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NS ESA - Cannot pay as not paid or credited with enough NI contributions
- nada
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2 months 4 weeks ago #294280 by nada
NS ESA - Cannot pay as not paid or credited with enough NI contributions was created by nada
I'm struggling to understand a letter I received from Job Centre Plus and nobody there has been able to explain so hopefully someone here can help here. I made a claim for New Style ESA as I was made redundant and am too sick to work due to long term health problems. I'm unable to claim UC due to having over £16k in savings (mostly from my redundancy pay and PILON).
The letter I received states "We cannot pay you because you have not paid, or been credited with, enough National Insurance Contributions.)
If I understand correctly:
Current Benefit year: 2024
Relevant Tax Years: 2021-2022 and 2022-2023
If I check my NI record I see
2022 to 2023
Full year
National Insurance credits: 52 weeks
2021 to 2022
Full year
Paid employment: £722.43
National Insurance credits: 8
weeks
I don't understand why this does not qualify me for NS ESA as I have a full year of contributions from credits or paid employment for both tax years. Could someone explain please?
Additionally I was off sick for a significant period and returned back to work just after the start of the 2023-2024 tax year. My NI record shows
2023 to 2024
Full year
Paid employment: £2,014.64
National Insurance credits: 2 weeks
Assuming it is correct I'm not eligible for NS ESA now. Would this mean if I'm not eligible for NS ESA now could I apply again in the new benefit year (start of January 2025) and meet the criteria?
Thanks
The letter I received states "We cannot pay you because you have not paid, or been credited with, enough National Insurance Contributions.)
If I understand correctly:
Current Benefit year: 2024
Relevant Tax Years: 2021-2022 and 2022-2023
If I check my NI record I see
2022 to 2023
Full year
National Insurance credits: 52 weeks
2021 to 2022
Full year
Paid employment: £722.43
National Insurance credits: 8
weeks
I don't understand why this does not qualify me for NS ESA as I have a full year of contributions from credits or paid employment for both tax years. Could someone explain please?
Additionally I was off sick for a significant period and returned back to work just after the start of the 2023-2024 tax year. My NI record shows
2023 to 2024
Full year
Paid employment: £2,014.64
National Insurance credits: 2 weeks
Assuming it is correct I'm not eligible for NS ESA now. Would this mean if I'm not eligible for NS ESA now could I apply again in the new benefit year (start of January 2025) and meet the criteria?
Thanks
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- Gary
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2 months 4 weeks ago #294293 by Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gary on topic NS ESA - Cannot pay as not paid or credited with enough NI contributions
Hi nada
Welcome to the forum.
You might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum.
To apply for NS ESA, you must have;
1) in one of the two relevant tax years, paid, or be treated as having paid, Class1 contributions (and worked and paid in at least 26 weeks in one of these years), or paid, or be treated as having paid, Class 2 contributions, at least 26 times the lower earnings limit; and
2) during both the relevant tax years, paid, be treated as having paid, or been credited with Class 1 or 2 contributions at least 50 times the lower earnings limit.
Relevant Tax Years: the relevant years are the last 2 complete tax years (6 April - 5 April) before the current benefit year.
Benefit Year: runs from the first Sunday in January.
Gary
Welcome to the forum.
You might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explains where everything is; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/faq/forum.
To apply for NS ESA, you must have;
1) in one of the two relevant tax years, paid, or be treated as having paid, Class1 contributions (and worked and paid in at least 26 weeks in one of these years), or paid, or be treated as having paid, Class 2 contributions, at least 26 times the lower earnings limit; and
2) during both the relevant tax years, paid, be treated as having paid, or been credited with Class 1 or 2 contributions at least 50 times the lower earnings limit.
Relevant Tax Years: the relevant years are the last 2 complete tax years (6 April - 5 April) before the current benefit year.
Benefit Year: runs from the first Sunday in January.
Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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