No longer able to claim JSA and receive NI credits...?

mark99
mark99 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
edited February 2019 in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

I was claiming JSA on and off throughout 2018 and during the periods I was claiming I was only eligible for NI credits.

At the end of December last year I made a new claim (rapid reclaim) for JSA. however, I have now been told that the claim cannot be accepted and a claim for Universal Credit must be made. I have savings in excess of 16K so I am not eligible to make a UC claim. Is there anyway that I can get around this and somehow get my NI credits while I am unemployed and looking for work.

Having paid 24 years of NI contributions while working it seems a bit unfair that I am denied NI credits while I find myself unemployed.


Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,761 Championing
    Hi @mark99, and a warm welcome to the community! Hopefully some of our members will be able to share their thoughts on this.
  • cara
    cara Online Community Member Posts: 21 Listener
    Hi Mark what was the reason you are not entitled to JSA?
  • Bungalow
    Bungalow Online Community Member Posts: 43 Contributor
    https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/National-insurance-contributions-(NIC)/What-is-a-national-insurance-number
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Bungalow said:
    https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/National-insurance-contributions-(NIC)/What-is-a-national-insurance-number
    That link isn't working.
  • mark99
    mark99 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    cara said:
    Hi Mark what was the reason you are not entitled to JSA?
    Because I was working for a foreign company abroad four years before being made unemployed and did not pay NI during that time.
  • mark99
    mark99 Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    I now have the issue resolved.

    I think it was a deliberate attempt by the Jobcentre staff (who are bullies) to try to deny me access to benefits. I have now made an official complaint.

    Basically, a claimant needs to contact the DWP by phone or in person at Jobcentre (cannot be done online) and request to make a claim for National Insurance credits only and they will be sent Form JSANC1 to complete and submit.

    Here's two interesting links... .a FOI request and discussion in another forum regarding the same issue.




    The frustrating thing is if I had taken the word of Jobcentre staff at face value and not contested their advice, I would have lost out on benefit that I am entitled to.
  • cara
    cara Online Community Member Posts: 21 Listener
    Mark that's why I asked. It's good you have it sorted. Don't believe a word they tell you always check out what they do say.with this government the onus is on the claimant to know what to ask for!
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Online Community Member Posts: 2,621 Trailblazing
    mark99,
    So glad you got this resolved, and apologies that we were not in the forum in time to tell you to be persistent! I'm glad you were.

    As you have discovered, DWP are completely wrong & no claim for UC is needed. 

    There has been no change to the availability of NI credits for those who cannot claim new style contributory JSA - the only change is that the underlying benefit is new style JSA which comes under different regulations, but it doesn't affect your entitlement to credits at all.

    Will
  • Morty
    Morty Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener

    Hi I asked by telephone the DWP, HMRC and in person at my local job centre if there was any way I could claim NI credit s only in 2019. I was told there wasn’t. I found out in 2021 that a form Jsn1 existed after exhaustive internet searches. I am now short of my State Pension. Has anybody challenged poor advice?

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