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According to the latest figures, unemployment rose by 72,000 in the three months to October. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are now 1.49 million people out of work, with the unemployment rate jumping to 4.9% from 4.7% in September. The number of people out of work and claiming unemployment benefits rose for the tenth month in a row, up 10,500 to 902,000 in November. If growth in the UK economy continues to slow and retail sales remain subdued, many more workers could end up in the firing line. So, what should you do when you're made redundant, suddenly or otherwise? 1. Register at the JobCentre The JobCentre is the gateway to state benefits, plus your personal adviser will offer you advice on all aspects of your search for work. It's important to note that you won't receive any benefits for any period for which you've received pay in lieu of notice, but it's still worth registering at the JobCentre immediately you stop work. Independent advice website Entitled To will show you what benefits you can claim, including Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance. Note that Housing Benefit is only paid to tenants; support for homeowners is almost non-existent, as this article reveals. Almost all of the benefits available are means tested, with the exception of Contributions-based JobSeeker's Allowance. This means that your entitlement will be reduced or removed if your partner works or you have significant savings. What's more, your benefits may be stopped if you don't co-operate with your personal adviser, so don't miss your signing-on appointments, and be sure to attend every job interview that you're offered. 2. Take care of what money you do have If you receive a substantial redundancy payment, or already have sizeable savings, don't be tempted to go on a spending spree. Your goal is to stretch out your capital for as long as it will last. It's important to keep what you have absolutely safe, so stash it away in a Best Buy high-interest savings account. Also, be very wary of anyone who suggests that it's a good idea to move your money out of cash to invest elsewhere, because they may simply be chasing a fat commission! 3. Slash your expenses With no income coming in, your bills will start to bite, so you need to learn how to budget and cut back on your bills. Also, you must keep your borrowing under control, so read Ten Ways To Dump Your Debts and visit our Get Out of Debt centre. By the way, don't use your redundancy money to pay off any debts until you've checked carefully whether you have payment protection insurance policies to cover the repayments on any mortgages, loans and cards. Look for any mention of, say, "mortgage payment protection insurance", "credit card repayment protection" and "personal loan protection" on credit agreements and statements, or call your lender to check. 4. Prioritise your spending When you're out of work, you may not have enough money to make ends meet. Hence, it's vital to pay your most important bills first. Rob Parsons, author of The Money Secret suggest that you pay THEM FIRST: Tax (council) Hire purchase Electricity and gas Maintenance and child support Fines Income Tax Rent or mortgage Second mortgage Television licence Paying these bills first should stop you losing the roof over your head or ending up in jail! Learn more in How To Avoid Losing Your Home. 5. Plan your return to work Although the job market is still fairly lively in many parts of the UK, a new job won't just fall into your lap. Some people -- especially long-serving staff -- are so shell-shocked by redundancy that it takes them quite a while to pick themselves up and soldier on. However, it pays to get cracking straight away, so tidy up your curriculum vitae -- and remember that when it comes to CVs, "less is more"! Keep a record of all job interviews, calls and application letters that you make, in order to prove that you're actively seeking re-employment. Alternatively, consider exploring the alternatives to full-time employment, such as part-time work, re-training for a new career, further education, starting your own business or retiring early. 6. Get help from other Fools You'll get good advice, plus sympathy and support from the Fools who frequent our discussion boards, particularly these: Dealing With Redundancy, Dealing With Debt and Living Below Your Means. Finally, once you're back in work, be sure not to lose your good budgeting, spending and debt-management habits, because you never know when redundancy could strike again! More: Find a superior savings account | How To Cope With Financial Disasters.