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Signing Off....

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm about to sign off JSA, but not sure how it works. I phoned them to let them know I'm signing off, and the lady said something about national insurance and pensions when I said I'm signing off without full time employment to go to...
What did she mean about pensions? I haven't the faintest what pensions has to do with my NI, so any help would be lush!

Ilora x

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As far as I am aware, your NI contributions go towards any future benefits you may claim. For example, state pension, incapacity benefit. If you miss contributions, they may decline your claim for them.

    So, if you sign off FSA without a job to go to, they may assume you are working and will wonder where your contributions are.

    I'm just assuming.

    Anyway, shouldn't you be phoning them and asking, considering the usual flaming you end up getting when asking anything JSA-related on these boards?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I did phone them, but she was talking about pensions n stuff, so I just said 'oh, okay' then ended the call. She wasn't overly helpful - I was told that to sign off I need to send the form in, and phone to let them know - she told me on the phone that I didn't need to phone them to let them know :yeees: Bunch of morons.

    But yes...

    Ilora x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm about to sign off JSA, but not sure how it works. I phoned them to let them know I'm signing off, and the lady said something about national insurance and pensions when I said I'm signing off without full time employment to go to...
    What did she mean about pensions? I haven't the faintest what pensions has to do with my NI, so any help would be lush!

    Ilora x

    You didn't say why you are signing off...

    If you work, you get Class 1 National Insurance contributions paid from your wage. You need about 44 years worth of these to make sure you get a full pension when you retire.

    When you sign on, you are credited with a Class 1 contribution, so your pension is covered. If you neither work or sign on, you will get a much lower pension. I know it seems far off in the future, but if you follow the news, today's young people are probably going to have vastly reduced pensions compared with today's pensioners.

    If a woman has, say 16 years off work to bring up children, she gets Home Responsibilty Protection for National Insurance, which means, basically, her contribution requirements are reduced by 16 years. However, her pension will be a bit lower.

    The alternative, for someone who does not work and doesn't sign on, is to buy a Class 3 contribution, which goes towards your pension, but doesn't qualify you for JSA/Incapacty Benefit in the future.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally I was signing off without employment, but since I phoned the jobcentre to tell them I'm signing off, I got a phonecall for an interview, attended and was then offered the job! (Christmas temp - only PT hours)

    So, to get a pension (whatever the wording) I need to hand my P45 in to my employer?

    Ilora x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, a P45 is more to do with tax, but yes, when you get one, pass it to your employer to keep your tax record up to date.

    If your earnings are over the Lower Earnings Limit (currently about £82), you will get a Class 1 stamp.

    If you work less than 16 hours, you can still sign on and declare the work and the DWP will still credit you with a Class 1 stamp. If you work over 16 hours, but your wage is under the LEL, you need to buy your own Class 3 stamp from the Contributions Agency. They cost about £7 per week. Hope this helps.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru

    So, to get a pension (whatever the wording) I need to hand my P45 in to my employer?

    Ilora x

    If you get to 65 (or whatever it is when you get there) and haven't paid enough stamps, or had them credited by signing on, you will probably just get Income Support. This may be a lot less generous (if you can call it that) than it is now, though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To sign off from JSA, as i did at the beginning of this week you simply fill in part of the tear out form inside your jsa booklet telling them if you are going into full or part time employment or to study and hand it into the job centre or post it as i believe you can do that also.

    Thats all you have to do, not sure why they explained about pensions and the like, oh wait i do know, it is because the jobcentre and it's staff are infact useless.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ive never signed off. I just stopped going in to sign on. They dont hassle you, they sort it out themselves.
    I know thats not what you are officially suupposed to do, but thats what most people do so they probably arent expecting you to do anything else.
    Why would you sign off without employment?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because I'd been on JSA for over 6 months and was due to be entered onto 'New Deal' :no:

    Ilora x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lack of paid NI would mean that you get a lower payout from governement pensions. You can make up the loss though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because I'd been on JSA for over 6 months and was due to be entered onto 'New Deal' :no:

    And they might make you work then, yeah?

    If you aren't on JSA and not earning, then you aren't paying National Insurance contributions. If you don't pay enough NI in your life (AFAIK its about 40 full years) then you don't get a full state pension.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Assuming we get a state pension anyway by the time we'll reach retirement age.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because I'd been on JSA for over 6 months and was due to be entered onto 'New Deal' :no:

    Ilora x

    I was a bit apprehensive the very first time i was put on New Deal but actually it was so much better than i thought and a million times better than going to " sign on ". I got my own advisor who only looked for jobs I wanted, not throwing jobs at me i couldnt do, or get to .. Advisor " do you have a driving license " Me " No " Advisor " ok i'll print off this job that requires you to be able to drive, its a must. " uhm No!.

    I didnt have to suffer those fools in the other parts of the jobcentre becaus ei could go talk with my adviser anytime, as well as seeing her on the day i was ment to. The downside was beingf sent on a " course " that was nothing more than sitting in a room with daft bastards, junkies and pure cunts, getting to use computers, writing and for some odd reason sex education * shakes head * never did get that last part. Course we did get taken out in the mini bus by a former small time Footballer. Thats the downside though, the upside is a million times better than when you first go on JSA.
    dr_carter wrote:
    ]Assuming we get a state pension anyway by the time we'll reach retirement age.

    Part of the above mentioned course i had to attend, this guy came in and explained that a thing had been done for the government that said that people of our age when in our retirement age, will not get a pension and we should save up ourselves. I've always kept that in the back of my mind and save up myself, i dont expect to be given a state pension when i retire.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because I'd been on JSA for over 6 months and was due to be entered onto 'New Deal' :no:

    Ilora x


    I do hope you're not planning to sign back on in the new year.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Because I'd been on JSA for over 6 months and was due to be entered onto 'New Deal' :no:

    Ilora x

    Well, it depends what you're worried about. I've just moved onto the New Deal section after doing New Claims/Restart for two years. Some elements of New Deal are crap, some are good.

    After someone has been signing for over 6 months, they cannot place any restrictions on wage or type of job (only health restrictions, etc). Most New Deal advisers, however, won't just send you for any old shit job. That type of thing only tends to come up if they offer you jobs you say you want, but you keep turning them down, or coming up with excuses.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ive never signed off. I just stopped going in to sign on. They dont hassle you, they sort it out themselves.
    I know thats not what you are officially suupposed to do, but thats what most people do so they probably arent expecting you to do anything else.
    Why would you sign off without employment?

    The only issue is that when you fail to sign, you only get paid up till the last time you signed. Sounds obvious, but sometimes you can miss out on money.
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