JSA & part time working 30 June 2022 at 1:54PM in Benefits & tax credits 16 replies 622 views

Brie

I'm currently employed full time and have been for many years.  I am however being made redundant.  

2 days after my end date with my employer I'm going to be starting a new role elsewhere but it is only part time.  I wonder if I would still be eligible for JSA or whether I need to worry about applying for that at all.

The new job is 10 hours a week, just above NMW.  This is a significant drop from what I do currently but I have no interest in continuing in full time employment or chasing after money.

The only reason I'm considering applying for JSA is that someone suggested that working at such a minimal level I will get no NI contributions made on my behalf.  I believe if this is the case for the balance of the year I will be a bit short on my contributions to get a full state pension. 

Can someone confirm please:

• if working 10 hours at about NMW means I won't be contributing NI?
• if working like this whether I would still be eligible for JSA - even just on the basis of getting NI contributions made?
• whether in applying for JSA there will be the expectation that I apply for any full time role going even though I don't want to continue working full time?

marcia_

 Yes you need to be actively seeking work to claim jobseekers. They will expect you to seek new or additional employment. You might be required to provide evidence of job searching and applications. 

calcotti

If you are earning below £123 you will not get any NI credits.

JSA is only payable for six months and in any case you will not be eligible if you doing the work you suggest.

Rather than JSA you could look at UC. Whether or not there will be any entitlement to UC will depend on your circumstances. Try a benefits calculator https://www.entitledto.co.uk or https://www.turn2us.org.uk.
You will be expected to look for additional work.

If you are excluded from UC by capital then you can apply for JSA and proved you meet the job search requirements you will get NI credits even though you will be paid nothing.

Brie

So - I applied and was awarded JSA for August having admitted to them I was beginning to work 10 hours a week as of 31/8.  I had 2 meetings with the JSA people which all went very nicely even if no one could confirm whether I would get NI credit at all once I was actually being paid.  I've also 2 very confusing letters from them saying I would and I would not get JSA that make no sense to me - but some money has been paid into my account. 

Problem now is that I was supposed to have a follow up call this afternoon as they agreed meeting in person wasn't required.  I had expected to be home by the call time but was delayed at work and so sat in my car waiting for my phone to ring.  Several minutes after the call time I sent them an email to ask if they wanted to reschedule.  I was most the way home when my phone rang and of course I couldn't answer it as I was driving.  I rang the number when I got home but it's only a message saying if they need anything they will contact me.  I emailed again to advise I'd tried to ring them and again did they want to reschedule.  

So what happens next?  I've no idea what today's meeting was supposed to achieve really.  And what happens when they say they will ring and don't bother to call until I'm not available.  I've heard so many horror stories of DWP etc being dreadfully bureaucratic and just don't want or need extra hassle right now.  

poppy12345

Brie said:

So - I applied and was awarded JSA for August having admitted to them I was beginning to work 10 hours a week as of 31/8.

If you started working 10 hours/week then this would mean your JSA will be reduced to zero. Although you can work less than 16 hours/week, there's only a £5/week disregard and then your JSA is reduced £1 for £1. Did you look at entitlement to UC as advised above?

Brie

poppy12345 said:

 Did you look at entitlement to UC as advised above?

No entitlement to UC.

huckster

Suggest that you phone the JSA Service Centre that handles the payments 0n 0800 169 0310.

You will have to report your earnings as and when you receive these from your employers.  And they will be taken into account as poppy confirms above.

If JSA have paid you any amounts without taking into account earnings you have been paid, then you could owe an overpayment debt.

You will have to work out, whether it is worth claiming the JSA for the 6 month period.  If you are only due £5 a week, is it worth the bother ?

Brie

huckster said:

Suggest that you phone the JSA Service Centre that handles the payments 0n 0800 169 0310.

You will have to work out, whether it is worth claiming the JSA for the 6 month period.  If you are only due £5 a week, is it worth the bother ?

I am fairly certain that going forward they won't pay me anything.  It's the NI credits that I'm looking for as I need a few more months worth in order to get the full state pension.  And the JSA people have already said they don't know how it works so I doubt ringing them and talking to them again will help much.

But meanwhile I don't want them to simply dismiss me because they missed my appointment rather than me missing it.

kaMelo

Brie said:

huckster said:

Suggest that you phone the JSA Service Centre that handles the payments 0n 0800 169 0310.

You will have to work out, whether it is worth claiming the JSA for the 6 month period.  If you are only due £5 a week, is it worth the bother ?

I am fairly certain that going forward they won't pay me anything.  It's the NI credits that I'm looking for as I need a few more months worth in order to get the full state pension.  And the JSA people have already said they don't know how it works so I doubt ringing them and talking to them again will help much.

But meanwhile I don't want them to simply dismiss me because they missed my appointment rather than me missing it.

Are you sure you will be short?
For state pension purposes a full qualifying year has no requirement on the number of weeks/months that you work, only that you have earned at least the NI LEL, which for 2022/23 this is £6,396. 
You say you previously worked full time, I'm assuming that means full time for four months this financial year (April to July as you claimed JSA for August).  If you've earned more than the LEL from these four months of employment (about £1600 p/m) then this financial year already qualifies as a full year for state pension purposes.

calcotti

kaMelo said:

Are you sure you will be short?
For state pension purposes a full qualifying year has no requirement on the number of weeks/months that you work, only that you have earned at least the NI LEL, which for 2022/23 this is £6,396. 

That is not correct. The NI credits or contributions are awarded on a weekly or monthly basis. If earnings are below the weekly or monthly threshold then no credits are earned on that period, It is therefore possible to earn more than the annual threshold over a 12 month period and not get a full year of credits. 

However it is also possible to get the full year without working for 52 weeks, depending on the amount earned when working, which could work for OP in the way in your describe given their wage.

kaMelo

You are of course correct that each week/month has to be above the LEL per employer to actually count.

That was why I focused on the period in which the OP worked full time which would definitely be above LEL and,  depending upon their earnings, may not actually be short.