gettingbacktowork.ie Payments For Jobseeker’s Ireland : Citizens Information Board

Organization : Citizens Information Board
Type of Facility : Payments For Jobseeker’s
Country: Ireland

Website : http://www.gettingbacktowork.ie/en/payments_for_jobseekers/

Payments For Jobseekers:

If you lose your job, are laid off, have reduced days at work or are made redundant you may be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit. You must meet certain conditions to be eligible for a jobseeker’s payment.

Related : Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation OELAS Online Export Licensing Application System Ireland : www.statusin.org/9471.html

If you are self-employed but you have had to close your business or the amount of work you are getting has reduced you may qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Jobseeker’s Benefit:
To get Jobseeker’s Benefit you must have worked and have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

You must also be unemployed and and looking for full-time work. However, if you are working for 3 days or less each week it may be possible for you to work and get Jobseeker’s Benefit.

Jobseeker’s Allowance:
To get Jobseeker’s Allowance you must pass a means test. The means test for Jobseeker’s Allowance examines all your sources of income and your total family income is calculated. If it falls below a certain level you may qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you are 24 years of age or under and living with your parents, a certain amount of your parents’ income may also be assessed in the means test. Young people (25 and under) without children get a lower rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance. If they take part in an employment support scheme or a training or education programme they may get a higher rate.

You must be unemployed and looking for full-time work. However, if you are working for 3 days or less each week it may be possible for you to work and get Jobseeker’s Allowance. Income from work is also taken into account in the means test.

Applying for a jobseeker’s payment:
You can read general information about making a social welfare claim. The process of claiming a jobseeker’s payment is known as signing on.

If you qualify for a payment, you may be able to get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant. You may also be able to claim an increase in your payment for a child dependant. If it is possible to claim for dependants, the Department of Social Protection will request information about your dependants on the application form.

It is important that you make your claim as soon as you know you are entitled to the payment. All payments must be claimed within a specific period of time. If you don’t claim on time you may lose out. Find out more about making a late claim. If you are refused Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit you can appeal this decision.

If you cannot work due to illness or disability, you may be entitled to a payment.

Extra benefits:
If you qualify for a jobseeker’s payment you may qualify for extra benefits such as Rent Supplement to help you with the costs of private renting. You can get Fuel Allowance if you are on long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance – for 156 days or longer.

Jobseeker’s Allowance :
If you are unemployed, you may be paid either Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) or Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB). Both payments are paid by the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

You may get Jobseeker’s Allowance if you don’t qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit or if you have used up your entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit. In some cases, if you are only entitled to a reduced rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit you may be better off on Jobseeker’s Allowance. However, Jobseeker’s Allowance is means-tested and your means must be below a certain level to qualify.

People who had been getting a One-Parent Family Payment and who no longer qualify because their youngest child has reached the age limit can qualify for a special payment called Jobseeker’s Allowance Transition.

If you are getting JA you can use a new Benefit of Work Ready Reckoner from the Department of Social Protection to help you assess out the financial consequences of taking up full-time work. The Reckoner works out the total amount you would receive on taking up full-time work (including any Family Income Supplement) and compares this to what you are getting in jobseeker payments (including Rent Supplement).

Jobseeker’s Allowance and work:
You must be unemployed to get Jobseeker’s Allowance. You must also be capable of, available for, and genuinely seeking work to qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance – and you must be able to show evidence of this to the Department of Social Protection. However, there are circumstances in which you can do some work and get Jobseeker’s Allowance. Income from work affects the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance you get.

If you get part-time or casual work (up to and including 3 days per week), you may still be paid Jobseeker’s Allowance for the other days. However, you must show that you are trying to get full-time employment. If your employer reduces your days at work to 3 days week or less, you may get Jobseeker’s Allowance for the other days. You must meet the other conditions that apply to Jobseeker’s Allowance, for example, you must satisfy a means test. There is an exemption from some of the rules for retained firefighters.

If you have been getting long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance (over 390 days or 15 months) and you take up part-time work for less than 24 hours a week you may be eligible for the Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJI). This scheme allows you to take up part-time work and get a special weekly allowance instead of your jobseeker’s payment.

Find out more about how income from work is assessed for Jobseeker’s Allowance. You can also take up to two weeks holiday in a year and continue to get your payment.

Self-employment:
If you are self-employed, you may be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance, depending on your income from your business. You can find out out more about self-employment and unemployment. Self-employed farmers on a low income should apply for Farm Assist.