Anyone an expert on contribution based JSA?

[jorange5]

Ooh I am so mad after my visit to the job centre yesterday. God they treat you like dirt don't they?

Anyway, my problem is that I am applying for JSA so I can get a childminder while I do some serious job hunting. DP is employed so i can't get income-based JSA. Now, I went on maternity leave from my last job in September 06 and because of this apparently I haven't paid enough National Insurance in that tax year to qualify. I am seething about this as I paid £1600 that year but I paid over 3k for each of the 3 years previously.

Does anyone know whether an appeal is worth it or should i just give in? I mean, what the hell do you pay NI for if you can't get benefits when you need them? i am looking for work now but in my experience job searching is much more fruitful when you can devote a lot of time to it and for that I need more childcare which i need money for. I am sooooooo mad!!!

Any help gratefully recieved!

did you fill in the forms or is this just what an advisor told you?

The advisor told me. I have filled in the forms but she showed me the amounts you have to have paid in the 2 previous tax years and my second year is under the amount because of my maternity leave.

That's the way it works I'm afraid. You have to have paid enough during the relevant year. If you haven't that's it. No point appealing because the answer will be the same.

However if you sign on although you won't get JSA you will get your contributions paid....

hmm so if you are a SAHP you can sign on and get your NI paid? do you need to be actually seeking work?