Job Seekers Payments and Part Time Work

Jobseeker’s Payments: If you are unemployed and in receipt of either Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB), Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) (JBSE) or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA), you can accept an offer of part-time work and may be able to qualify for some Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) or Jobseeker’s Allowance payment for the days that you are unemployed. For Jobseeker’s

Benefit (Self-Employed), the part-time work must be insurable employment and not self-employment.

Working part-time is allowed, providing that you are:

• Unemployed at least 4 days in any 7 consecutive days (including Sunday).

• Genuinely seeking work (GSW).

• Available for full-time work.

• Not engaged in self-employment – Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) only.

• Working for any part of a day, even only for one hour, is counted as a day of employment by the Department of Social Protection.

You must advise the Department of any work you intend to undertake while receiving either Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) or Jobseeker’s Allowance. If you are engaged in part-time employment, you must be available for and genuinely seeking work to qualify for a Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) or Jobseeker’s Allowance payment. If you accept part-time work and do not continue to genuinely seek work or cannot provide evidence of your efforts to seek work, your claim for Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) or Jobseeker’s Allowance may be disallowed.

Part-Time Work and Moving from JB to JA: You can engage in part-time employment while in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment. If you are about to exhaust your claim for Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and intend to apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance, it is particularly important that you check if your entitlement to a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment will be affected by:

• · Part-time employment / self-employment you are engaged in, or

• · Employment / self-employment your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant is engaged in.

Jobseeker’s Benefit and Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) are non-meanstested payments and will not be affected by any savings, investments, etc., but any income from employment or self-employment of your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant may affect the family’s rate of payment. Jobseeker’s Allowance is means-tested, and the value of any other income will be counted- including savings, redundancy-related payments over €20,000, capital, investments, property (other than your own home) and your spouse’s / civil partner’s / cohabitant’s income from employment – and may affect your entitlement to receive a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment. The first €20,000 of capital is disregarded for means purposes.

If you exhaust your Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), you may find it necessary to apply for a means-tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment while your application is being processed. You will not normally qualify for a SWA payment if you are working 30 hours or more per week.

If you are claiming Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), you can work part-time and continue to receive payment for the days you are unemployed, provided you continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions for Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed). You will not be paid Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) for the days you are employed or remunerated by your employer, but your earnings from employment will not affect your remaining Jobseeker’s Benefit payment. Payment is based on 5 days instead of 6:

If you are in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and take up part-time employment, the payment entitlement will be based on a 5-day week rather than a 6-day week.

This means that for each day that a person is unemployed, one-fifth of the normal rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) is payable.

For example, if you get part-time work for 2 days, you will get three fifths of the normal Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) for that week.

Working on Sunday: Sunday is treated as a day of employment and will be considered when calculating the amount of Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) that you are entitled to be paid.

For Example:

Part-time work and Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed)

Mary is a single person on Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), normally entitled to a payment of €232 per week. Mary takes up 2 days part-time employment so her JB / JBSE will be based on the 5-day rule. She is entitled to a payment for 3 days while she is working 2 days. Her new rate is calculated as follows:

New JB/JBSE daily rate of payment (€220 divided by 5 days) €46.40

Mary’s revised rate of JB / JBSE (€46.40 x 3) €139.20

Example: Working on Sunday and Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed)

Mary is a single person on Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), normally entitled to a personal payment of €232 per week. Mary takes up 1 day’s part-time employment on Sunday. She is entitled to a payment for 4 days based on the 5-day JB / JBSE rule. Her new rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit is calculated as follows:

New JB / JBSE daily rate of payment (€220 divided by 5 days) €46.40

Mary’s revised rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit (€46.40 x 4) €185.60

Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) – Optional Job seeker’s Allowance: In some circumstances, it may be better for you to claim means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance, instead of a reduced rate of non-means-tested Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) if you only qualify for less than the €232 Personal Rate of payment. The full rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is €232.

Changing to Optional Jobseeker’s Allowance can be arranged at any time during your Jobseeker’s Benefit claim, and you can change between Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and Optional Jobseeker’s Allowance as many times as you need to. If you opt for Optional Jobseeker’s Allowance, the days paid will be treated as days paid on your Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed).

