10. Claim what you're Owed

There's money the state owes you when you lose a job, and a surprising number of people never claim it. Pride, confusion, or a vague sense that it's not for people like them. That's expensive nonsense. You paid in for years precisely so this safety net exists. Use it.The systems differ by country, so here's the shape of it in the places most of you are reading from. Rates and rules change every year, so treat the numbers as a guide and check the current figure before you rely on it.If you're in the UKThe main route is New Style Jobseeker's Allowance. It's based on your National Insurance record, not your savings, so having money in the bank doesn't rule you out. It's a flat weekly rate, modest, paid for up to six months, and then the conversation shifts to Universal Credit. Universal Credit is the means-tested top-up, so savings and a partner's income do come into it there.Two things people get wrong. First, claim the day you're unemployed, not weeks later, because it's rarely…