25 Jun 2013 10:28:40
Hey,
My wife has recently been forced to apply for jobseekers allowance, after being offered a job in the NHS in January, she lost the current job she was in through being the victim workplace bullying. Thinking the NHS job would start within the month, we weren't too worried. Last month she was forced to apply for JSA as she still hadn't got a start date for the NHS job (6 months later!). We got a letter from the DWP at the weekend, 3 weeks after application, telling her that she hadn't made enough NI contributions in 2011/2012 for JSA. At the time she was working roughly 40-48 hours a week for a little over minimum wage.
My point is this; have the UK government altered NI contributions for employers, with the sly intention of knowing that on the minimum wage or slightly higher, you have no chance of qualifying for benefits should you find yourself out of work, thus "saving" the country the expense of an inflated benefits bill?
To add insult to injury, the Job Centre still expected her to travel 6 miles round trip to sign on, for no money. It's a joke.
{Ed033's Note - That's terrible and it shouldn't be that way.
On a side note, I think some people need to move away from JSA and look at tax credits instead. By starting a private business (sell stuff on ebay?) and working 40 hours a week on it (watch less tv?) you may be able to claim tax credits as you're probably a low fill time earner.
That way there's no signing on each week and no job interviews/form filling on a regular basis to get benefits, and if you get a job, you can stop the private business.
Supasub
You should appeal the decision through your local Citizens Advice or usually your Council will offer some kind of Money Matters service.
I would also take advice on why she had to leave her previous employment, you cannot let bullies win. Bullies are often blissfully unaware of their own shameful abusive behaviour and will probably move onto someone else. She could have a case for some kind of constructive dismissal. ~ Mrs E
My Mrs has already appealed the dismissal and it was refused. She was dismissed for gross misconduct after a couple of tweets regarding how frustrated she was at work. These were in Dec last year and the staff who squealed had been involved a few months earlier in their lover being dismissed for being drunk at work. My wife was whistle-blower for that. It gets complicated, but this was basically revenge. Basically, there's no chance of a reinstatement.
The benefits thing grates on me. She very reluctantly applied for them as we've run out of things that we can car-boot to make up the shortfall. To be told no due to not enough contributions is the singularly most frustrating thing, when you can turn up as an asylum seeker, get granted benefits, it's irritating to say the least.