Jsa stopped because of unemployment insurance payment. Is this possible?

[nino]

This is driving me around the bend.

Following redundancy I registered with the local JobCentrePlus and from December I started claiming JSA (contributions based type) which I thought I had a right to , having been in work for 37 years.

They paid the JSA contributions ok, but then Belfast wrote claiming I owed them back two lots of fortnight-payments because my Pension had gone up in April.

Odd ! I thought. Yes my NHS pension had gone up but by only £1.90 a month, but where is the right to 6 months payments irrespective of income if they then look at money coming in ? Also I do not think that such an increase would have had that huge impact !

On reflection I remember declaring to the staff of the JobCentrePlus that in March I had started receiving a monthly payment of £300 from the Lyfestyle Protection Policy which I had with the Post Office.

Could that money have been taken into consideration and perhaps mistaken as an additional pension or an increase of the original NHS ? I do not know and after two unanswered recorded deliveries to Belfast and two letters from their Debt Recovering office (which are also claiming a fine of £90 from me ) I am getting panicky.

I do not want to pay up if then it turns up to be a misinterpretation by the benefits department.

 

MY QUESTION: Can anyone here please confirm to me whether an insurance payment under the ASUS scheme terms can be taken into account for stopping JSA payments ? I really think Belfast might have been mistaking this money for an additional pension or an increase on the originally declared pension.

 

Your advice would be much appreciated as I am running short of time >

Thank you

Nino

[obiter dictum]

JSA is a means tested benefit on income coming into the home

 

£300 over 12 months equates to £3600

 

£3000 is the limit for income related

 

I was under the impression savings are not taken into account for contributions based JSA for the first 6 months?

 

You mention Belfast

The legislation is different to the UK as they (Stormont) have refused to accept the Governments welfare reforms

[estellyn]

I'm sorry, but I think it might count as income - but I'm not a cont based benefit expert, maybe someone with more knowledge might know more.

 

eTA: I've been researching this, and though specifically in UC regs it does count as income, I can't find anything about cont based jsa. I don't think it used to count, but maybe they are now applying uc rules to jsa?? It might be worth challenging the decision with a request for a mandatory reconsideration.

[antone]

For ESA© at least, the general rule is that most types of income are disregarded but there is an exception for income that is earned from employment or that replaces earnings from employment. Mostly it's income from occupational pensions that is covered by this rule. So I'm not 100% sure, but it may be that income protection type insurance policies are also counted in that category. I second the suggestion to request a Mandatory Reconsideration, if only to get some clarity in the matter.

[nino]

Thank you all. Please keep sending in your thoughts on this matter.

 

I did challenge by asking for a mandatory reconsideration. Recorded deliveries where sent to them on 30th June and one on 29th of July but have both remained unanswered on the subject.

Instead, bully tactics are being pursued by their Debt Management department in Mitcheldean (Glos) .

I am so so sad that after putting in so much in my life I am being treated this way now that I am vulnerable.

Why do those two departments not liaise on this matter to put the matter on hold till a reconsideration outcome letter is issued ? The guy's at the DM department attitude was: we are not concerned . We only recover the debt. It s your problem to chase with Belfast. The fact is that Belfast do not answer ....!

The day before yesterday I also made an official complaint to the Dept. by going onto their website to write an email. The message received response that followed read that they d contact within 2 working days. Guess what ? I have heard from no one.

 

Regards to all

Nino