Job seekers allowance

Oldernotwiser

mvengemvenge wrote: »

I think that when National Insurance started, people thought they were paying into a kind-of personal savings fund, like a pension pot for just them. In reality, the people paying NI are paying for the claimants of the day, just as one day people will be paying for you (assuming anyone is still working).

I'm sure you're right but as this has been the situation for 60 years, you'd think more people would understand the way it works!

von

If there is a break of more then 12 weeks between the last day of your previous claim and the first day of your current claim then the claims will not link and you are entitled to JSA for 182 days on your new claim which started in November.
If you think there is more than a 12 weeks break you should ask the Jobcentre to explain why you are not entitled to 182 days of JSA.

mvengemvenge

von wrote: »

If there is a break of more then 12 weeks between the last day of your previous claim and the first day of your current claim then the claims will not link and you are entitled to JSA for 182 days on your new claim which started in November.
If you think there is more than a 12 weeks break you should ask the Jobcentre to explain why you are not entitled to 182 days of JSA.

mvengemvenge wrote: »

The rules for Rapid Reclaims (where there was less than 13 weeks between claims) were changed in Dec (I think) to extend this to 6 months. Not sure if this has increased the 'linking' period to 6 months also, which would mean that the OP's two periods on JSA link up.

See my previous post...

It also depends when two claims are made. If they were to fall in the same calendar year, the same tax years would be looked at for the calculation, so it wouldn't be afresh 182 days anyway.

unimaginative_2

mvengemvenge wrote: »

See my previous post...

It also depends when two claims are made. If they were to fall in the same calendar year, the same tax years would be looked at for the calculation, so it wouldn't be afresh 182 days anyway.

yes, this is correct, its the relevant tax years that are used. after the new tax year begins in april, we'll be using a more recent tax year to calculate cont based benefit. so, if in that year, you've paid enough NI, you'll qualify again.

the 182 days has little to do with the 12 week linking, and is more to do with the tax years used. the relevant tax years being used just now are y/e 06 and y/e 07. after 5th apr, we'll be using y/e 07 & y/e 08. hope this helps.

pontdugard

"The rules for Rapid Reclaims (where there was less than 13 weeks between claims) were changed in Dec (I think) to extend this to 6 months. Not sure if this has increased the 'linking' period to 6 months also, which would mean that the OP's two periods on JSA link up."

Does anyone know if the 'linking' period has been extended to 6 months ?

Does the type of JSA (contribution or income based) make any difference to the linking period ?

Fat_Debtor

So, does this mean that after 6 months of CB JSA, you are automatically transferred to Income Based JSA? If so, do you have to fill in more forms etc and do they require you to provide proof of savings etc?

movingforward2010

pontdugard wrote: »

"The rules for Rapid Reclaims (where there was less than 13 weeks between claims) were changed in Dec (I think) to extend this to 6 months. Not sure if this has increased the 'linking' period to 6 months also, which would mean that the OP's two periods on JSA link up."

Does anyone know if the 'linking' period has been extended to 6 months ?

Does the type of JSA (contribution or income based) make any difference to the linking period ?

yes the linking has been extended to 6 months providing (as on all 4RR's that information is still the same) and we go on the ritys starting in january not april.

doesnt matter if it cont or IB,

movingforward2010

Fat_Debtor wrote: »

So, does this mean that after 6 months of CB JSA, you are automatically transferred to Income Based JSA? If so, do you have to fill in more forms etc and do they require you to provide proof of savings etc?

, you will have to complete a JSA3, if you have savings you will have to provide proof, and your partners work details and wage slips if they are working

movingforward2010

unimaginative wrote: »

yes, this is correct, its the relevant tax years that are used. after the new tax year begins in april, we'll be using a more recent tax year to calculate cont based benefit. so, if in that year, you've paid enough NI, you'll qualify again.

the 182 days has little to do with the 12 week linking, and is more to do with the tax years used. the relevant tax years being used just now are y/e 06 and y/e 07. after 5th apr, we'll be using y/e 07 & y/e 08. hope this helps.

this starts on the first sunday in january, and ends the following January (on the Saturday
immediately before the first Sunday of that month), not in april for JSA benefit purposes, this is why we have had people withdrawing claims made in dec and reopening them on jan the 5th so they can claim cont based JSA using 07/08, if they have not qualified in 06/07

movingforward2010

born_free wrote: »

Hi All,

thanks for your comments.
My query wasn't about if my household can get by on my wife's income alone, I am well aware that this is much more than some people have coming in and I can make adjustments to make it work. My problem is with the benefit system, I have paid out £1000's in NI contributions throughout my career and what do I get in return, a few hundred quid, and I have to pay for perscriptions, dental etc myself while those who have never paid a NI contribution get the lot! I just makes me angry that have worked so hard and having contributed so much for 16 years that there is a 6 month limit on how long I can claim!

I understand where your coming from, when ive enquirer this in the past (when on training etc) 'ive always been told that customers are expected to find paid work within 6 months, obviously this isnt the case when there are no jobs!