Should I register for Unemployment Benfits?

[Trurider]

Here is my situation. I spent some 40 years in the Insurance Industry. Had a Mild Stroke - the company then tried to push me out. I took them to Employment Tribunal and won. Despite this I spent the next two years on Job Seekers Allowance.

 

Now that is just background. I got a job through a Temp agency. The job involved shifts which could be from 8 in the morning to 10 at night. From the beginning I told them repeatedly that I was going to be off (holiday - not working) on 2 specific days - one of which is my 60th Birthday. Despite this I found last weekend that I was on a shift on those 2 days. I complained and they didn't like that. We parted.

 

In a few days time I am 60 and I will start receiving one of my pensions. With the Lump Sum I would have too much to claim benefit and the weekly sum would only be slightly less than what I would get as JSA.

 

Now, I could claim JSA as the job only went on for 11 weeks albeit I left under a cloud BUT the few extra Pounds I would get compared to the grief they give you is not worth it.

 

However, should I register just for the stamp alone? I question this as say I were to restart claiming benefits in 6 - 12 months time, could they seek to sanction me for leaving the job?

 

I tried to Citizens Advice bureau but they don't seem to know what they are doing these days. Certainly not giving advice.

[joesoap]

If you are entitled to Contribution Based Job Seekers then I do believe your forthcoming lump sum will not affect payment of the JSA. It most certainly will if it is Income Based though.. I remember when I took early retirement/severance and got £28,000 at the time and I registered unemployed. The Contributions Agency, as it was then, tried to tell me I wouldn't get anything. Wrong, says I. I'm entitled to Conts Based. Oh, and by the way, I had just left the DSS after 30 years, Lol.

[Trurider]

I would not be entitled to Contribution bases JSA I am sure.

 

I want to know whether I should just sign on for my stamp.

[Trurider]

I have been out today trying to find answers. What a lot of - nobody ever seems to know what is true. I was told that the first £50.00 of my Occupational Pension would be ignored for JSA BUT I think upon examination that this only applies to Contribution based JSA and that the whole of it would be taken into consideration for Income based JSA. Can anyone comment on this, PLEASE.

 

Frankly if the whole of it is taken into consideration for Income based JSA then why should I subject myself to the usual harassment of the Jobcentre for just a few £'s.

 

I believe I have more than enough stamps to qualify for my state pension already though this is something I will check up on.

 

Boy, are there no people out there who know what they are talking about - certainly not employed by the Government it seems.

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

I can't help on the benefits aspect of your query, but you can get a pension forecast from the DWP pensions section online and quickly. I'll post up a link if you don't already know about it.

 

My best, HB

[flumps1976]

The information you were told about occupational pensions is correct, the £50 disregard is only applied to contribution based JSA which you would not be eligible for if you have been in receipt of JSA during the two tax years that they would use to assess your claim for JSA.

If you register for JSA then yes you will be signing the usual JSAg and need to follow the steps as agreed.

If you know that you have already paid sufficient pension contributions then it is your choice if you claim JSA or not.

As your job was for an 11 week period it could be treated as "Employment on Trial" and no referral would be referred to DMA (employed for a period between 4 and 12 weeks counts as this) http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/jsasanctions.pdf

 

 

 

If in doubt about your contributions then you should request a pension forecast https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-statement