JSA claim closed because havent been in country long enough

[capucinenskinautik]

Hello all!

I am French and arrived to live in the Uk mid-october 2009.
I started my claim for JSA in december: I'm self-employed but just started as a translator so i spend many weeks just earning...£10 or nothing!
I thought the system quite clever, giving me a bit of money weeks I don't earn anything, not giving any on weeks I earn enough...
So I DO work but its very irregular.
(When I arrived in october I was able to support myself as I had savings. They now have been used)

2 months on i just got told I failed my residency test because I haven't been in the Uk "for an appreciable period of time"

I understand a person shouldn't move to another country only to get benefits but this isn't my case, i need support so I can still eat while looking for jobs/working a bit etc...

I do get Housing benefits though (I've applied at the same time)

I don't know what to do, I have signed on for 2 months, even went to this "back to work session" after 6 weeks, but the lady on the phone told me it could be a year till i can claim JSA...and maybe i should keep signing on??

She told me I could appeal against that decision but I'm a bit lost, if anybody out there got into that same situation and could help me a little, that would be great!

Thanks,
Marine