contribution based JSA question

jackyann

Have looked on directgov & searched here, but no answer to this question:
will contribution based JSA be affected if there is a delay in claiming?
A young friend has been made redundant, has, the equivalent of 3 months' salary, so thinks he is best to concentrate on finding a job and not spend time "messing about" at the Job Centre.
He took on board my point about geting NI credits, and that a claim may take awhile to process, but still thinks it better to wait a few months (he has no dependants & will stretch his money well)
Does anyone know if there are time limits between redundancy notice & siging on that would affect payment? Thanks

cockaleekee

As long as he has enough Conts from the relevant period (this will not change in the next few months), the delay should not cause a problem.

HappyMJ

jackyann wrote: »

Have looked on directgov & searched here, but no answer to this question:
will contribution based JSA be affected if there is a delay in claiming?
A young friend has been made redundant, has, the equivalent of 3 months' salary, so thinks he is best to concentrate on finding a job and not spend time "messing about" at the Job Centre.
He took on board my point about geting NI credits, and that a claim may take awhile to process, but still thinks it better to wait a few months (he has no dependants & will stretch his money well)
Does anyone know if there are time limits between redundancy notice & siging on that would affect payment? Thanks

Best to sign on straight away if looking for work. It's not too much hassle dealing with the jobcentre. At most you sign on once a week....it's normally every 2 weeks and all you do which you should be doing anyway is making and printing out your list of jobs that you have applied for in the last 2 weeks and any contact that there has been with employers. Some people don't mind the 30 minutes spent each week satisfying the jobcentre and some do...it's up to your friend. I don't mind the jobcentre staff they have always been really friendly with me. However, friends of mine hate them with a passion. Not sure why...I think it's the attitude that you go in with. Treat them in a friendly way and they'll be friendly back. Don't argue with them just agree and do everything they ask...which is always very little.

jackyann

thanks, very helpful

brownie4583

I was recently in a similar position having been made redundant.
Your JSA claim starts the day you apply for it,not automatically the first day of your unemployment,as i wrongly thought,and you also have to stand the first 3 days as well.When you apply for JSA your stamp is continued by them which is the main thing i presume?

McKneff

Not signing on, even for one week can badly affect any benefits he may want to claim in 2/3 years time.

So many people come on the forum for advice because they have applied for benefits and were told 'no chance' because they hadnt got enough NI credits in the 2 preceding full tax years.

I would definitely advise him to sign on.

brownie4583

Fully agree McKneff.

noelphobic

McKneff wrote: »

Not signing on, even for one week can badly affect any benefits he may want to claim in 2/3 years time.

So many people come on the forum for advice because they have applied for benefits and were told 'no chance' because they hadnt got enough NI credits in the 2 preceding full tax years.

I would definitely advise him to sign on.

I was under the impression that NI contributions accrued when signing on only counted towards state pension, not other benefits. I could be wrong though.

McKneff

No, in the future, when you need to claim benefits ie

Contribution based JSA etc if you havent paid NI for the full two tax years, you are turned down for that reason, which is why you shouldnt even miss a week.

noelphobic

McKneff wrote: »

No, in the future, when you need to claim benefits ie

Contribution based JSA etc if you havent paid NI for the full two tax years, you are turned down for that reason, which is why you shouldnt even miss a week.

I'm not convnced but at the moment I can't find an 'official' link that explains it very clearly. I do think that for JSA you have to have paid the NI contributions through employment in the past 2 years, rather than being credited with them during a previous period of unemployment.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=57977697&postcount=2

getmore4less

The sooner you claim the more ofthe 6 month worth you can get.

Get a job(with enought hours/pay) the payments so delaying just reduces the amount you get.

If getting money due to insovency you are expected to claim and it will get deducted from payouts.