpaid? 
 
If Yes, Go to Step 14 
If No, Go to Step 15 
14 
[CQ]:  How many hours a week on average do you or your partner 
normally work?  
 
If: 
  Customer and Partner hours are less than 16; or 
  Customer hours are less than 16 and partner hours are less 
than 24;   
Go to Section 6 : ESA-JSA Transition process. 
Otherwise, Go to Step 16 

15 
CQ: Please can you tell me your name, address, date of birth and 
National Insurance number. 
 
Check CIS  
  Award History Screen: 
o  previous ESA claim; 
o  previous JSA claim end date within 26 weeks of 
IDOC; 
  Relationship History Screen 
o Appointee 
 Check 
PV 
marker 
 
Check LMS for: 
 Previous 
contact; 
  MAPPA (See Section 70).   
 
If MAPPA identified, continue with CMS gather from CQ – ‘I need 
to complete your claim by asking a series of questions, this may 
take up to 30 minutes” 
 
Otherwise, Go to Step 16 
16 If: 
  under 18,  follow BAU Under 18 process; 
 over 
State 
Pension Age, go to Step 17;  
  18 or 19, go to Step 18; 
  Appointee, follow appointee process in CMS; 
  Previous ESA claim within 1 month but not suitable for 
Transition, Go to Step 21; 
  previously referred online or advised by Business 
Information Helpdesk (BIH) to telephone FC, go to Step 22; 
Otherwise, go to Step 19 
 
Note: If a previous ESA claim is identified but it ended more than 
one month previously, then go to Step 19 
17 
Continue signposting to Pension Service  
 
[CQ] - I’m sorry but your case is more appropriate to be dealt with 
by the Pensions Service. Their number is 0800 991234 and they 
will be able to deal with your case. Thank you for calling. 
18 
CQ: Have you left school or college in the last 12 weeks? 
 
If No, go to Step 19 
If Yes,  
[CQ] ‘How many hours a week did you attend?’ 
 
If under 12 hours, Go to Step 19 
If 12 hours or more, Go to Section 7 : Terminal Dates 
19 
[CQ]: Do you have a telephone number you can be contacted on? 
 

If Yes, Go to Step 20 
If No, Go to Step 21 
20 
CQ: When do you want your claim to start from? 
 
If future date, go to Step 21 
Otherwise, go to Section 4 : JSA Online Diagnostic Questions. 
21 
Continue with CMS gather from [CQ] - Could you tell me your full 
name?     
 
Note: Do not ask this CQ or those about title, date of birth and 
postcode unless you do not already have this information.   
 
Do ask CQ: Do you live in a flat, room or bed-sit at this address? 
 
Do not ask for National Insurance number again unless unable to 
trace claimant from the one provided. 
22 
If previous contact recorded in LMS: 
 
For technical problems 
 
[CQ]
 – ‘If you do need any help while you are completing your 
claim, we have a specialist Helpdesk which will be able to assist 
you.  Their telephone number is available on the online application 
form. 
 
Online service or Business Information Helpdesk has 
indicated claimant cannot claim online: 
 
[CQ] – As you have been unable to claim online I will now 
take your claim. 
Continue with CMS gather from [CQ] – ‘‘I need to complete your 
claim by asking a series of questions, this may take up to 30 
minutes” 
 
Section 4: JSA Online Diagnostic Questions 
If the claimant is identified as being eligible to claim online, ask the following 
questions: 
 
Step Action 

[CQ] - In order to make a claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance, please 
use the online service.  Employers expect those looking for work in 
the current job market to have some digital skills and use online 
services and you should therefore make you claim online at 
gov.uk. Please note that the online service is not compatible with 
smart phones. 
 
If agree to go online, Go to Step 10 
If not happy to use internet , Go to Step 2 


[CQ] – Can you tell me what is stopping you from using our online 
service? 
 
If refuse to complete online application, Go to Step 3 
If lack skill/confidence or no IT skills, Go to Step 4 
If state they have no access, Go to Step 7 
If Potentially Vulnerable, Go to Step 12 
 
NB: further information about Potentially Vulnerable claimants is 
available at Section 70. 

[CQ] – ‘We are no longer offering telephony claims and you will 
therefore need to make your claim online.’ 
 
Go to Step 6 

[CQ] – ‘The online application form is very straightforward and if 
you have ever used the internet before you should find it easy to 
use. For example, have you ever…’  
 
Examples of questions to ask are included in Section 69. 
 
UQ: Will they now claim online? 
 
If Yes, go to Step 10 
If Yes, but No IT skills, Go to Step 5 
If No for any other reason, Go to Step 3 

[CQ] –  ‘We have a specialist Helpdesk which will be able to help 
you if you have any questions or problems completing the form.  
Their telephone number is available on the online application 
form.’ 
 
If specialist helpdesk still not sufficient support: 
Gather claim via CMS from: CQ: Are you claiming because of an 
illness or disability  
 
If specialist helpdesk is sufficient support, go to step 10 

[CQ] - Do you have a computer with internet access? 
 
If Yes,   
[CQ] – ‘As you have a computer with internet access, please 
make your claim online.’ Go to Step 10 
 
If No go to Step 7 

[CQ] – ‘Do you know someone who has a computer with internet 
access? For example, a member of your family, a friend or a 
neighbour?’  
 
If Yes, [CQ] – ‘As you can use a computer with internet access 
belonging to a friend or family member, please make your claim 
online.’ Go to Step 10 
 

If No go to Step 8 

[CQ] – ‘I will have a look to see what internet access is available 
to you in your area. Based on your postcode, you can visit …. 
‘[refer to Third Party Provider list in FIND] 
 
[CQ] – ‘Are you able to use one of those facilities to make your 
claim?’ 
 
