Contribution Paid JSA

cherryredcutie

Hiya,

I have a question about Contribution based Job Seekers Allowance. Does anyone now how much I have had to work/earn in the last 2 years to qualify for it? How many NIN credits do I need? Is it enough if I worked full time of one of the years or part time for both years?

Thanks a lot for your help in advance!
Anne

HappyMJ

You need to have earnt over the lower earnings limit of National Insurance every week of the 52 weeks to have been credited with contributions. If you worked part time it's about £100 per week.

It's tax years as well so 08/09 and 09/10. We are still in year 10/11 until April.

NASA_2

Probably easier if you told us what you did work and we can advise from there.

No certain way of knowing though unless you make a claim.

Also worth nothing that the contribution conditions have been tightened recently and less people will qualify.

charliemonkeyface

i have been unemployed for about 10 months i only claimed for Contribution Payed JSA last week.

I have just been told my claim was approved based on the Class 1 N.I. contribution i have payed over the last 2 years.

cassieB57

HappyMJ wrote: »

You need to have earnt over the lower earnings limit of National Insurance every week of the 52 weeks to have been credited with contributions. If you worked part time it's about £100 per week.

It's tax years as well so 08/09 and 09/10. We are still in year 10/11 until April.

Contribution based job seekers allowance

There are two main contribution conditions:
1) You must actually have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions with an earnings factor of at least 25 times the lower earnings level in one of the two relevant contribution years.
Class 1 National Insurance contributions are only paid by somebody working for an employer (not self-employed).


Relevant contribution year runs from April to April in the two years prior to the date of claim. The benefit year runs from the first Sunday in January to the end of the first Saturday in the following January.
2) The second contribution condition is that in each of the relevant contribution years you must have either paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions with an earnings factor of at least 50 times the lower earnings limit for that year.

The relevant contribution years for a claim made in 2011 would normally be 2008-9 and 2009-10, (UNLESS you have previously made a claim that ended in the 12 weeks before the current claim)

The lower earnings limit for 2008-9 is £90.00