Refused JSA for non NI Contributions!! I was at Uni for 3 years!!!!

Skibum

Hi
Has anyone else been in this situation. Graduated Uni in June and been refused JSA as i havnt paid NI contribution for 2 years. Ive been at Uni the whole time. We have appealed however no joy. Have no idea when i will ever receive any sort of support. Applying for jobs everyday. Apart from this as a reason they also say that because my partner works more the 24 house a week she can support us both! Should we just break up would that enable me to be eligable for JSA? Can anyone advise?
Skibum:mad::mad::mad:

dmg24

They are correct, if you have not paid sufficient NI Conts you will not qualify for CB JSA. How old is your partner, and how much does she earn?

bigjl

Skibum wrote: »

Hi
Should we just break up would that enable me to be eligable for JSA? Can anyone advise?
Skibum:mad::mad::mad:

Sorry but I can't advise anybody to lie to enable them to be entitled to benefits, you have applied for JSA and got turned down, that is life.

But remember that you have got through uni without working a part time job, how did you manage to do that?

Perhaps you could approach the financial problem you have now in the same way.

Skibum

I survived of my student Loan. Didnt go out or spend much on food etc. I also received funding towards my studies. My Partner is 27 as am I. Its putting such a strain on our relationship it wouldnt be a lie if we broke up. She doesnt earn enough to keep me as well as herself. Ive applied for 60 jobs. I got a 1st to its not as if i didnt get a good grade. If we were not living together would it make a difference?

Idiophreak

Have you applied for *all jobs*? You can't be fussy when you're keeping the wolf from the door...

Jowo_2

Skibum wrote: »

...Should we just break up would that enable me to be eligable for JSA? Can anyone advise?
Skibum:mad::mad::mad:

If your relationship breaks down and you or your partner moves out, it's possible that even though you would become eligible for JSA, you may in fact be no better off, even with LHA (housing benefit) and CT discount.

There was a post on the Discussion Time forum a few months ago which debated whether it was possible for a person on benefits living in their own place to live on the money which concluded it was virtually impossible.

Even without having to pay rent and CT, it is a complete and utter struggle to pay other living expenses, such as energy, water, food, telecoms, etc. Threads on DT rarely have any consensus but there was on this - unless a person is splitting bills with another or is utterly ruthlessly frugal, it's very tough to keep their head above water.

I recommend that you download the budget planner spreadsheet on the tools section to get a total grip on your income and outgoings, in both as a single person or couple, to 100% understand your budget.

Also, put these scenarios through the Turn2us (entitled to) online benefit calculator.

Don't assume that you will be better off - double and triple check this.

dmg24

Skibum wrote: »

I survived of my student Loan. Didnt go out or spend much on food etc. I also received funding towards my studies. My Partner is 27 as am I. Its putting such a strain on our relationship it wouldnt be a lie if we broke up. She doesnt earn enough to keep me as well as herself. Ive applied for 60 jobs. I got a 1st to its not as if i didnt get a good grade. If we were not living together would it make a difference?

How much does she earn?

Jowo_2

Skibum wrote: »

... I got a 1st to its not as if i didnt get a good grade.

I was unemployed for a long time after graduating and it took several hundred applications and more than a dozen interviews before I got a non-graduate job so I do understand how low your morale is, so please understand that the following question is not designed to be judgemental, as I am sympathetic.

You've got a 1st class degree but so have perhaps around 1 in 20 of grads that are competing for jobs. What skills and experiences do you have to offer the employer? It is this that you should focus on as a selling point. You presumably worked before starting your degree,as you didn't during it so have no recent work experience, so this early employment experience might set you apart from your competitors.

There is an employment and jobseeking forum on MSE that can offer advice on this area to strengthen your job seeking opportunities as you are now finding out that a 1st class degree may not be conferring the advantages you anticipate.

pickledonionspaceraider

I am sure you girfriend will be chuffed to bits when she realises you are considering dumping her to gain access to benefits!

Hammyman

Skibum wrote: »

Hi
Has anyone else been in this situation. Graduated Uni in June and been refused JSA as i havnt paid NI contribution for 2 years. Ive been at Uni the whole time. We have appealed however no joy. Have no idea when i will ever receive any sort of support. Applying for jobs everyday. Apart from this as a reason they also say that because my partner works more the 24 house a week she can support us both! Should we just break up would that enable me to be eligable for JSA? Can anyone advise?
Skibum:mad::mad::mad:

You are a couple. In normal non-scrounging society, one partner supports the other if they're in a bit of a fix. I wonder your partner has seen your post? I bet she'd be dead chuffed that you'd want to split up for such a poxy reason.

Skibum

My point is that once i have a job i will contribute to this country for the next 50 years but im not supported for the few months im out on university whilst im searching, whether i have a partner or not should not even come into it. Its mearly the reason ive been refused! If people were looked at on an individual basis perhaps there wouldnt be so many claiming when they shouldnt. I was just wondering if anyone else has been in my situation and how they managed with no income and lots of bills!