JSA What is the current entitlement criteria??

ATF101

My son completed his degree at University last June. He then got employment for 8 months to cover the cost of planned foreign travel. Having now returned from his travel he is seeking employment again.

Having been to the Jobcentre they initially indicated that he qualified for Job Seekers Allowance. However, they have now stated that they have carried out a further review and as a result rescinded the earlier decision on the grounds that he left his last job ‘voluntarily’ and ‘without sufficiently good reasons’.

They also state that National Insurance contributions credits will not be awarded.

Is this the way of things at present.

Any help appreciated.

healy

He can firstly ask for the decision to be reconsidered and if this is not successful he can appeal the decision.

If he does this he should continue to sign on.

AsknAnswer

It is not the jobcentre staff that process jobseekers allowance. They are a point of contact and personal advisors are based there, but they do not make decisions on entitlement. This occurs in a benefit delivery centre.

For your son to qualify for contribution based JSA he needs to have paid enough class 1 NI contributions over the last two years. He has not worked in over 8 months and has not paid contributions in that time therefore he would not satisfy the criteria for contribution based JSA.

For income based JSA, he worked, gave up that work voluntarily to go travelling, and spent the money he had travelling. From their point of view, his situation is of his own making and they have the right to sanction his claim to benefit as a result. The state is there as a safety net, not as a subsidary - not being judgemental there, I'm being factual.

KimYeovil

Tax payers do not pay for others' jaunts around the world. If you voluntarily give up your work to go on holiday then it is your responsibility to have saved up enough to pay both for your holiday and to pay for the subsequent six months of sanction.

mealone

KimYeovil wrote: »

Tax payers do not pay for others' jaunts around the world. If you voluntarily give up your work to go on holiday then it is your responsibility to have saved up enough to pay both for your holiday and to pay for the subsequent six months of sanction.

Unless your name is Eugenie.

dookar

KimYeovil wrote: »

Tax payers do not pay for others' jaunts around the world. If you voluntarily give up your work to go on holiday then it is your responsibility to have saved up enough to pay both for your holiday and to pay for the subsequent six months of sanction.

He worked in order to pay for his 'jaunt'

He cannot receive a 6 month sanction.