Re-qualifying for Jobseeker’s Benefit: If you engage in part-time work while in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit, you may re-qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit when your current claim is exhausted.

You can re-qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) if you:

• Have used up your full Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) entitlement (either 9 or 6 months)

• Have not claimed Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) for at least 12 months

• Have at least 52 weeks of Class S contributions paid since your Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) claim ended.

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and Part-time Work: If you are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, you can work for up to three days a week and continue to receive payment for the days you are unemployed,

provided that you continue to satisfy the means test and the normal qualifying conditions for Jobseeker’s Allowance

Working on Sunday: Sunday will be treated as a day of employment and considered when calculating the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance that you are to be paid.

Assessment of Earnings: Your earnings from employment are assessed by taking your gross weekly earnings and deducting payments* for:

• PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance)

• Pensions (including the pension levy)

• Trade Union subscriptions

The Universal Social Charge – USC – is not deducted.

A daily disregard of €20.00 per day is applied for each day worked, up to a maximum of 3 days (€60.00). This daily disregard is combined for the number of days worked and deducted before your income is assessed. After subtracting the allowable deductions and applicable daily disregards, the

value of the remaining balance is assessed at 60% and taken as the weekly means from insurable employment. The weekly means are divided by six to get the daily means. The daily means are then multiplied by the number of days worked and applied to the weekly rate

Example: Part-time work and Jobseeker’s Allowance

Mary is a single person on Jobseeker’s Allowance, normally entitled to a payment of €220.00 a week. When she finds two days full-time (8 hours per day) work, her assessable earnings, after the allowable deductions, is €200. Her new rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is calculated as follows:

Earnings for two days (€100 per day x 2 days) €200.00 Earnings disregard for two days (€20 per day x 2 days) – €40.00

Assessable income from employment (earnings €200 – disregard €40) €160.00

Income assessed at 60% (€160 @ 60%) €96.00

Mary’s weekly means is €96.00

Mary’s daily means is (€96 divided by 6) €16.00

Mary’s new rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance (€220 - €32* means) €200.00

Two days assessable earnings €200.00

Plus JA payment + €200.00

New Total household income €400.00

*Daily means of €16, multiplied by 2 (the number of days worked) = €32

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) / Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) / Jobseeker’s Benefit

Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) – JA & JB/JBSE: This scheme aims to help families to move from Social Welfare into employment. It will give financial support to people with children who were getting Jobseeker’s or One-Parent Family payments, who take up employment or become self-mployed.

Working Family Payment (WFP) – JA & JB/JBSE: Persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance cannot qualify for Working Family Payment (WFP). However, their spouse/civil partner/cohabitant may apply for Working Family Payment if they work 38 or more hours per fortnight.

Rent Supplement – JA & JB/JBSE: Any additional income from employment or self employment, may affect the amount of Rent Supplement you may receive.

Housing – JA & JB/JBSE: Any additional income from employment, or self-employment, may result in an increase in Local Authority rent (Differential Rent Scheme) or the amount of rent you must pay under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Medical Card – JA & JB: If you are unemployed for 12 months or more, you may keep your Medical Card for up to 3 years in certain circumstances, when you get a job. If you take up full-time employment, you will retain your medical card for 3 years from the date you start work. If you take up part-time employment, the 3-year period starts from the date your income exceeds the relevant medical card guideline.

Education Options – JA/JB/JBSE: You cannot attend full-time education while in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment unless you participate in the Back to Education Allowance scheme or another approved scheme. You can engage in part-time education, if you continue to satisfy the ‘Genuinely Seeking Work’ requirements.

