early retirement & job seekers allowance

[maypole]

Hello there

My husband is taking early retirement at age 56 from the civil service. He will get a lump sum and an annual pension.

He will sign on the dole to get his NI contributions paid until state pension age, but will he get jobseekers allowance and will he be able to claim for me, his wife. He has worked for 38 years.

Thank you

Maypole

[nearlyrich]

The occupational pension will probably wipe out the JSA as I understand it's means tested now.

[clear_blu]

Originally Posted by maypole

He will sign on the dole to get his NI contributions paid until state pension age.

From age 60 he will receive credit for NI contributions without signing on.........bit extra 'lie in' for him..........

[maypole]

Hello there

Thank you nearlyrich, not such good news!

Thank you Clear_ Blu, that is better news!

Best wishes from maypole.

[Bossyboots]

There is information here http://www.direct.gov.uk/Bfsl1/Benef...757&chk=A1h/Ux on JSA and the figures. If I have understood it correctly, he may get contribution based JSA but I agree that his pension will take him out of the ambit of income-based JSA which is the one that appears to be means tested.

[nearlyrich]

I was going off my OH's experiencewhen he took early retirement with a company pension, I am still working but even without any info about my earnings he didn't qualify for any JSA.

[Bossyboots]

Originally Posted by nearlyrich

I was going off my OH's experiencewhen he took early retirement with a company pension, I am still working but even without any info about my earnings he didn't qualify for any JSA.

You may be right though and I may have misunderstood it. As far as I could see it only mentions income being relevant under the heading of income-based JSA but it is not particularly well written so I am not entirely sure. No doubt someone will be on the forums later who can clarify.

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by maypole

Hello there

My husband is taking early retirement at age 56 from the civil service. He will get a lump sum and an annual pension.

He will sign on the dole to get his NI contributions paid until state pension age, but will he get jobseekers allowance and will he be able to claim for me, his wife. He has worked for 38 years.

Thank you

Maypole

I thanked you and intended to hit the quote button.Doh!

From personal experience I think you will find you get no JSA at all. I would also suggest you get a pension forecast from http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/ You will possibly find that taking into account the credit from 60 your husband will have sufficient credit and will have no need to sign on at all. Also note that the government are planning on putting new laws into place that only require 30 years contributions to be eligible for the basic state pension. Currently 39 for women and 44 for men.

[MABLE]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I thanked you and intended to hit the quote button.Doh!

From personal experience I think you will find you get no JSA at all. I would also suggest you get a pension forecast from http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/ You will possibly find that taking into account the credit from 60 your husband will have sufficient credit and will have no need to sign on at all. Also note that the government are planning on putting new laws into place that only require 30 years contributions to be eligible for the basic state pension. Currently 39 for women and 44 for men.

If this new laws comes into being and you have sufficient contributions could this mean then you would not pay any more NI contributions.

[maypole]

Hello there

Thank you all for your excellent replies, this is a great site for getting info. I will check with the DWP

Best wishes

Maypole

[mobilegossip]

Does say in the small print,on Jobseekers allowance.

"Your payments might be reduced if you're getting a pension of more than £50 a week, or delayed if you're getting final payments from your last job."

[Optimist]

Originally Posted by MABLE

If this new laws comes into being and you have sufficient contributions could this mean then you would not pay any more NI contributions.

If your working you pay NI irrespective !

[clear_blu]

Originally Posted by nearlyrich

I was going off my OH's experience when he took early retirement with a company pension.

I can confirm this..........I took early retirement and was informed that I could receive up to £50 per week company pension without affecting JSA.
Above that amount the JSA allowable is reduced £1 for £1.
Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately I didn't qualify for any........

[maypole]

Thank you all for your posts. He won't get any JS Allowance. Too much pension. Good thing in one way I suppose.

Thanks again

[rotate]

Originally Posted by clear_blu

From age 60 he will receive credit for NI contributions without signing on.........bit extra 'lie in' for him..........

How does this work.Do you have to register as unemployed or is it completely automatic. Thanks

[clear_blu]

Originally Posted by rotate

How does this work.Do you have to register as unemployed or is it completely automatic. Thanks

As far as I know it's automatic.........but just in case I phoned the job centre and they confirmed that from 60 to 65 contributions were automatically creditted.

[ReportInvestor]

This thread sums up the state employee v private employee/taxpayer issue that is going to be headline news in the next decade.

State employees 3 : 0 others

[kenshaz]

Far better to have your pension ,and no JSA,then you can hold your head up proud,no need to visit the job centre and let some government employee patronize you.

[emptynester]

HI there

My hubby retired in October 05 with a final salary pension; he was 51 but had to go as he had served his 30 years. He tried to sign on but could only get his national insurance contributions paid. He was told he did not qualify for job seekers allowance as he would be in receipt of an occupational pension.

Can only speak for our local Job Centre Plus, but he was treated like an idiot; even though he was only getting his NI paid he still had to sign a job seekers contract and report for signing on each fortnight. One week he was 10 mins late owing to parking problems and was told that if he was late again they would sign him off!

Luckily he has now found a part time job, he tried full time but the amount of tax he had to pay was astronomical as he is still paying PAYE on his pension which means the Inland Revenue count any other employment as a second income and therefore he is on Basic Rate deductions (ouch!)

Taxed to the hilt, first on his salary, now on his pension and finally on his now part time earnings - is it fair ?

So much for being good and contributing to a pension.

[Grumpy old git]

Hello, a couple of years ago I was in the situation of signing on just for my stamp (already have a private pension). The because I did a job for a friend (15 hours) I though best to declare it (best thing I ever did), however the forms I had to fill in were onerous and did not relate to the type of job I had done which was self employed (the forms assume a regular hourly rate). I was told I'd have to go self employed and pay my own stamp, this I duly did, the cost of the stamps worked out to about £4.20 a fortnight (I was signing on once a fortnight) and was cheaper than bussing or driving in to sign on.
I now work when I want, for whome I want, doing what I want. What I earn provides enough to keep (just) my kids in further education - hopefully when they are self sufficient I will be too with just my pension - here's hoping.