At the Job Centre last year:
Last year: "No, you can't have any dole money. You didn't pay enough NI in the last two complete tax years[2]."
... a new tax year sarts ...
At the Job Centre today:
Them: "Our tax years run January to January."
Me: "Ok, so I should have asked then then[3]. Do I qualify now ?"
Them: "No. It's taken from when you applied."
Me: "So if I hadn't told you I was laid off till now ..."
Them: "You'd probably get some money.[4]"
For fucks sake ! They take a huge chunk out of my pay packet, and I can't get any of it back ! What exactly was the point ? I'd have been better of being paid cash in hand and throwing 20% away ! Arghhh... !
Is it actualy illegal to be paid cash in hand, do your own tax, and not pay any NI ?
[1] Or take my money for no reason. Whichever you prefer.
[2] I was a student for half of one of them. So couldn't.
[3] Repeat this and previous line 3 times.
[4] Notice how this means even though I qualify for the money, I can't actualy have it, because I followed the rules and told them as soon as I was laid off.
So the morale is - leave telling the government your unemployed as long as possable.