Refused job seekers - im stuffed - advice please.....

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

The DWP have refused my claim for job seekers on account of my not paying enough class 1 NI contributions in 2004 to 2005.

I have no idea how much i did pay and how much is enough. I had worked solidly in the same job for 10 and a half years and yet they pick one period and apparently is not enough.

I dont know what im going to do. CTC arent paying me atm because of their f*ck up. Im getting child benefit and thats it. I dont know what im entitled to - or what i can do. I thought that at least the job seekers would cover our food bill for a couple of weeks but not now.

I know i can appeal but not on the basis of "its just not fair". It sucks being a working parent. It really does.

What can i do - have posted this in other subjects too - i really need to do something.....

Go and see the Citizens Advice asap - you can live on this alone - you must be entitled to something surely! I know nothing about these things but CAB will help you. Good luck.

Were you a salaried employee? Can you check what your employer was supposed to pay and what they actually paid? It may be that it is something your employer needs to sort out.

Were you working during tha period? Your employer should have paid for you.

Also check the position wrt maternity leave. I thought that, even if you don't actually pay any NI contributions during that period, you should be credited them.

See \link{http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/nw/index/life/benefits/national_insurance_contributions_and_benefits.htm#national_insurance_credits\here}.

Thanks all.

ANd thank you freckle - that was a good link. Mind you have looked and i dont understand still how i havent paid enough class 1 contributions.

Looks like it'll be a trip to the CAB for me. Oh joy. They operate a ticket system at our local one apparently from 9am onwards, although it advises you to get there between 8.15am and 8.30am to ensure getting seen

Grrr. Its an utter shambles.

Just got through on the phone - after ringing and ringing and getting the engaged tone all morning.

They said that its assessed on if you worked in the tax year they have checked in my case 2004-2005.

I said "IF"????? Ive worked non stop apart from two patches of maternity leave for the last 10.5 YEARS!!!!!

Apparently, not all their records are complete is their explanation. So now i have to go in with my P60 for that year.

Its so ridiculous that they cant find out something simple like this. I then mentioned that they have refused my back claim - he said it didnt matter because you get 26 weeks worth of benefit in any given year so the claim can start from now for those 6 months.

Er..WTF!...im not planning on being unemployed for 6 months!!!!!

I am actually trying to find work.

it all sounds a nightmare! i would make a claim for income based jsa which does not go on what contributions you have or have not paid, you get the same amount and should be a quick fix option- at least while you sort the NI stuff:)

Sounds odd VVV b/c I claimed income based JSA from December last year until end Feb (when I found a job) and for teh 2 years previously I had:

(a) been unemployed (and not paying contributions) for 13 months and
(b)prior to that on 3 months AML (i.e. unpaid) and
(c)prior to that on 6 months OML (i.e paid)!!!

So if I was entitled, I can't see why you wouldn;t be.

Also, I never had to provide any documentation or anything.

Get back onto the DWP and give 'em hell.

Sorry I meant contributions based, NOT income based!

V V V - as they said on the phone, if you take in your P60 for the 2004 / 05 tax year they can manually input the info to the computer and as long as you have paid enough conts (and you should have done so if you were in full time work and / or on maternity leave with full pay for the whole of the year)this should then qualify you for benefit. RE the back dated claim, these are v difficult to get allowed unless there has been "misdirection" by the JSA staff. All the best.

i reckon you should be able to get backdated as it sounds like their mess up (unless problem with your old employer?). my dh had a nightmare trying to get him jobseekers allowance recently due to me being self employed (even though he was claiming contribution based). anyway, total nightmare but eventually got backdated payment 3 months after he started his claim!

good luck! :)

Well, i went today and took my p60 in. They are faxing it over to the payment centre today apparently. The man i spoke said it certainly appears that i have paid enough NI.

TBH I find some of the staff really quite rude there. Some are really lovely, and others act like you dont exist.

Today the person helping almost as good as ignored me for the best part of the time i was there because he was training someone else at the same time.

I want to scream at them "I dont want to be here asking for help, i'm here because i have to be"

Thankfully, ive got an interview tomorrow, here's hoping i get the job.

Thank you everyone for your comments.

V V V - you should hopefully hear something from them in the next few days as when the new info goes on to the system it generates a letter. Give them a call on Friday to make sure they have actioned it, just in case! Good luck with the interview tomorrow.