Self-Employment – JA & JB only: You can engage in self-employment while in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance. You must continue to satisfy all conditionality, including the ‘Genuinely Seeking Work’ condition, to retain any Jobseeker’s payment. For Jobseeker’s Allowance, there is no €20 daily disregard for self-employment as is available to those engaged in ‘insurable’ employment, under Jobseeker’s Allowance rules. If you have been self-employed and paying a Class S PRSI contribution, you do not have to de-register with Revenue or wind up or close your business, in order to receive a Jobseeker’s payment while self-employed part-time. If you wish to pursue self-employment as a full-time option, you may qualify for Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

Self-Employment – Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self Employed) (JBSE): You cannot engage in self-employment while in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed).

Spouse Working – JB & JBSE: If your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant works while you are in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), their earnings from employment will not directly affect your Personal Rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed). However, their earnings from employment, self-employment, or any other income, may affect the family rate of payment and will be considered to determine if you qualify for a payment for them as a Qualified Adult and for any Qualified Children.

Reduced Hours or Pay: If you have been working full-time and your employer reduces the number of days you work because of a downturn in business, you may be able to make a claim for a Jobseeker’s payment for the unemployed days, provided that you meet the other conditions that apply to Jobseeker’s payments.

Job-Sharing: You will not be eligible for Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) if you voluntarily take up a job-sharing arrangement when you have been working full-time. If, however, the change was not voluntary, you can pursue a Jobseeker’s payment.

Week on / Week off: If you are working week on / week off, your entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) will depend on a number of conditions, including your availability for work and whether you satisfy the ‘Genuinely Seeking Work’ condition.

Self-Employment and Jobseeker’s Payments: If you are unemployed and in receipt of either Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance payment and you engage in self-employment you may be able to claim some of your Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance payment.

Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and Self-Employment: If you are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) JBSE payment, you cannot engage in any self-employment activity or any form of self-employment and continue to qualify for a Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) payment.

Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) and Self-Employment: If you are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment, you can engage in selfemployment, but you must continue to seek full-time employment. Jobseeker’s Benefit is a non-means tested payment. This means that your income from self-employment will not affect your rate of payment, but the number of days you are engaged in self-employment (up to a maximum of 3 days per week – including Sunday) will affect your Jobseeker’s Benefit payment. You do not need to de-register as self-employed, close your business premises or sell your equipment/materials or tools in order to qualify for a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment. You will not receive any Jobseeker’s Benefit payment for the days you are engaged in self-employment, but you may receive payment for the other days you are not engaged in self-employment. You should not seek to claim a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment while engaged in self-employment without fully informing, and discussing the matter with, the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Failure to do so may result in loss of payment, loss of secondary benefits and result in an assessment of overpayment being made against you.

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and Self-Employment: If you are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment, you can engage in self-employment. Jobseeker’s Allowance is a means tested payment and you may be able to continue to claim some of your Jobseeker’s Allowance payment, depending on any means that may be assessed. A self-employed person may be entitled to Jobseeker’s Allowance provided s/he satisfies the normal qualifying conditions associated with Jobseeker’s Allowance. You do not need to de-register as self-employed, close your business premises or sell your equipment/materials or tools in order to qualify for a partial Jobseeker’s Allowance payment. You can continue to operate your business while you are getting Jobseeker’s Allowance provided you do not exceed the income limits.

You may continue to be self-employed and receive a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment if you satisfy the means test and provided you can show that you meet the scheme conditionality including being available for and ‘Genuinely Seeking’ full-time employment. You should not seek to claim a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment while engaged in self-employment without fully informing, and discussing the matter with, the Department of Social Protection. Failure to do so may result in loss of payment, loss of secondary benefits and result in an assessment of overpayment being made against you.

Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed (JBSE) and Self-Employment: If you are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed (JBSE) payment, you cannot engage in self-employment or any self-employment activities. Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed (JBSE) is paid to you as a jobseeker on the basis that you are genuinely seeking full-time employment. You can work as an employee, in insurable employment, for up to 3 days a week and still get Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) for the other days if you are available forfull-time work.

