Job Seekers Allowance following a Career break

wykah

I was made redundant midway through 2021 and having worked for 30 years got a severance pay that allowed me to take a lengthy career gap. I'm now returning to work but have been denied JSA because I made no NI contribution in 22/23. Apparently the rules changed this year to not look further back, which hasn't sat well with me. I've appealed but was wondering if I have any options that might allow the allowance to be paid. 

TimeLord1

You can apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner ?) have children ? or housing costs ? You can also apply for Universal Credit if you (and your partner) have £16,000 or less in savings between you.

marcia_

wykah said:

I was made redundant midway through 2021 and having worked for 30 years got a severance pay that allowed me to take a lengthy career gap. I'm now returning to work but have been denied JSA because I made no NI contribution in 22/23. Apparently the rules changed this year to not look further back, which hasn't sat well with me. I've appealed but was wondering if I have any options that might allow the allowance to be paid. 

 The time to claim JSA was when you took redundancy. You need to have the contributions to claim. 

peteuk

wykah said:

I was made redundant midway through 2021 and having worked for 30 years got a severance pay that allowed me to take a lengthy career gap. I'm now returning to work but have been denied JSA because I made no NI contribution in 22/23. Apparently the rules changed this year to not look further back, which hasn't sat well with me. I've appealed but was wondering if I have any options that might allow the allowance to be paid. 

NEW Job Seeksers allowance is based on your NI contributions for the previous two years and is limited in the period it is paid.   Therefore because of the career gap, you have not provided any NI payments in the period required for JSA.

Although you say the rule change doesnt sit well with you.  You choose to have a career break, (unless due to another reason) and you've done so without fully understanding the implications including no NI payments for 3-4 yrs. Im guessing your severance pay is running low hence the need to work or claim.  You’ll have to claim UC which is the only other option. 

kempiejon

Apparently the rules changed this year - that doesn't chime with my memory.
I've had contribution based jobseekers following redundancy in 2016 and 2023 my memory from both is that one needed a minimum level of NI contributions in the preceeding 2 tax years.
Now there have been changes to the JSA I'm sure but in that 2 year cap has been in place for a while. I have a less clear memory from back in the late 90s but still recall contributions based claims being fairly recent contributions only.

Spoonie_Turtle

kempiejon said:

Apparently the rules changed this year - that doesn't chime with my memory.
I've had contribution based jobseekers following redundancy in 2016 and 2023 my memory from both is that one needed a minimum level of NI contributions in the preceeding 2 tax years.
Now there have been changes to the JSA I'm sure but in that 2 year cap has been in place for a while. I have a less clear memory from back in the late 90s but still recall contributions based claims being fairly recent contributions only.

Correct.  According to the legislation, since at least 1995 the requirement has been based on the last two full tax years prior to claiming
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/18/section/2/1995-12-12

kempiejon

Ah that matches my recollections. As said, for the poster starting the thread the time to take their 180 days of benefit money was within 2 years from redundancy. Other benefits would now be means tested. I'd be surprised if any appeal wins through or have options to assist.

TheShape

Unless anything has changed fairly recently it is/was the last two full tax years.

As of now that would be 23/24 and 22/23.

Before a particular date in January (I cannot remember how that day/date is determined) it would have been the 22/23 and 21/22 tax years.

huckster

"Before a particular date in January (I cannot remember how that day/date is determined) it would have been the 22/23 and 21/22 tax years"

Before the first Sunday in January, so before 5th January 2025 and then JSA would have looked at 21/22 and 22/23 tax years.