Job Seekers Allowance

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

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.

Thank you everyone, you are all so kind.

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

Great news ! Well done and good luck.

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/check-if-youre-protected-from-discrimination/equality-act-2010-discrimination-and-your-rights/

Foxglove, just rereading: whilst most employment rights do not kick in until you have been in a post for two years, discrimination is an exception. Was the workplace bullying down to any form of discrimination? You don’t need to answer on here, but if it is relevant, you could have a claim.

I may be wrong but is this a similar situation to ‘I Daniel’ - first the film (probably a couple of years ago) and now travelling around the country as a play. About the injustice of having a condition but not being able to have any control over how help is given by the Government. Not wanting to trivialise the OP at all …but after seeing the film I was both annoyed and upset at what was going on, which is still not resolved today - so much so when I went to see the play 3 weeks ago it had a full standing ovation from the audience. We all seem to know what is right but are powerless to do anything about it. Very frustrating. Apologies for not having a solution…I do hope something comes right for you. I too have had troubles workwise and it wasn’t pleasant.

I am actively seeking employment and have sent out my CV. I am not claiming any sickness benefit and the calculator says I am not entitled to Universal Credit as my husband has a small private pension. Both of us have had our state pension age moved forward and are not in receipt of that yet or any other benefit. I still have to wait another 6 years when before I will be on full state pension from last year like many other women.

As others have said you must be actively seeking work to receive JSA. I claimed after I was made redundant and it was stopped when I went on holiday and started again on my return.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/check-if-you-can-claim-esa/

Gordian Knot. Not knit

Please email your local Citizens Advice office with details of your problem. They are up to date with the latest benefit regulations and can advise you where to get help. Not wishing to dismiss anyone's opinion, but unless you are involved with the gordian knit that is the benefit system, what you "think" is not very helpful. PIP is a different system, and is payable to employed people too. Good luck. 👍

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/before-claiming/check-you-are-eligible/

New Style JSA is based on NI contributions over a specific period and if it is correct that you do not meet the requirements, I think it will be the same rules for NS ESA.

So Theexwife is right, and you should be eligible for Universal Credit, very possibly with an extra element for being unfit for work. It is a means-tested benefit so will depend on your savings, and the savings/ income/ pension of your partner, if you have one, could make you ineligible.
You could complete the check on turn2us, but better still, try Citizens Advice for a full benefit check.

You may separately be eligible for PIP, which is not related to NI, nor is it means-tested. It is notoriously hard to get. Read up on what it entails, and do ask again and I will try to help as I have helped many claimants with the tricky claims process.

I think you should have applied for Universal Credit.