Hi, I am stressing out about my Job seekers allowance contributions based claim which a few days was rejected. I feel this may have been wrongly rejected apparently due to me not paying enough National Insurance contributions in the 2 relevant tax years.
I have searched around the internet endlessly trying to find out the exact rules in terms of how much National Insurance you have to have paid....
This is pretty much all that I have found (taken from the 'child poverty action group' website):
Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance
You must have paid sufficient national insurance contributions to qualify for contribution-based JSA....
You must have paid Class 1 contributions on earnings of at least the lower earnings limit in 26 weeks which need not be consecutive in one of the two complete tax years (6 April to 5 April) before the start of the benefit year (which runs from the first Sunday in January) in which you claim. You also must have paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions on earnings of 50 times the lower earnings limit in these years.
For example, you would qualify if you claimed JSA in 2012 and paid contributions on earnings of £4,750 in the tax year April 2009 to April 2010 and £4,850 in the tax year April 2010 to April 2011, earning in the first year £95 a week or more, or in the second year £97 a week or more, for at least 26 weeks.
What I paid:
Year 2009-2010: I worked the whole year, paying National Insurance on well over the £4,750 earnings quoted above.
Year 2010-2011: I worked for 3 and a bit months as an employee. I earned just over the £4850 quoted above, earning £4950 to be exact on which I paid National Insurance on.
What I am confused by is the bit I highlighted in bold with underline, I'll quote again: 'You also must have paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions on earnings of 50 times the lower earnings limit in these years'.
'in these years' surely means over both years? and does not mean each separate year?
From what I can see I have qualified? I just wanted other peoples views as it is stressing me out, and I don't know if I have missed something?
I have searched around the internet endlessly trying to find out the exact rules in terms of how much National Insurance you have to have paid....
This is pretty much all that I have found (taken from the 'child poverty action group' website):
Contribution-based jobseeker's allowance
You must have paid sufficient national insurance contributions to qualify for contribution-based JSA....
You must have paid Class 1 contributions on earnings of at least the lower earnings limit in 26 weeks which need not be consecutive in one of the two complete tax years (6 April to 5 April) before the start of the benefit year (which runs from the first Sunday in January) in which you claim. You also must have paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions on earnings of 50 times the lower earnings limit in these years.
For example, you would qualify if you claimed JSA in 2012 and paid contributions on earnings of £4,750 in the tax year April 2009 to April 2010 and £4,850 in the tax year April 2010 to April 2011, earning in the first year £95 a week or more, or in the second year £97 a week or more, for at least 26 weeks.
What I paid:
Year 2009-2010: I worked the whole year, paying National Insurance on well over the £4,750 earnings quoted above.
Year 2010-2011: I worked for 3 and a bit months as an employee. I earned just over the £4850 quoted above, earning £4950 to be exact on which I paid National Insurance on.
What I am confused by is the bit I highlighted in bold with underline, I'll quote again: 'You also must have paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions on earnings of 50 times the lower earnings limit in these years'.
'in these years' surely means over both years? and does not mean each separate year?
From what I can see I have qualified? I just wanted other peoples views as it is stressing me out, and I don't know if I have missed something?