If Yes,  go to Step 10  
If No, Go to Step 9 

If claimant is PV, go to Step 11 
 
Otherwise, 
[CQ] – ‘There are a number of computers available to make your 
claim in your local jobcentre.  I will book you an appointment to 
use one of these. A member of staff will be available in the 
jobcentre if you need any help. 
 
Go to Section 5 : Booking IAD Appointment. 
10 
[CQ] – ‘The online application form can be accessed on 
gov.uk/jsaonline. To complete the application form you will need to 
provide information about you and your family, which may include 
details of: 
  Your National Insurance number, and that of your partner if you 
have one 
  Your savings and income 
  Any work you and your family have done 
  Where you live 
  Who lives with you 
 Your 
education 
  Your Bank details’ 
 
[CQ]
 – ‘You will be able to pause and save your application while 
you are completing the claim, but please ensure you complete and 
submit your claim as soon as possible as if you delay you could 
lose benefit. Please remember to use today’s date when making 
your claim’. 
 
 [CQ]
 – ‘When you complete the online application you will need to 
show that you want your claim to start from today/relevant date (if 
claimant has asked to backdate their claim)
.  If you are unable to 
complete the online claim today, you will be asked a series of 
questions about why there has been a delay in making the claim.  
Please answer the questions as best you can, and mention that 
you have spoken to an Agent today. I will make a note of this 
conversation and our records will show that you want to claim from 
today’.  
 
[CQ] – ‘If you do need any help while you are completing your 

claim, we have a specialist Helpdesk which will be able to assist 
you.  Their telephone number is available on the online application 
form.  
 
[CQ] – We will contact you with details of your appointment at the 
Jobcentre.  This may be by telephone or text message and will be 
within 48 hours of you submitting your claim.  
 
Thank you for calling’. 
 End 
Call 
  Record LMS Note: 
o  Date of contact 
o  ‘Claimant claiming online’ 
 
Only use if claimant questions security of the online service: 
 
[CQ] - JSA online is a secure service.  To protect your personal 
details from being seen in public places: 
  close down the browser window when you have finished 
  make sure you have collected anything you have printed 
  be careful who is watching over your shoulder and do not leave 
the computer unattended whilst you are logged into JSA 
online.   
for further information you can click on the "Be Secure Online" link 
on the JSA Online Service. 
11 
Check SPL for control measures which would prevent an IAD 
being booked.  
 
If Control measure identified, contact the nominated UCB officer to 
see if there is an IAD located in a JC with a screened environment. 
 
If appropriate IAD identified:  
[CQ] – ‘There are a number of computers available to make your 
claim in your local jobcentre.  I will book you an appointment to 
use one of these. A member of staff will be available in the 
jobcentre if you need any help. 
 
Go to Section 5 : Booking IAD appointment. 
If no appropriate IAD identified, Go to Step 12 
12 
Continue with CMS gather from [CQ] – ‘I need to complete your 
claim by asking you a series of questions; this may take up to 30 
minutes.’ 

 
Select Eligibility Check from list unless claimant has specifically 
stated they want to claim contribution based JSA only  
 
Record reason given for not claiming online in LMS notes 
 
 

JSA Online – Supporting Material 
Section 69: Previous Internet Use Questions 
  Have you ever searched/applied for a job online? 
  Have you ever bought insurance online? 
  Have you ever used a jobpoint in the Jobcentre? 
  Have you used Facebook or twitter? 
  Have you ever bought something from an online shop, such as Amazon? 
  Have you ever used eBay to buy something? 
  Have you ever booked a holiday online? 
  Have you ever used internet banking services? 
  Have you ever bought insurance online? 
  Have you ever checked train/bus times online or bought tickets to travel by train/bus? 
  Have you ever checked cinema times online? 
  Have you ever used the online yellow pages or Thomson Local to look for a local service
  Have you ever played games online? 
 
Section 70: Potentially Vulnerable Claimants 
Some vulnerable claimant groups may have limited or no ability to be able to 
make an online claim. For example: 
  Literacy and numeracy difficulties; 
  Blind visually impaired; 
  IB Reassessment claimants: claimants who are in distress, not 
understanding what has happened, upset and frustrated on outcome of 
being found 'fit for work' ; 
  Destitute or Domestic Violence: claimants who are in temporary stress 
and may need extra support. 
 
If the claimant indicates that the reason they are unable to access the Online 
service is because they fall into one of these groups (or they would be 
considered to be a Vulnerable claimant for another reason), then they should 
be dealt with via existing telephony processes. 
 
Note: Membership of a vulnerable group does not automatically mean that the 
claimant can not/will not use the Online service, and some people in the 
circumstances above (excluding MAPPA claimants) may be willing and able to 
claim online. The telephony process should be used if the claimant states that 
they cannot or will not use the online service because of their personal 
circumstances, and those circumstances mean they are in a Vulnerable 
Group.. 
 
Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) 
Claimants  
The Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are the statutory 
arrangements for managing sexual, violent and certain other offenders in the 
community in Scotland, England and Wales.  

 
Some MAPPA claimants are not legally allowed to use computers which can 
access the internet. Restrictions on these claimants are imposed by probation 
and the claimant will be aware of their responsibility to declare this.  If a 
claimant states they are subject to MAPPA restrictions on their internet 
access, their claim should be taken over the phone.