Jobseeker’s payments and Qualified Adult Working: The spouse / civil partner / cohabitant of a person in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment is referred to as a Qualified Adult. A Qualified Adult may take up either full-time or part-time employment while their partner is in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment. A Qualified Adult is not subject to scheme conditionality, including the Genuinely Seeking Work condition, that applies to the claimant. There is no restriction on the number of hours or days that a Qualified Adult may work. Additional income from employment, or self-employment, may result in an increase in Local Authority rent (differential rent) or the amount of rent you must pay under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and working 30 hours or more per week may affect the amount of Rent Supplement paid. The number of hours / days the Qualified Adult works will not affect the Jobseeker’s payment, but the amount of money the Qualified Adult earns may affect the family’s rate of payment on a Jobseeker’s payment. Married couples, persons who have entered into a civil partnership and cohabiting couples are all assessed in the same way by the Department of Social Protection. Revenue does not assess cohabiting couples for tax purposes in the same way as married couples and persons who have entered into a civil partnership.

Jobseeker’s Benefit /Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and Qualified Adult Working: The rates of payment for Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) are linked to the claimant’s average weekly earnings in employment and average weekly income from self-employment in the governing contribution year (GCY) of their claim. The average weekly earnings / average weekly income of the claimant in the GCY determines the rate for a qualified adult.

• Less than €300 per week the Qualified Adult payment is €99.70 per week

• €300 or more per week the Qualified Adult payment is €154.00 per week

Qualified Adult in Employment – (PRSI Class A employee): If you are claiming Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) and your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant (Qualified Adult) works, their gross earnings will be counted as follows (please note PRSI, pension payments and union subscriptions are not deducted from the gross):

• spouse / Civil Partner / Cohabitant earns up to and including €100.00 a week – Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) claimant will receive the full Qualified Adult rate.

• Spouse / Civil Partner / Cohabitant Earns between €100.01 and €310.00 per week – Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) claimant will receive a tapered* Qualified Adult rate.

• Spouse / Civil Partner / Cohabitant earns gross earnings over €310. A Qualified Adult - payment is no longer payable to the Jobseeker’s Benefit / Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self- Employed) claimant.

Working Family Payment (WFP): If your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant is working and you are claiming a Qualified Adult increase on your Jobseeker’s payment for him / her, your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant can opt to apply for WFP instead if the WFP payment is more than the Qualified Adult increase. However, if the Jobseeker’s claimant is working, he / she cannot claim WFP. If your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant applies for WFP while being claimed by you as a Qualified Adult, WFP Section will assess the amount of WFP that your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant will be entitled to and advise them accordingly. They will then contact your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant and the decision will be up to both of you as to how you want to proceed.

Jobseeker’s Allowance and Qualified Adult Working: The Qualified Adult of a person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance can take up either full-time or part-time employment. The Qualified Adult is not subject to scheme conditionality, including the Genuinely Seeking Work condition, and there is no restriction on the number of hours or days which may be worked by the Qualified Adult. The amount of money the Qualified Adult earns may affect the family’s rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance payment.

If you are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant (Qualified Adult) works, their gross earnings will be counted as follows

• Income of €20 per day is disregarded for up to 3 days (max. €60)

• All other income above the daily disregard is assessed at 60%

Here is an example - Qualified Adult (Jobseeker’s Allowance) – Working 3 days:

Liz, a mother of two children (both over 12), is a qualified adult on her partner Tom's Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) claim. Tom receives €494.00 Jobseeker’s Allowance on behalf of the family. Liz finds three days part-time insurable work. Her assessable earnings after the allowable deductions are €120.00. The family’s new rate of JA is calculated as follows:

Current Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) Family rate: €494.00

Liz’s earnings (3 days at €40 per day): €120.00

3 day disregard (€20 per day x 3 days): €60.00

Liz’s Assessable income after disregard: (€120-€60) €60.00

Assess 60% of net remainder (€60 assessed at 60%) €36.00

New JA rate (€466.00 - €36 assessable earnings): €458.00

Plus Liz’s earnings €120.00

New Household Income: (reduced JA + net Wages) €578.00

Here is another example - Qualified Adult (Jobseeker’s Allowance) – Working 5 days:

John and Mary have two children (both over 12) and have a family Jobseeker’s Allowance rate of €494.00

Mary finds work over five days. Her assessable earnings, after allowable deductions, are €200.00. Their new Jobseeker’s Allowance rate is calculated as follows.

