technical questionn about calculation of contibution based job seekers allowance

[namechangeagain2013]

Can anyone please explain how they work out whether you qualify? More specifically if I wanted to claim from March/Apruil 2013 what is the period looked at to see whether I have made sufficient contributions? The last time I tried to claim during a period of unemplyment though I had worked full time for previous 18 months I could not claim as they looked at more historic contributions and not recent (by which they meant last 12 months) contributions. Thanks

its seems its not very clear at all - and they simply advise to you to claim and they will work it out on case by case basis -

no there is a methodology it is just a matter of locating it - I had signed on 3 times and driven 15 miles each way 3 times to then be told I was entitled to nothing. I am not doing that again.

cant actually work it our but think this explains it - need to work out what years I need to be looking at now: www.nidirect.gov.uk/jobseekers-allowance

you can now claim online which save at least one visit -

No I did it on phone and they then made me appointment 2 weeks after and they had me go down to sign on 3 times - each time i queried when I might receive some money and on the 4th visit the lady said when I explained of course I would not be entitled as though I had paid a lot of NI contributions they fell in wrong years.

They look at the previous 2 tax years with the most recent ending in the last calendar year... So if you claim any time in 2013 they'll look at April 10-April 12. DH got bitten by this as he had 2 tax years worth of NI payments since graduating but the last one ended during the year we were in. I think you need 6 months in each of those 2 years, but not as sure on that one.