Question r.e. JSA & NI contributions

soph_213

Hello all!
I've used MSE for advice over the years but this is my first post...exciting! :j

OK so I'm a bit confused about JSA and NI contributions. I was signed on from Jan - Aug 2011, not receiving any money but they were paying my NI stamp. I wasn't entitled to income-based as I'm living with my OH, and they used the tax years when I was at uni/just graduated to calculate contribution-based, so I didn't get any money.

I then had a job from Aug 2011 - Jan 2012, but have not had a job since then. I signed on online a few days ago, and had an appointment at the jobcentre today. They're now using the tax years 09/10 and 10/11 to calculate if I get anything, and are saying again that I'm not entitled to any money.

I worked Apr 09-July 09, then was unemployed (not signed on for NI credits/money) from Jul 09 - Apr 10 (I know I should have been signed on, but was travelling a lot between parents and OH, so wasn't in one place for long enough!). I then had jobs from Apr 10 - Dec 10, then was signed on (for NI credits) from Jan 11 as I mentioned.

I think the tax year 10/11 is OK, I'd paid enough contributions, so I think it's 09/10 that is the problem. When I signed on last year I contacted HMRC for a statement of account to see what NI contributions I'd made for the past few years. It said that I could pay £385.60 by 5th Apr 2012 to make up the amount for the year 09/10. I think if I tried to make that payment now, I'd have to pay more than that, as it's past the deadline.

If I were to make that payment, would the Jobcentre then be able to pay me JSA? I asked the woman at the JobCentre today but she didn't know - she said that someone else had asked her the same question and that person thought not.

Would it be worth making that payment, financially? I'm not sure how long I'd be signed on for - we're planning on going abroad at some point this year, not sure when though, or I might find a job before that.

Also would it be worth making that payment anyway, in terms of pensions? I'll be 25 in a few months, and have 3 qualifying years till Apr 10 (probably 10/11 is too, so probably will have 4 years now) - we're planning on kiddies at some point, and I guess I'll be working part time for a while after that, so I don't know if I'd get in 26 ish full years between now and retirement.

Also, on a related note - should employers NI contributions show up on my NI statement of account? I've had jobs in some years where nothing is showing up at all on my statement - e.g. a summer job in '07 where I paid £34.14 NI, and employer paid £53.09 - but my NI statement is showing as nothing paid at all for that year.

Any help with any or all of those points would be very helpful, thanks very much!

soph_213

Sorry...not sure if this is in the right thread - saw other stuff about NI and JSA, would be grateful if someone could let me know if I need to post elsewhere! :beer:

jancee_2

If you were to make up the contributions that would only make it a qualifying year towards pension. Voluntary contributions do not count towards other benefit entitlement as far as I'm aware.

Elvisia

I wouldn't have thought it worth it unless you really have the cash burning a hole in your pocket, I have spent some time talking to the NI office and they said my pension age would be 67, so if that's the case you've got 42 years until you retire, and you say you've already got 3 years under your belt so you only need to work for 27 years in the next 42 years.