JSA Refused...and I'm confused!!! Help please

richardwhite

Hi, Im new here and thought it would be best to ask anyone who has went through a similar experience as me. Here goes....

I was made redundant in July. I rang the jobcentre on 23rd July to 'sign on'. I went for my interview on the 30th July. So today I have received a letter to say I'm not entitled to contribution based JSA because I haven't paid enough Class 1 NI for years ending '07 and '08.

I fully understand the whole system but the reason I'm confused is that I was employed fulltime for those two years, incidentally by the same company that made me redundant. I have my P60's for the years in question and it says clearly I paid NI. I earned £20k roughly both years.

Question is...why do the jobcentre think I havent paid enough NI??? I phoned them and some airhead kid answered the phone and the only answer he could give my enquiry was, and I quote, 'Oh......well you'll have to give us a photocopy of your P60's and we will have another look at it.'

I left school when I was 16 and ive been in fulltime employment ever since and paying NI. 8 years on, I get made redundant and then made to feel guilty that Im trying to claim a benefit Im not entitled to when I am in fact more than entitled to it.

P.S. I have £450 pm rent to pay, a 3 yr old kid, a gf that works 16 hrs a wk on min wage and no savings. How is anyone expected to survive!!!

Rant over, but any help/advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks alot, Richard

Louise22

Richard, it looks like they have mucked up. You should be entitled due to your NI contributions.

richardwhite

Yeah, I just can't believe they can get something like that so wrong. The other worry I have is, if i get the decision reversed can will I still get the money from the date I applied...the 23rd July or will I have to re-apply?

JUNIOR

It will be backdated to the claim date

Cant understand why you are not entitled to it perhaps there trying to save a few bob :rolleyes:

Give them your P60's and you should get it

Good luck

J

Louise22

richardwhite wrote: »

Yeah, I just can't believe they can get something like that so wrong. The other worry I have is, if i get the decision reversed can will I still get the money from the date I applied...the 23rd July or will I have to re-apply?

I would have thought that they would backdate it but I am not sure. It does make you wonder how they can get things that are so important wrong, eh?

richardwhite

Thanks, I would like to think I'd get it. I was actually thinking the same thing. Maybe it's a government scheme to try and save money. Reject people's claims and see if they appeal. I'm sure there's quite a few people that have just accepted the refusal and never thought of challenging it. It's totally pathetic that you pay NI and tax to the government and they can't even keep a track of what you have paid.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm going to the jobcentre tomorrow to find out what has went wrong. I'll post further developments for anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Sues48

What has proberbly happened is that, for what ever reason, the NI conts deducted from your salary have not been posted to your account. This could be for a number of reasons, for example, the NI number on your P60 could be wrong or it could be a clerical error on the part of HMRC, provided you have your P60s for both years you will be fine and the JSA will be paid from your initial date of contact(minus the first 3 "waiting days")

busy_mom_2

richardwhite wrote: »

Thanks, I would like to think I'd get it. I was actually thinking the same thing. Maybe it's a government scheme to try and save money. Reject people's claims and see if they appeal. I'm sure there's quite a few people that have just accepted the refusal and never thought of challenging it. It's totally pathetic that you pay NI and tax to the government and they can't even keep a track of what you have paid.

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm going to the jobcentre tomorrow to find out what has went wrong. I'll post further developments for anyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

Sorry about your mix up with JSA but in all honest you need to phone the benefit processing centre. The jobcentre do not process your claim nor would they know whether or not you are entitled. Once your claim has been taken at the jobcentre it is sent to the processing office. Provided you have your P60 you shouldn't have a problem but please phone the processing centre first or you will be getting more frustrated when the jobcentre staff say they can't help you and refer you on.
Sorry but they really won't have any access to your previous emplyment details.

BeenieCat

busy_mom wrote: »

Sorry but they really won't have any access to your previous emplyment details.

When i had my initial JSA interview, the guy's screen showed all my previous contributions from the last few years. Granted there was no other information such as employers details, but certainly the contributions were all listed.

BeenieCat

Also, OP make sure you put an application in for housing and council tax benefit pronto (if you haven't already done so) - preferably via the JobCentre as they won't backdate it unless you have a good enough reason to have not claimed earlier. Not sure what reason would be good enough though.

busy_mom_2

BeenieCat wrote: »

When i had my initial JSA interview, the guy's screen showed all my previous contributions from the last few years. Granted there was no other information such as employers details, but certainly the contributions were all listed.

That would of been accessed from when you fill in your details with the contact centre, we call it CMS, that information is then 'pulled' by the processing centre for them to process your claim, we then loose all the information.