Current Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) Family rate: €494.00

Mary’s earnings (5 days at €40 per day): €200.00

Less disregard (only allowed for 3 days at €20 per day) €60.00

Mary’s Assessable income after disregard (€200 – €60): €140.00

Assess 60% of remainder (€140 assessed at 60%) €84.00

New JA rate (€494.00 – €84.00 assessable earnings) €410.00

Plus Mary’s earnings €200.00

New household income (reduced JA + net Wages) €610.00

One-Parent Family Payment (OFP): is a payment for both men and women who, for a variety of reasons, are bringing up a child, or children, without the support of a spouse or partner. To be eligible for this payment a person must be either:

• widowed (includes a person divorced from spouse prior to spouse’s death and not remarried or person whose civil partnership has been dissolved prior to civil partner’s death and who has not registered in a new civil partnership)

• separated or divorced

• unmarried (including one whose marriage has been annulled or civil partnership has been dissolved) or

• a prisoner’s spouse / civil partner

One-Parent Family Payment is a means-tested payment made up of a personal rate and payment for qualified children. Unlike Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit, persons on One-Parent Family Payment do not have to satisfy the Genuinely Seeking Work condition to qualify for the payment. You cannot claim One-Parent Family Payment if:

• You are not the legal guardian of at least one child of qualifying age.

• You do not have the main care and charge of at least one qualified child who is residing with you.

• You have not been living apart from your spouse / civil partner for at least 3 months.

• You are cohabiting. Cohabiting means in a relationship and living with another person of the same or opposite sex.

• You do not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (see Habitual

• Residence Condition). EU migrant workers are exempt from HRC for the purposes of OFP.

• You are residing outside of Ireland.

• You do not satisfy the means test. This is where the value of any income, savings or investments or value of property (other than your own home) is more than is allowed for under the means test.

Persons applying for One-Parent Family Payment must satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition.

One-Parent Family Payment customers are paid until the youngest child in their family reaches the age of 7. Where the person no longer qualifies for One-Parent Family Payment, they may be able to seek an alternative Social Welfare payment, subject to satisfying the qualifying conditions of the particular payment / scheme. The payments they may qualify for include Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST), Jobseeker’s Benefit, Disability Allowance or Carer’s Allowance, Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) or Working Family Payment (WFP) if they are employed.

Special arrangements apply to those in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance, a half-rate Carer’s Allowance, a Blind Pension and to parents who have been recently bereaved.

The personal rate of payment of OPFP can be affected by an additional income from employment or self employment

When making an application for One-Parent Family Payment, or engaging in a review of an existing claim, and where the lone parent states that there is a violent or abusive relationship, he/she will not be expected to produce any documentary evidence in that regard.

Victims of domestic violence can get immediate access to Rent Supplement for a three-month period to ensure that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns. The usual Rent Supplement means test will not apply for this three-month period. The process will work based on referrals from TUSLA funded services; referrals from An Garda Síochána and the HSE will also be possible. After six months, where there is an identifiable long-term housing need, an application has been made for social housing including access to Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

One-Parent Family Payment is a means-tested payment which is made to men or women who are caring for a child or children who are not cohabiting with a spouse or partner. The term ‘cohabitant’ is defined in the Social Welfare code in accordance with Section 172 (1) of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010. A cohabitant has been described as ‘one of 2 adults (whether of the same or the opposite sex) who live together as a couple in an intimate and committed relationship and who are not related to each other within the prohibited degrees of relationship or married to each other or civil partners of each other.’ The following factors are considered in determining if a person is cohabiting with another person:

• The duration of any relationship;

• The basis on which the couple live together or have lived together;

• The degree of financial dependence of either adult on the other and any agreements in respect of their finances;

• The degree and nature of any financial arrangements between the adults including any joint purchase of an estate or interest in land or joint acquisition of personal property;

• Whether there are one or more dependent children;

• Whether one of the adults cares for and supports the children of the other

• The degree to which the adults present themselves to others as a couple.

