Further Leave to Remain (How long have you been waiting)

[pennybarry]

... 'fraid not, NO! Unfortunately, you can only do so once you have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain/Permanent Residence. Only THEN, would you be eligible to claim Unemployment Benefit ... or *Income-Based Jobseekers' Allowance [payable from public funds] *as it's now called.

Even if you're holding ILR, the chance of claiming JSA is little if your NI contributions doesn't reached their required quota.
You need to work hard for it to be entitled to JSA benefits.

[nethlewy]

Even if you're holding ILR, the chance of claiming JSA is little if your NI contributions doesn't reached their required quota.
You need to work hard for it to be entitled to JSA benefits.

Chances of claiming JSA are nil if you have insufficient NI contributions.

Calculating sufficient NI contributions is very complicated but if you have paid the qualifying amount and your visa conditions do not prohibit access to public funds you could be entitled to JSA, Maternity Allowance or other contribution based benefits. Please see below.


Contribution based job seekers allowance
There are two main contribution conditions:

1) You must actually have paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions with an earnings factor of at least 25 times the lower earnings level in one of the two relevant contribution years.

Class 1 National Insurance contributions are only paid by somebody working for an employer (not self-employed).

Earnings factor of at least 25 times the lower earnings level means that, for example, in 2003/04 you must have paid 25 x £77 = £1,925.

Relevant contribution year runs from April to April in the two years prior to the date of claim. The benefit year runs from the first Sunday in January to the end of the first Saturday in the following January.

2) The second contribution condition is that in each of the relevant contribution years you must have either paid or been credited with Class 1 contributions with an earnings factor of at least 50 times the lower earnings limit for that year.

In 2003/04 this was 50 x £77, which is £3,850.

Even if the contribution conditions are satisfied, contribution based job seekers allowance may not be paid at the start of or during the claim for several reasons:

•The full time work rule
•Waiting days
•Other benefits
•Absence from Great Britain
•Capacity for work
•Availability and actively seeking work
•Misconduct or leaving previous job voluntarily
•Failure to take up a job or training
•Personal occupational pension
This benefit is only paid for a maximum six-month period.

It is possible to appeal against a refusal of benefit because of a decision relating to contributions or credits. In practice, the matter will be referred to the Inland Revenue for an investigation and the decision may be revised.