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Is Jobseekers Allowance only received if enough NI contributions have been paid?

by fodigie 17 October 2012 |

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I have a friend who is 50 years old and been working in the UK for last 17 years in various part time and full time jobs.

He is currently unemployed and went to the Job Centre to apply for Jobseekers Allowance but was told he does not qualify as he has not made enough NI contributions. Is this correct?
Also, he has some other paperwork telling him that he has 17 qualifying years of NIC's but that there is a gap in his NIC contributions for 200-11 and whether he wants to make a payment.
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks

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Comments (13)

5

glynh posted
There are two types of JSA - one is income-based and the other is contributions-based. If your friend is unable to claim contributions-based, he should automatically be assessed for income-based. Contributions-based entitlement expires after a certain amount of time, at which time the claim will be reviewed.
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
30

muira posted
no idea how much nic's you need to qualify for jsa

but i was told they would only pay it for 6 months if you had any savings!!

there must be some other benefit he can claim..

some must be claiming something with no nic's,or is it paid inclusive,because they cannot contribute,because there is barely no work out there anyway..

apparantly you need 33 years nic's to qualify for full state pension,

another problem looming!!..we will be beggars back in the victorian days in no time

Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
9

rckleung posted
https://www.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance/what-youll-get
As you can see from the government site your friend can claim up to £71 per week or if not enough NIC contributions up to £71 per week...
Not sure what Job centre worker qualifications are but it seems anyone and everyone (bums included) over 25 can get up to £71 per week. Or is there small print I am not seeing stating those that contribute get nothing!

muira you need 30 yrs NIC to get a full state pension but most have to work till they are 180 before they can claim.
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 1 love Report
43

Basia02a posted
My understanding is that Jobseekers for 6 months is based on your last financial years contributions in an employed job (ie not self employed). It can be possible to take a break and get a second 6 months, if this financial year you have paid enough contributions and this gets your next 6 months.
I thinks If you have over £6000 the income based Jobseekers is reduced, and over £12,000 nothing. As someone who had worked for 28 years and just paid tax on my redundancy package (over 30k) I was pretty disgusted at this as I now have to live on my redundancy, in contrast with a colleague who went around the world for 6 months, spent the package and then got income based Jobseekers. 'Pay in, Get little out'
I believe the 'allowances' - the 30k tax free redundancy and the 6,000 savings have not been increased since the 1970s. Certainly as I advised people on redundancy in the late 70s, they were amazed that 30k was tax free then. The Average salary then was around 2k to 3k.

Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
1

heetz posted
Hi. Like some of the other comments go to the Govuk website (formerly DirectGov) for more accurate information. Currently there are 2 types of JSA - income based and contributions based. If you do not meet the criteria for contributions based, then you need to have savings of less than £16,000 to be eligible for income based. (They will reduce £X amount for every £1,000 in savings.) If you cannot get either try Income Support. Again this is 'means-tested' ie. they will look at your savings and investments and any other income coming in, etc. if you have any and declare it. I hope this assists.
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
14

windlesham1 posted
You need NI contributions in the relevant 'benefits years'. Citizens Advice own website
adviceguide.org.uk is a great resource and helps explain the different benefits, most of which will be replaced next year when another ill thought out system is introduced.
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
30

muira posted
well i am completely stuffed if i am made redundant

in the benefits department,pay in get nothing out for me!!

worked for 45 years,more than £16,000 in savings

5 years before i get state pension (unless gov't moves the goalposts again)

and if i manage to make it!.. investments not worth a hoot..

what a waste of effort saving being careful and frugal!!..

should have gone around the world,,and blown it!!!
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 2 loves Report
878

MikeGG1 posted
As has been stated, Contribution-based JSA is only paid for 6 months. It is based on the previous full tax year so 2011/12 now. It is not reduced for having savings.

After the 6 months, or immediately if insufficient contributions last year, Income-based JSA is payable, which is reduced for having savings over £6,000.

Your friend should look up his State Pension Date here https://www.gov.uk/calculate-state-pension to see what he will get and when. With 17 years, he only needs another 13 years to get a full pension and he has more than that to go to his State Pension Date. As such, he doesn't need to buy extra credits unless he doesn't intend to stay until SPD.

Mike
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
77

bengilda posted
The biggest horror to me is that Redundancy Benefit, originally introduced as a means of helping those suddenly unemployed (and for Party political reasons), is paid as a lump sum that can be blown, squandered or otherwise disposed of and the now destitute recipient demand state welfare support.
Ideally redundancy payment should cease as a lump sum and be paid as a taxable weekly or monthly sum, related to the previous years average pay, for up to 12 months. This should gradually decrease monthly until the final month is half pay rate. Redundancy pay should cease when new employment is found.
Posted on 17 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
0

TJM posted
My Husband has just received his last payment for contributions based JSA and now has zero income. He has been told that he can't claim any other benefit because he is married and I work. I am now expected to support both him and my 14 year old son. Neither of us have any savings and no one has even enquired what my wages are so how can they tell him that without asking me to supply salary details?
Posted on 18 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
2

mag52354 posted
I've just had my 6 months handout based on contributions...they said It was based on past 2 years...I have 32 years solid!

Now at 58 I WOULD have been looking at just over a year with absolutely no income before drawing on the pension I PAID IN for ...(even having changed from the married womans "stamp" to the full contribution in the 70's to EARN myself the full whack)...but my retirement date has changed not once but TWICE...initially to 64 and 1 month,then more recently to 65 and half.

So now I have near 7 years to live exclusively on my savings ...I was old fashioned enough to believe that it was always best to live according to my means whilst working...by the time I get to pension age (if ever) and actually get some return from my investment into this country (NIC contributions) I will no doubt be able to claim pension credit top up...in fact I'll make damn sure I can .

This government takes much and spends much ;but fails to return anything to it's "investors" preferring instead to make payouts to those who have not contributed in the first place or have squandered their income along the way.

Of course pension credit will most likely have been terminated as well by then...after all ,isn't the latest idea to give everyone a flat rate regardless of whether they've helped support the country for a lifetime or not?

I sometimes think that if there was another war the old 'uns would be first to be called up ...we seem to have the least voice and consideration! (At least it would be a job!!!)
Posted on 18 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
43

Basia02a posted
bengilda I think is referring to the state redundancy package? This is paid where companies are insolvent I believe. My company certainly was not, and paid well above the state benefits.
I am surprised that there is no campaign to rise the 'redunancy allowance' from its forty year old level of £30,000. Allowing for inflation this should now be about £300,000
Posted on 19 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report
878

MikeGG1 posted
TJM

Income-based JSA is dependant on family income and savings. The maximum is £111.45 per week.

They might already know that your earnings are over the limit, but you can check it out here https://www.gov.uk/benefits-adviser#what-you-need-to-know

Mike
Posted on 19 October 2012 | Love 0 loves Report