ESA v JSA class 1

KeithMcI

After a few weeks on contribution JSA I switched to ESA as I have health issues. To my surprise I was told I did not have enough contributions for ESA, I don't understand how I can have enough contributions for JSA, but not ESA? I believe JSA is class 1 and ESA is class 1 and 2, class 2 does not apply to me as I have never been self employed so is there a higher threshold for class 1? Or is this a mistake at their end?

Robbie64

I thought the main qualifying rules were the same. A check of entitled.to seems to suggest they are:

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/jobseekers-allowance

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/employment-and-support-allowance-contribution-based

unless I'm missing something obvious.

You could ask them to recheck.

HillStreetBlues

Had you any breaks in employment? as I agree with Robbie something looks amiss

KeithMcI

I have asked for a mandatory reconsideration which is the first step I suspect it is an error at their end, lady in job centre agrees. 21-22 and 22-23 have been in a bit of a mishmash jumping from job to job, switching from ESA to UC to JSA etc which increases the likelihood of an error, but I can defo say I've had about 19 months in full time work over these two tax years.

Spoonie_Turtle

What date you claim JSA and then what date did you claim ESA?

From the implied timeline in your post I think it's unlikely the benefit year and tax year changed between your JSA and ESA applications, but just checking.

KeithMcI

I would have to go back through my paperwork as the last few years have been a bombscare in terms of me trying to hold down a job, have had health issues too. Surely 19 out of 24 months full time work would be enough? But would approx 5 months on JSA 21-22/22-23 make a difference? What about 23/24-during this tax year I worked for 1 month and spent the rest on JSA/ESA/UC, is 23/24 taken into account?

KeithMcI

Edit: Apr 23-Jan 24 I worked for 1 month, the rest was JSA/UC/ESA. Feb 24 till now I came into some money so went above 16k, it was only a few weeks ago I triggered the JSA claim as I completely overlooked the fact I had some contributions to use up

HillStreetBlues

KeithMcI said:

I But would approx 5 months on JSA 21-22/22-23 make a difference?

Yes, you don't get the correct  class of stamp for being on JSA and the tax years concerned are 2021-22 and 2022-23
It looks correct decision for ESA, it was the wrong one for JSA.

Spoonie_Turtle

You can check your NI record online to see how many weeks are full in each relevant tax year, but you'll need to know which ones are class 1 credits and which ones are from earnings above the Lower Earnings Level.  Those are what counts.  Class 3 NI credits from UC don't count towards JSA or ESA.

KeithMcI

Summary of tax years, from memory but 95pc accurate:

21-22: Worked full time for ~10 months, a few random hospitality shifts, on contribution JSA for ~2 months

22-23: Worked full time for ~7 months, a few random hospitality shifts, on contribution JSA for ~5 months

23-24: Worked full time for ~1 month, on a combination of JSA, ESA and lower UC for ~9 months, stopped UC start of Feb as I went over 16k due to downsizing

24-25: Not working for health reasons, living off savings, up until about 8 weeks ago when I triggered the new JSA claim

I think because my employment history has been a complete disaster over the past 3 years, bouncing from job to job, switching from JSA to ESA to UC, there has been a bit of a mix up? 17 months of full time contributions during 21-22 and 22-23 should surely be enough for ESA?

HillStreetBlues

As I understand it you need at least one full year of contributions from employment or self-employment during 2021-22 and 2022-23
As you haven't a full year in either of those years you're not entitled to ESA.