JSA Question

Suzi.Q_3

I'm being made redundant at the end of the year. I've been in full time work since Jan 07, and I live with my husband who works full time. Will I be entitled to contributions based JSA? I'm pretty sure that will be all I'm entitled to, but I'm not even certain about that! I know the last time I was unemployed (after university) I was entitled to nothing as my husband 'earned too much' and I'd not paid enough NI. Thank you!

dmg24

What were you doing in 2006?

Suzi.Q_3

I was finishing my PhD, followed by unemployment when I wasn't eligible for jobseekers. I worked part time from September 06 - December 06.

ukdickie31

Claiming JSA up to 31/12/08 will use the tax years 05/06 and 06/07.

Claiming on 1/1/09 will use the 06/07 and 07/08 tax years.

Were you working and paying NI in the latter ? Might be a consideration on your claim date.

Suzi.Q_3

My claim will start from 1st January (being made redundant on 31st Dec), so the 06/07 and 07/08 years will be applicable. 07/08 I was employed full time paying NI the whole year, 06/07 could be a bit more difficult - I worked part time Sept - Dec, full time Jan - April.

dag_2

I'm finding it very difficult to find out the minimum level of required contribution for a particular year. So I'm going to guess - but this could be completely wrong.

I read somewhere that although the assessment is based on two years, it seems that you only need to have a qualifying contribution in at least one of those two years - not both. But I can't remember where I read this now - sorry!

But the question is - how much of a contribution is a "qualifying" contribution? I'm guessing that it would be the same as the contribution that is required for that year to count towards your state pension. If you've made some contribution but it's not enough to make that particular year qualify, you do have an option to top up.

Best people to ask would be the HMRC National Insurance Contributions Office. Although I guess your entitlement to benefit would be assessed by Jobcentre Plus on behalf of the DWP, it's not the Jobcentre Plus who decides whether or not you have made a qualifying NI contribution in any given year. That particular decision is made by the Contributions Office - and I guess that Jobcentre Plus just go on whatever the Contributions Office tells them.

BYALPHAINDIA

Nobody can live on JSA, That's why the payments are so low.

An added incentive to 'Quick march' people back into work.

But there has been no work in Britain for the last 15 years, So I don't know what the answer is.