Job Seekers Allowance

Hi Cabbie 21 thank you for your kind reply. Unfortunately the bullying did not involve discrimination for employment rights purposes, but thank you for reading.

The benefit year runs from January to December and I think National Insurance information is not collected until at least July the following year. The question is were you working and paying NI Conts 3 years ago? If not, were you claiming any benefits at all? If you were working and paying them, where have they gone? In my time at the Job Centre, people found it very difficult to get their heads around this strange way of counting contributions. You should have received a letter telling you which years you are short of contributions. Another thought is that if you are not working next January you may be entitled to benefit but not if you have been claiming any other qualifying benefit. Non-contributory benefits such as JSA look at the household income, not just your income.

It is a minefield so CAB may be able to clarify your situation.

Foxglove. It’s a minefield isn’t it, and so unfair. I tried to claim ESA when I couldn’t get statutory sickness pay from work. It’s all made worse by the counting back a year. I hadn’t paid enough NI because part of the year I’d been furloughed from work because of covid. Could it be similar to you.
I couldn’t claim anything, like you DH has a small pension I had nothing as I was waiting for my state pension I was 64 then so had another two years to wait.

If your husband's private pension rules you out of claiming Universal credit, then contributions based JSA is your only option. Have they given you any option to make up the missing NI contributions ? It may not be worth it anyway as JSA is only paid for 28 weeks, unlike ESA which can continue for longer. Unfortunately if JSA is not an option, your husband will need to support you. PIP looks at things like whether you can wash and dress yourself, manage medications, communicate, mobilise. If your condition affects these things then you could consider a claim for PIP, although as others have said it's hard to qualify.

Thank you for all your messages and advice. I was not able to claim JSA or any other benefit. But I have just landed a full time job in my local village and start in December.

I cannot explain how pleased I am to be working again and earning a living.

Never give up!

That’s good news. Well done! Keep in the back of your mind those missing NI contributions though, in case you need to make voluntary contributions in order to qualify for the state pension.
www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions/deadlines

Yes - well done Foxglove77. I hope you love your new job.

Such good news Foxglove. I wish you many happy times in your new job.

Wonderful news Foxglove I am so happy for you. What a relief.
Keep well.

Great news ! Well done and good luck.

So glad you came back to update us. Congratulations on the new job.

Thank you everyone, you are all so kind.

I don’t know my way around the benefits system, but am appalled by this.
I think others are better qualified to offer advice though, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you’re in this position.
Good luck.

Oh, guilty of not reading full thread, I’m so pleased you’ve found a new job.