National Insurance and JSA - need some help

HazelR_2

My partner got made redundant on 31st October 2008.

He is Irish, and came to the UK to study, and began working full time in September 2006.

After some confusion, when he was made redundant, he was told that he could not get JSA because he hadn't made enough NI contributions. They were counting from Sept 2006 - April 2007. They said that if he waited until January (i.e. now), they count to April 2008, i.e. 18+ months of contributions, entitling him to JSA (he has actually worked full time in the UK for 2 years and 1 month)

Only problem is, in order to do that, he has to cancel his previous claim (that he filed in October 08). Even though he hasn't been getting JSA, they have been paying his NI as he is registered unemployed. If he cancels his claim, there will be a gap in his contributions - which is causing us to be in this position in the first place!!

He has tried to get info from citizens advice; they said he wouldn't be able to get any benefits, although I might be able to claim for Tax Credits (I work full time as a primary teacher).

The redundancy money will run out soon and I am starting to worry. Can anyone offer some advice?

mvengemvenge

HazelR wrote: »

My partner got made redundant on 31st October 2008.

He is Irish, and came to the UK to study, and began working full time in September 2006.

After some confusion, when he was made redundant, he was told that he could not get JSA because he hadn't made enough NI contributions. They were counting from Sept 2006 - April 2007. They said that if he waited until January (i.e. now), they count to April 2008, i.e. 18+ months of contributions, entitling him to JSA (he has actually worked full time in the UK for 2 years and 1 month)

Only problem is, in order to do that, he has to cancel his previous claim (that he filed in October 08). Even though he hasn't been getting JSA, they have been paying his NI as he is registered unemployed. If he cancels his claim, there will be a gap in his contributions - which is causing us to be in this position in the first place!!

He has tried to get info from citizens advice; they said he wouldn't be able to get any benefits, although I might be able to claim for Tax Credits (I work full time as a primary teacher).

The redundancy money will run out soon and I am starting to worry. Can anyone offer some advice?

He needs to break his claim by more than 12 weeks (I think) and then claim again in the new calendar year. They will then use two new tax years to look at his contributions and he may qualify for JSA (Contribution Based).

krellos

cant you claim for non contribution based JSA? thats what I got because I never paid any contributions with being a student.

HazelR_2

By registering unemployed as soon as he lost his job, although he hasn't actually received any benefits, he has had his NI contributions paid.

By breaking his claim, won't there also be a break in his national insurance contributions in the future? It seems to be a catch 22.

It seems to be more important to get the JSA now, by cancelling the claim he made when he was first redundant in October (he's been told this is the only way he can have his contributions counted correctly), but we might regret it if we find ourselves facing the same situation in a couple of years.

Is there no way round this? He seems to be facing a choice between having benefits now, or having a continuous NI record.