Job Seekers Allowance

[farquarpigmix]

My wife use to be on incapacity benefit until it was removed. use to work before leaving due to tumor. (not life threatening ) She is fully up to date with national insurance contributions. Would she be able to claim job seekers allowance?

She has tried to find work but as yet no joy. I work 40 hrs +. I think that after paying your stamp etc she should be able to claim.

[Dunroamin]

Originally Posted by farquarpigmix

My wife use to be on incapacity benefit until it was removed. use to work before leaving due to tumor. (not life threatening ) She is fully up to date with national insurance contributions. Would she be able to claim job seekers allowance?

She has tried to find work but as yet no joy. I work 40 hrs +. I think that after paying your stamp etc she should be able to claim.

The National Insurance Credits that are given when claiming benefits, count towards the state pension but not towards JSA. When did she last actually pay National Insurance?

[McKneff]

Think the OP said his wife was up to date with 'contributions' not credits.

Do you know for sure that she is up to date with contributions, it is covered byu the last two full tax years.

[sleepless saver]

If she claims before the end of this month, she will be assessed on her NI contributions for 2009-10 and 2010-11.

If she delays claiming until January 2013, she will be assessed on her contributions for 2010-11 and 2011-12.

So she needs to time her application depending on which periods she has the right NI contributions for. NI contributions made outside these periods are irrelevant.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotla..._contributions

[Dunroamin]

Originally Posted by McKneff

Think the OP said his wife was up to date with 'contributions' not credits.

Do you know for sure that she is up to date with contributions, it is covered byu the last two full tax years.

He did, but I thought he must have misunderstood if she's been on IB for a longish period.

[McKneff]

I wonder why the OP says her IB was removed. Would the case be that she should have gone from IB to ESA. Just wondering

[farquarpigmix]

Hi and thank you for replys. My wife has applied for JSA (previously, got a memory like a sive she said ) but was turned down. I don't know why but there you go. She was on IB for a long time.

[miduck]

Originally Posted by farquarpigmix

Hi and thank you for replys. My wife has applied for JSA (previously, got a memory like a sive she said ) but was turned down. I don't know why but there you go. She was on IB for a long time.

You do not give enough information to get an informed response - when did her IB claim end, and has she worked since?

[farquarpigmix]

IB ended in 2007. Has had 3 jobs since totalling in 6 months work for all 3 jobs.

[CAB Birmingham representative]

Thank you for your e-mail

There are a number of options that at this stage your wife may wish to consider. It appears from your e-mail that your wife considers herself fit and able to work and if this is the case and her contributions are up to date it may be that she could claim a contribution based JSA. You do mention that she had been turned down for this in a prior application but did not say why.

Other factors that may be considered is whether your wife feels able to work and whether she has considered a benefit such as Employment and Support Allowance if she feels not well enough to do so.

Further details may be needed for us to be able to provide accurate information and guidance and we would therefore recommend that if your wife is able to do so she could attend her local Bureau to discuss this further or alternatively contact our telephone advice line on 08444 77 10 10

Kind regards
Birminghan CAB

[farquarpigmix]

Thank you for the reply.

[miduck]

Originally Posted by farquarpigmix

IB ended in 2007. Has had 3 jobs since totalling in 6 months work for all 3 jobs.

Sorry OP, I'm not sure why the CAB Rep is suggesting she applies for ESA or JSA - with so little employment she will not have sufficient NI Conts for either.