Made redundant. Traceable work history.

Dear Benefits & Work,

Firstly, please note this is not a priority query, so if you have any more pressing questions, please leave this to the back of the queue.

After years of appreciated service, helping me with my dad's benefits, I've unfortunately found myself made redundant after 20 years with the same employer. As of the 1st of June I shall be officially unemployed.

As I currently have £16000 + in savings I am aware that I shall be unable to claim anything which is fine. After being in the same job for twenty years I currently plan to have a couple of months out of work (maybe do some voluntary work, or travleling, have a think about where I'm going) and then get back in to the swing of thing of things.

I have spoken to the inland revenue regarding NI payments. They said I can just contact them in a years time, and if I have any gaps in my NI payments I can just make a one of payment then.

My question is, if you have any info at all, is, can you register in some way with the job centre? Can you register but not claim in any way? Maybe get NI payments made? I assume not. Or register so a gap in your work history doesn't look odd to a potential future employer?

I have visited my local job centre but was near enough turned way - no help what-so-ever. I just wondered wither you had any info at all or helpful links on the above. If you have no info at all, this is also fine, I just thought I'd ask as a friend of mine thinks I might need to register somewhere? I'm unsure.

Kind regards,
Bluebear.

Thanks, Gordon.

Would I still be able to claim New Style JSA even with the savings I have? When I dropped in to the Job Centre I was told there was nothing I could claim. With regards to NI, yep, I called them. I could pay £781 (from memory) for the entire year, or just fill in any gaps at a later date.