job seekers allowance after self-employment

[urm8anne]

I have been a taxi driver in Barnstaple, Devon for over 5 years, firstly as an employee and then, as a self-employed driver for the same company,driving the same company car, doing the exact same job for exactly the same income. This was not a personal choice but a company policy change.

Eighteen months later and I have been laid off because business is quiet and I find myself not entitled to contribution based job seekers allowance because my self employed contributions do not count ( a fact that I wasn't aware of ) and not entitled to income based job seekers allowance because my partner earns a little over the limit. Quite apart from the small help in income that belive me we could do with this has ment that I am also not entitled to other practical help that those in receipt of this benefit get.

The most frustrating is that I am attempting to get an office based job, which is something I used to do before I had my son 11 years ago, and I would like to get my skills up to date but I do not qualify for subsidised courses that I would get if I were in receipt of JSA. I am taking the European Computer Drivers License course which comes in two halves, in fact I started it two weeks before I was laid off. The first half costs �150 which I have paid, the second half, which is needed to complete the qualification costs �270 which I cannot afford and would be free if I was lucky enough to be in receipt of JSA. I would like to take other courses in order to help me get a job but cannot afford to.

I am perfectly willing and able to help myself back into gainful employment but have arrived at a brick wall that seems to stem just from the fact that I was unable to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions as a self employed worker. How can you help?

[cupotee]

I can see the original post is several years old but just today I have a close friend who is in the same dire straits. Been self employed for over 30 years never claimed a penny in benefits always paid his tax on time....and now having been off sick from an injury at work last summer resulting in 2 operations he is ready to return to work.
He's had a letter today from DWP informing him he doesn't qualify for Jobseekers benefit as he hasn't paid the correct NI contribution...his wife was made redundant at the end of March.
He was in the Gas trade and his Certificate ran out in November last and now he can't afford to resit the yearly test....surely there must be some sort of benefit they can claim. Neither have ever claimed a penny...got to their 50s and now, well....what now? I'm sure I don't know where it will end. Serious depression has set in. When there are so many people who come to this country never having paid a penny into the system seem to get so much yet someone born here does seem so unfair. I don't think I will ever vote again!!