While no single condition can necessarily support any decision that a couple are living together as husband and wife or civil partners, various facts, details and information can be considered and presented as credible evidence that a person is in a cohabiting relationship and does not qualify for One-Parent Family Payment.

Even if one or both of the couple own or rent alternative accommodation they may still be regarded as living together as husband and wife or civil partners, particularly where the alternative accommodation is seldom used.

If a person in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment, marries / is in civil partnership or remarries / is in a new civil partnership, entitlement to payment of OFP stops from the date of marriage / civil partnership or remarriage / new civil partnership.

You can continue to claim One-Parent Family Payment if you are in either parttime or full-time employment. Your continued entitlement to receive One-Parent Family Payment while working, depends on the amount of money you earn from your employment.

You must inform the Department of Social Protection (DSP) of a change in your circumstances, i.e. that you are working and of the amount you are earning from employment. Even if your earnings do not affect your payment, you must inform the Department of Social Protection of the details of your employment.

In the assessment of earnings, the first €165 of your gross weekly earnings is not taken into account (or is disregarded). This means that you can earn up to €165 per week and qualify for full One-Parent Family Payment. If you earn more than €165 per week, your One-Parent Family payment may be affected, based on a sliding scale of assessment of the additional income.

Here is an example of a benefit calculation for someone on One-Parent Family Payment and Working:

Jane is a lone parent with one child (under 12) receiving One-Parent Family Payment of €278, who finds work paying €220 per week. Her new rate of One-Parent Family Payment is calculated as follows:

Jane’s gross earnings €220.00

Earning disregard: – € 165.00

Total €55.00

Assessed at 50% €27.50

Jane’s weekly OFP rate €278.00

Less Means deducted for €27.50 (valued at €27.50) = = €27.50

New weekly rate €250.50

Jane’s gross earnings + €220.00

Plus revised One-Parent Family Payment rate €250.50

Total household income €470.50 110

JST – Youngest Child reaches 14: You will only qualify for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment until your qualified child reaches 14. When the JST stops, standard Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) conditions will apply to you.

Disability Allowance (DA) and Work: To qualify for Disability Allowance (DA) you must:

• Have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year;

• As a result of this disability you must be substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications;

• Be aged between 16 and 66;

• Satisfy a means test

• Satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition

You will continue to receive a Disability Allowance payment if you continue satisfy the medical qualification conditions, Habitual Residence Condition (HRC) and the means test. There is no cap or limit on the amount of time that you can receive a Disability Allowance payment provided you satisfy the conditions and are aged 16 or over and under 66.

Your Disability Allowance claim can be subject to medical review by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) during the course of your claim. Any such medical review will be conducted in order to determine if you continue to meet the medical criteria for qualification and if you continue to remain substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications. This can include referral to a DSP Medical Assessor or referral to your GP for an updated assessment of your disability. Where such review finds that you are no longer ‘substantially restricted in undertaking work’ and your Disability Allowance payment is affected, you have the right to seek a review of any decision and may have the right to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office

If you are in receipt of Disability Allowance (DA) you are allowed to participate in employment or self-employment and retain some or all of your Disability Allowance (DA) payment. You must notify Disability Allowance Section in the Department Social Protection (DSP) before taking-up any work. Failure to notify the Department before taking up employment / self employment could result in a suspension / withdrawal of your payment and an assessment of over-payment against you.

Income from employment is assessed as follows. The first €165per week will not affect the Disability Allowance payment. Earnings between €165 and €375 are assessed at 50%. A sliding scale is then used to calculate the actual value of the means as it will affect the payment. Income over €375 is assessed in full on euro for euro – for example:

Income from work = €200

Earnings disregard = €165

Actual assessable income from employment = €35

50% of income between €165 and €375 (€35 @ 50%) = €17.50

Result – DA payment will be reduced by = €10 per week

The Nationwide EmployAbility Service provides an employment support service for people with a health condition, injury, illness or disability. The supports offered are:

• Individual Needs Assessment

• Vocational Profiling & Career Planning

• Job Sourcing Planning

• On-the-job Support and Coaching

• Follow-up Support and Mentoring

If you wish to pursue self-employment as a full-time option you can apply for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance through the Department of Social Protection.

