JSA & part time working 30 June 2022 at 2:54PM in Benefits & tax credits 16 replies 630 views

Brie

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. 
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

Sorry but what???  I'm obviously very dim about this so perhaps you can rephrase this in a much simpler way.

I was earning more than £1600 a month each month from April to the end of July.  I've also been claiming a small pension since April (which won't count AFAIK) and from 31 Aug am earning minimal money for 10 hours a week.  But that may vary a few weeks in the year.

calcotti

Brie said:  ?Sorry but what

Because you appear to have earned more than £6400 for the first 4 months you may already have a full year of NI credits which is what kaMelo has suggested.

My comment was aimed at how KaMelo had described the situation which could have been misleading to others threading the thread in the future.

Brie said:..from 31 Aug am earning minimal money for 10 hours a week. 

This is not going to give you any NI credits/contributions.

Brie

Thanks - I'll ring DWP to confirm - not that I don't believe you but just to reassure.  As they say in investing DYOR!!!

calcotti

Brie said:

Thanks - I'll ring DWP to confirm - not that I don't believe you but just to reassure.  As they say in investing DYOR!!!

NI is dealt with by HMRC, not DWP. 

kaMelo

Brie said:

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. 
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

Sorry but what???  I'm obviously very dim about this so perhaps you can rephrase this in a much simpler way.

I was earning more than £1600 a month each month from April to the end of July.  I've also been claiming a small pension since April (which won't count AFAIK) and from 31 Aug am earning minimal money for 10 hours a week.  But that may vary a few weeks in the year.

Clearly I failed to explain it well enough and for that I apologise.  Rather than giving a full explanation on how to achieve a "full year"  in relation to the state pension I was trying to focus only on the period of time you were working to point out that, if your earnings were high enough, you may not be short after all. From what you have said this is the case, so this financial year is already a "full year" towards your state pension. As such, other than the extra money, there is no need to claim JSA for the NI credits..


Here is a fuller explanation on what I was trying to say from Steve Webb, the former pensions minister. The figures mentioned are nearly three years old though so substitute them with this years figures.   £123 pw/£533 pm,  £6,396 pa


https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-7873583/How-qualifying-years-state-pension-worked-out.html

Brie

kaMelo said:

Brie said:

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. 
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

Sorry but what???  I'm obviously very dim about this so perhaps you can rephrase this in a much simpler way.

I was earning more than £1600 a month each month from April to the end of July.  I've also been claiming a small pension since April (which won't count AFAIK) and from 31 Aug am earning minimal money for 10 hours a week.  But that may vary a few weeks in the year.

Clearly I failed to explain it well enough and for that I apologise.  Rather than giving a full explanation on how to achieve a "full year"  in relation to the state pension I was trying to focus only on the period of time you were working to point out that, if your earnings were high enough, you may not be short after all. From what you have said this is the case, so this financial year is already a "full year" towards your state pension. As such, other than the extra money, there is no need to claim JSA for the NI credits..


Here is a fuller explanation on what I was trying to say from Steve Webb, the former pensions minister. The figures mentioned are nearly three years old though so substitute them with this years figures.   £123 pw/£533 pm,  £6,396 pa


https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-7873583/How-qualifying-years-state-pension-worked-out.html

Thanks so much for coming back on this.  Very helpful!!!!