JSA refusal

gocat

Ok quick background. Got dismissed from work 3 months ago as they said I was not fit to work despite occy health, GP and UNUM writing reports that I am fit to work as long as I do nights and the two nights I work are spaced out.
I appealed. Appeal upheld but appeal meeting employers still decided I was not fit to work. Am appealing and have already lodged Employment Tribunal.

Anyway, meanwhile I was told by my solicitor that I can claim JSA. So filled in forms, attended interviewer with advisors etc.

Now I just got a letter from DWP this morning saying I dont qualify for JSA as I havent paid enough class 1 NI contributions. I've worked 33 years, most of the time full time.
While doing some research of my own I realised that because I had joined the pension scheme at work few years ago, that may be why I havent paid enough class 1 NI contributions, but I cant claim my pension till Im 55 which is 4 years away.

Talk about a catch 22 situation. You get encouraged to join pension schemes then get penalised like this.

Also cant claim ill health pension as Im appealing the decision to dismiss me.

Any hope for me:(

MissMoneypenny

gocat wrote: »

Now I just got a letter from DWP this morning saying I dont qualify for JSA as I havent paid enough class 1 NI contributions. I've worked 33 years, most of the time full time.
While doing some research of my own I realised that because I had joined the pension scheme at work few years ago, that may be why I havent paid enough class 1 NI contributions,

If you are PAYE then you would have paid class 1. Opting out of the second pension scheme, SERPS, is nothing to do with not paying enough contributions.

As you say you have been working full time for the last few tax years, then you need to phone DWP and tell them this so they can correct your claim.

HappyMJ

The class 1 contributions you did make would have been enough. You need to have earnt more than the lower earnings limit each week/month/year for the last 2 tax years. Were you full time for the last 2 years? You did say "most" of was full time.

sammyjammy

Do you have your P60us for the last two complete tax years? Take copies of them and send them into the Benefit Centre that deals with your claim.

gocat

Thanks for all your advise. Glad to see being part of the employers pension scheme hasnt affected things. Must have researched wrong.

Ive been part time for the past 3 years but earning enough to pay NI (earnings about £14000 a year before tax). Mind you was on SSP (no pay) for August, September, October last year. Would that have affected my JSA claim?
Will phone DWP monday morning.

gocat

gocat wrote: »

Thanks for all your advise. Glad to see being part of the employers pension scheme hasnt affected things. Must have researched wrong.

Ive been part time for the past 3 years but earning enough to pay NI (earnings about £14000 a year before tax). Mind you was on SSP (no pay) for August, September, October last year. Would that have affected my JSA claim?
Will phone DWP monday morning.

Hiya, does anyone know if what I have put above affects my claim on JSA. Also was looking at my p60's and was given NIC table letter A till I joined the company pension scheme and then given NIC table letter D. Wondering if this affects my claim for JSA too?
Appreciate some advise before Iphone up the DWP tomorrow.

TIA

gocat

Oh my god what a carry on. Phoned DWP. Was kept on hold for about half hour. Spoke to someone who couldnt find out if I was paying class 1 or not and now gotta wait in all day for a call back .:mad:

gocat

And the saga goes on. Got a phone call back and got to take my last 3 p60s to the job centre for them to send to someone. Kept asking lady to try to see if she could see on her system if I have paid enough class 1 and she couldnt. Kept insisting I got to send in the P60's via the job centre. But she did say NIC A or NIC D shouldnt affect it.
Cant understand it.
Tax year to 2010 I earned about 22000
Tax year to 2011 I earned about 14000
Tax year to 2012 I earned about 14000

Surely enough to pay class 1 contributions via PAYE :question:

xylophone

http://search2.hmrc.gov.uk/kb5/hmrc/forms/view.page?record=8xuahP8fB3Q
"If you are an employer, you must provide a form P60 to each employee who is working for you at the end of the tax year and for whom you have completed P11. The P60 confirms an employee's final tax code and shows their total pension and/or earnings for the year, as well as the year's total tax deductions and National Insurance contributions. If you're an employee, keep form P60 as a record for self-assessment purposes."

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/intro/check-record.htm

gocat

Thanks for your reply.
Thankfully I have my copies of p60, but what I cant understand is why they cant check out my nic when I phoned them up.

I have also applied for a copy of my last few years nic. But got to wait a few weeks for that to arrive.

Strangely enough. I remember having this problem when I was on maternity leave way back in 1987. I applied for Maternity benefit and got a letter to say I hadnt paid enough nic. Went to some local office (cant remember what it was called then) and the lady took my pay slips off me and went behind the scenes and came back to tell me I had paid enough. Very confusing.

gocat

Got my JSA at last. No explanation as to why I was turned down at first.