Advice please re Contribution based JSA claim

ThriftyShelly

Hi,
I would really appreciate some advice for stressed hubbie! He has very recently been made redundant (worked last shift this week) and went to the jobcentre today to claim for contribution based JSA, as advised to by the employment/redundancy advisor at work before he was finished.
The jobcentre sent him away and told him to apply on line, which he did and the system told him he was not entitled due to the payout he will receive! (We are of the impression that he can get contribution based JSA despite payout/savings etc)
He then rang the helpline and was put through to the local jobcentre where he was told there was nothing more they could do! Very frustrating!
Just wanted to ask, should we phone local jobcentre and ask for a manager or go in in person and question this?
Any advice greatly appreciated.

anamenottaken

Did you check all the answers he entered on the system. You say that the online system said he was not entitled because of the payout he "will receive". That suggests some future payment. I wonder whether that is the cause of the rejection - that the system thinks he has not finished work yet. Alternatively is there a radio button to select for claiming contribution based or income based JSA?
Sorry I can't think of anything else which would result in that computer generated response.

Could he try entering the details on line again? Keep screenshots of everything as proof of the attempt.

I also see that if you can't enter details online yourself you can phone for assistance. Could he try doing that. Guess that would have to be on Monday.

makeyourdaddyproud

No, the system doesn't determine at point of claim your entitlement to CBJSA. This information only comes in letter form 10 days later.

Also, your claim selections are sent to you via email - Not sure why you need screen shots?

ThriftyShelly

Thanks for the advice
I think maybe he should call on Monday or maybe we will get a letter the week after next, I suppose we made the mistake of thnking it would be straightforward!
Thanks again for your replies

anamenottaken

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

No, the system doesn't determine at point of claim your entitlement to CBJSA. This information only comes in letter form 10 days later.

Also, your claim selections are sent to you via email - Not sure why you need screen shots?

My suggestion of taking screen shots was, as stated, as evidence that an attempt to make a claim had been made. I was thinking about back-dating any payment.

It would also show what had been entered on the form to try to see why the rejection had occurred. (That was taking at face value the OP's assertion that the online system "told him he was not entitled due to the payout he will receive.") I have never completed an online claim and was not aware of email confirmation of what selections had been made.

If the system did say that the OP was not entitled and yet that immediate response is not the purpose of the system, then I would also double check that it was the correct site, perhaps especially if no email confirmation has been received.

ThriftyShelly

Just thought I should let anyone who may have the same problem know what happened with our on-line problem re contributions based JSA- I phoned the helpline on Monday morning and after a long wait got put through to my local jobcentre. The first thing we were told was to enter the details on-line. I had to very calmly explain the situation (ie could not go back to enter details again as had already entered them) the man on the phone checked the system and there was no record of any on-line claim- I practically begged for his assistance and in the end he agreed to take the claim over the phone and I put my husband on to him.
It did take nearly an hour and I can see why the jobcentre encourage people to enter the details online but nice to know that they will help you out when you get stuck!
He has an appt tomorrow with an advisior and has to take in a lot of information about my earnings, his redundancy, our childrens' saving account etc so hopefully it will all go well.
Good Luck to anyone else who is having similar problems.

LittleVoice

Thanks for reporting back.