Wife can't get JSA

patman99

This one is probably best-answered by 'Busy mum', but I'll ask the q. anyway.

My wife decided to sign-on after 16 years of being a sahm, she took her P60 & P45 with her. She was told that due to the fact she had not paid any stamp in the last 2 years she wasn't entitled to JSA. She was told that she could still sign-on, but all they would do is pay her stamp.

What I want to know is -
a) If she signs-on for a year, and they pay her stamp, will she then be entitled to claim JSA.

b) Are there any benefits she is entitled to claim?

c) if she had been working, but not earning enough to pay either NI or Tax would she still have the same problem?

alwaysonthego_2

patman99 wrote: »

This one is probably best-answered by 'Busy mum', but I'll ask the q. anyway.

My wife decided to sign-on after 16 years of being a sahm, she took her P60 & P45 with her. She was told that due to the fact she had not paid any stamp in the last 2 years she wasn't entitled to JSA. She was told that she could still sign-on, but all they would do is pay her stamp.

What I want to know is -
a) If she signs-on for a year, and they pay her stamp, will she then be entitled to claim JSA. No she would not be entitled to CBJSA, she would have needed to pay some class one conts in the past two relevant tax years. I cnanot find my advisers book to give you the accurate amount.

b) Are there any benefits she is entitled to claim? depends on household income and savings.

c) if she had been working, but not earning enough to pay either NI or Tax would she still have the same problem? Yes though she can voluntary pay towards her stamp.

Do you have children?

p.s Although Busy mum is a wealth of knowledge, there are some really good experts on this board.

edit: I see you have children, she would get HRP if she is getting the CB in her name, so wouldn't necessarily need to sign on.

edit: CBJSA Ni conts:

1) paid conts at least 25 times lower the lower earnings limit in either the relevant years and

2) paid or been credited with conts at least 50 times the lower earnings limit during both the relevant years.

McKneff

You have to have paid 2 full years NI ie from April 07 to March 08 and April 08 to March 09 to enable you to get JSA now.

healy

McKneff wrote: »

You have to have paid 2 full years NI ie from April 07 to March 08 and April 08 to March 09 to enable you to get JSA now.

The years that would be looked at are 2006/7 and 2007/8.

McKneff

healy wrote: »

The years that would be looked at are 2006/7 and 2007/8.

Thanks healy, didnt realise that. even at my great age i still enjoy learning something new every day;)

alwaysonthego_2

McKneff wrote: »

Thanks healy, didnt realise that. even at my great age i still enjoy learning something new every day;)

It can be very confusing, especially if you are knocking on, though I am sure Healy can empathise with you (runs very quickly out of the benefits board),

healy

alwaysonthego wrote: »

It can be very confusing, especially if you are knocking on, though I am sure Healy can empathise with you (runs very quickly out of the benefits board),

You cheeky devil! I still have my teeth and most of my hair!!

patman99

Our child is 16, and will soon be starting College. We do get Tax Credits (both the 'working' and 'child' parts).

I guessed that the stamp period would cover the last 2 years, but if she signs-on to get her stamp paid does this mean that in 2 years time she will be entitled to re-apply for JSA?.

CBJSA ?, can I assume that stands for 'Child Benefit Job Seekers Allowance'? (someone needs to start a thread entitled 'Benefits acrynims and their meaning')

Our household income is £16500, and we get WTC/CTC, I also get Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (through loss of thumb many years ago). Apart from Child Benefit, thats all we have to live on.

alwaysonthego_2

patman99 wrote: »

Our child is 16, and will soon be starting College. We do get Tax Credits (both the 'working' and 'child' parts).

I guessed that the stamp period would cover the last 2 years, but if she signs-on to get her stamp paid does this mean that in 2 years time she will be entitled to JSA?.no she won't she needs to have paid some class one conts in one of the qualifying years, see my first post.
Also, there are a lot of cleaning jobs in our area but none of them pay enough to reach the income threshold for paying tax & ni, so would this affect her future chances of JSA if she took one?, or is the 'stamp' seperate to the tax & ni?.The stamp is NI as in NI conts, she could pay her own stamp though I do not think this would go to paying CBJSA only towards her SP.
Sorry about so many questions, but we have a negative cash flow and getting my wife on to any kind of benefits would ease the problem considerablyIf you have debts you should get help from the CAB.

If she voluntary pays her NI stamp then this would be class 3 and as I suspected only goes towards her SP and bereavement benefits . Whilst she is claiming CB she gets HRP.

patman99

Whats HRP?.

alwaysonthego_2

Home responsibilities Protection

Home responsibilities protection helps parents and carers to satisfy the contribution conditions for long-term benefits, for example, Retirement Pension. It does not give you any more national insurance contributions, but it reduces the number of years you would have to have paid contributions in order to get the full amount of benefit (see also How contributions pay for benefits). This helps you if you are not working because you are bringing up a child or caring for someone.
You get home responsibilities protection for a year in which you get Child Benefit for a child under 16, or get Income Support because you are caring for a disabled person. This home responsibilities protection is recorded automatically.
Very occasionally, you may be able to get home responsibilities protection if your partner gets Child Benefit instead of you. In this case, you would need to claim home responsibilities protection, it would not be recorded automatically.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/national_insurance_contributions_and_benefits.htm


p.s dmg you should go back to wearing your skirt, young lady