Oh yes i can understand that, the point being she was working full time (ie at least 38 hrs a week) during all that time for the same employer, so her NI wasn't in doubt, after telling them that she didn't have every single last payslip, they said "well send us your last 2 years bank statements and we will work out what hours you worked from the pay you got"?! She did send copies - heavily black marker penned out so all they could see was the wages going in. They then took another 4 weeks to do whatever they where doing with them, She finally got paid her JSA nearly 3 months after 1st claiming it, she's back in work now and is so much happier for it.
I personally work in a job i don't like that is really not enough hours 22.5 a week and is minimum wage, and i'm probably not really earning much more than being on the dole, but i'd still much prefer to do it than have to sign on!