No money at all!

cabbage

Is the person you share with your partner? if not their savings will not have a bearing on your claim

MrsManda

You can get a statement from the HMRC how much you've paid in N.I. contributions. This will be useful if you are asking the JCP to review your claim.

You can get a statement of account by contacting the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) National Insurance Enquiries for Individuals Helpline on 0845 302 1479 (textphone 0845 915 3296). The helpline is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday except bank holidays.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/BeginnersGuideToTax/NationalInsurance/IntroductiontoNationalInsurance/DG_190052

If you are not living with a partner then their income/savings is irrelevant to whether you get income based benefits. If the person you are living with is a partner then they are expected to provide for you.

As far as I understand it you are likely to be sanctioned for upto 26 weeks for voluntarily leaving your job and this sanction is placed from the time you apply for JSA not from the time you resigned.

Chaotic_2

Thanks for reading and responding, folks. Yes, I live with a partner, I'm just annoyed that the govt. thinks that her nest-egg is somehow my money - couldn't be further from the case. She too is out of work and has no income...fun times.

Think I will approach my MP...going down the 'official' complaint lines as outlined on DWP website hasn't got me anywhere. Cheers. Merry Christmas and all that.

Chaotic_2

Thanks MrsManda - helpful link!

Mojisola

Chaotic wrote: »

Thanks for reading and responding, folks. Yes, I live with a partner, I'm just annoyed that the govt. thinks that her nest-egg is somehow my money - couldn't be further from the case. She too is out of work and has no income...fun times.

In what way is she your partner if you consider that supporting each other in hard times isn't part of the deal? Is she really letting you go hungry rather than buy extra food for you?

I think you'll be wasting your time contacting your MP, etc. You gave up work and live with a partner - the DWP are just applying the rules.

If you needed to leave work because of problems, could you claim constructive dismissal? https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/Dismissal/DG_10026696

MrsManda

Chaotic wrote: »

Think I will approach my MP...going down the 'official' complaint lines as outlined on DWP website hasn't got me anywhere. Cheers. Merry Christmas and all that.

Unless they've made a mistake about your N.I. contributions therefore making you eligible for Contribution based JSA you have no grounds to complain. Do you really think your MP is going to be able to get the DWP to change their rules just for you?
(If they can that's grossly unfair and makes a mockery of the system)

Your best approach will be to get statement of N.I. contributions from the HMRC and ask for a review of your JSA application. If you've not paid enough N.I. contributions then your partner will just have to support you as partners are meant to support each other.

NASA_2

Get your MP onto the case.

A quick call from the MP speeds things up on most occasions. I think DWP staff genuinely are under extreme pressure at the minute so unless the work is prioritised for them they tend to go by the wayside. Having been in that position I dont blame them. Every case is urgent so where do you start?