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Not entitled to jobseekers

My son was hoping to get a contract with a (lowly) professional football team, whom he has been training with and playing reserve football for no payment since leaving school. (2 years) He didn't want to get a job with a chance of playing full time. However the club has since told him he is not up to it, and he is now looking for a job. The job centre have told him he is not entitled to jobseekers because he hasn't paid any NI, can this be true, if he is looking for work and hasn't refused any interviews, how can he not be entitled to it. Where does the money (for travelling to interviews etc) come from?
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Comments

  • Assuming he does not have a working partner or capital over £16,000, he should be entitled to income based JSA.
  • Is he 18 yet? Does he have a "partner"?
    If he has reached 18, doesn't have a partner in employment, and doesn't have savings in excess of £16,000, then he should qualify for contribution based JSA.
    Without the requisite NI contribution history, if he does have a partner in employment or have savings over £16,000 then he would be expected to be supported financially by the partner or from his savings.
  • wimmer
    wimmer Posts: 21 Forumite
    OH I see, he has just moved in with his new girlfriend (who has employment) just days ago, how long do you have a partner for, before he/she is legally a partner? 1 minute? 1 day? 3 months?
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,104 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    wimmer wrote: »
    OH I see, he has just moved in with his new girlfriend (who has employment) just days ago, how long do you have a partner for, before he/she is legally a partner? 1 minute? 1 day? 3 months?

    The minute he moved in with her then any claims they make for benefits are based on the household income so her working will mean that he is not entitled to income based JSA.

    They are expected to support each other - benefit departments consider them to be living together as husband and wife.
  • wimmer wrote: »
    Where does the money (for travelling to interviews etc) come from?

    My Jobcentre admits to there being a discretionary fund as long as the proof of interview can be provided, you have to ask it isn't something they volunteer

    Personally it turns out I've not paid enough N/I in previous year thanks to underemployment at one time so had to accept I won't even get to having full term of JSA if I needed to, I felt sick, beggars belief I don't get how you hear of people getting JSA for years let alone anything else, that aside what I do now know is you must absolutely query and fight for everything, check every avenue and never rely on someone doing it for you, the Jobcentre just isn't paid to do that, in fact I struggle to see what their purpose is
  • wimmer
    wimmer Posts: 21 Forumite
    The girlfriend will be throwing him out (OH NO!!!) - Do Living with parents disqualify him also?
  • tiger_eyes
    tiger_eyes Posts: 1,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    wimmer wrote: »
    OH I see, he has just moved in with his new girlfriend (who has employment) just days ago, how long do you have a partner for, before he/she is legally a partner? 1 minute? 1 day? 3 months?
    wimmer wrote: »
    The girlfriend will be throwing him out (OH NO!!!) - Do Living with parents disqualify him also?
    He moved in days ago and she's already throwing him out?
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    wimmer wrote: »
    The girlfriend will be throwing him out (OH NO!!!) - Do Living with parents disqualify him also?

    I hope you're not encouraging him to commit benefit fraud by pretending he's living somewhere he isn't.
  • wimmer
    wimmer Posts: 21 Forumite
    Did I say that?
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,104 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If he moves back in with you then he will be eligible for income based JSA.

    If he has already applied for JSA giving his current address then be prepared for some questions!
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