Refusal of JSA and N.I. Contributions

Fuzzy16

OH was self employed for 5 years prior to business failing last November. When he went to job centre he was told that he cannot have JSA as he has not paid full stamp, but he was told to keep signing on as he would have his stamp paid for him. He has been told that he would have to work for 2 years to qualify for JSA, if he has been signing on for 12 months and has his stamp paid for 12 months is there any way he could make up for the short fall in his N.I. conts? such as pay whats missing? what is the minimum contribution a person could make to enable them to get JSA?

sleepless_saver

I don't think there's any way of buying the NI contributions for JSA. You can do it for state pension, but that's different.

Even if he got a job tomorrow, it would be well over 2 years before he would be entitled to contribution based JSA as the contribution years are financial years.

Not sure what impact the proposed universal credit would have on your situation but that is still some way off.

rogerblack

Indeed - start working today, and you contribute to 2012/13 tax year.
You need this, and 13/14, before you become it becomes relevant to a claim in Jan 2015.

Fuzzy16

Yes, Ihave since found out that you cannot 'buy' any NI Conts for JSA. He can't get income based either as I am working and they think you can manage, on top of all this he had to go bankrupt also, so its going to be a rough 12months.
Thanks

nannytone_2

the stamp that is paid by signing on doesnt go towards being able to claim JSA ... it contributes to a small number of benefits .... mainly the state retirement pension.

McKneff

He should have been paying 2 lots of different NIs when he was self employed to enable him to claim benefits.

sleepless_saver

McKneff wrote: »

He should have been paying 2 lots of different NIs when he was self employed to enable him to claim benefits.

Even if he had, it wouldn't have entitled him to claim contribution based JSA, as Class 1 contributions are needed for that.

McKneff

So what contributions do self employed pay then

A number of years ago, my OH was self employed, was sick for around 12 weeks and .............

Oops, sorry, I realise now it was SSP he was able to claim.

Cpt.Scarlet

He should have paid for Class 2 NI Contributions.

richard9991

McKneff wrote: »

So what contributions do self employed pay then

A number of years ago, my OH was self employed, was sick for around 12 weeks and .............

Oops, sorry, I realise now it was SSP he was able to claim.

you cant get ssp when self employed because it is paid by an employer

McKneff

richard9991 wrote: »

you cant get ssp when self employed because it is paid by an employer

Well it was some sort of sick pay, cant remember what it was called back then. I suppose Incapacity Benefit.