Persons on DA can participate on Community Employment. Participants on Community Employment (CE) schemes cannot claim / receive Disability Allowance and a CE payment at the same time.

Persons in receipt of Disability Allowance do not qualify to participate on JobsPlus.

Persons on Disability Allowance are allowed to participate on Training Courses. The Disability Allowance payment may be suspended for the duration of the course and a Training Allowance may be paid instead. Participants can receive a weekly training bonus. When the course is over the person will go back on their Disability Allowance, subject to their continuing to meet the medical criteria.

The means test to qualify for Disability Allowance is the same as Jobseeker’s Allowance, with the exception that the capital disregard for Disability Allowance is €50,000 (i.e. the first €50,000 of savings will not affect your payment).

The Department of Social Protection may have the discretion to allow a person to access certain Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payments, if a case can be made to show that an exceptional need exists. This includes the Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payments. Persons on Disability Allowance can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.

If you are advised by the Department of Social Protection that you are about to exhaust your entitlement to an Illness Benefit payment, and if you do not qualify for an Invalidity Pension payment, you may be able to apply for Disability Allowance. As this is a means tested payment you will need to check out if your payment will be affected by:

• any employment you are engaged in, or

• employment / self-employment your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant is en gaged in, or

• any means (savings, investments, property etc.) you or your partner have.

Illness Benefit is a non-means tested payment, whereas Disability Allowance is means tested. As such you will also need to be aware that the value of any other income, savings, capital, investments or property other than your own home could affect your entitlement to Disability Allowance. The capital disregard, i.e. money in the bank / building society / post office / credit union, for Disability Allowance is €50,000.

Moving from Illness Benefit to Disability Allowance is not an automatic process – you must make an application for Disability Allowance to the Department of Social Protection which will be subject to a medical assessment to determine if you satisfy the medical requirements.

If you have been getting Illness Benefit for a period of 468 days, you will be medically assessed for continued entitlement to Illness Benefit and any possible entitlement to Invalidity Pension. If, as a result of this assessment, it is considered that you may be entitled to Invalidity Pension, an application form (INV2) will be sent to you. This does not preclude you from applying for Invalidity Pension in the normal way using application form INV1.

To get Invalidity Pension you must have at least:

• 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance, and

• 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete tax year before the relevant date.

As well as being assessed for required social insurance, you will be medically assessed.

To qualify you must:

• Have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason. (you will probably have been getting Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance during that time), or

• Be permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason. (In certain cases of very serious illness or disability, you can transfer directly from another Social Welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension).

Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for employees insured under Pay RelatedSocial Insurance (PRSI) who cannot work due to illness. You are entitled to the payment if you are certified as unfit for work due to illness, you satisfy the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) conditions and are under age 66.

Statutory Sick Leave: The current annual Statutory Sick Leave entitlement is 5 days. If your first instance of illness in 2024 exceeds your 5-day Statutory Sick Leave entitlement, your Illness or Injury Benefit payment will start from day 6. If your Statutory Sick Leave entitlement has previously been exhausted in the year payment will start from day 4. If you have no Statutory Sick leave entitlement payment will start from day 4 of your claim. You must apply for Illness Benefit and be issued a Certificate of Incapacity by your doctor to claim for Illness Benefit. You can apply for Illness Benefit online and through an IB application provided by your doctor.

During the course of your claim for Illness Benefit, you may be asked to attend a medical assessment by a Medical Assessor for a second opinion as to whether you are incapable of work. The opinion of the Medical Assessor following this assessment is submitted to a Deciding Officer for consideration regarding your continued entitlement to Illness Benefit. In any case where payment of Illness Benefit is disallowed, you will be notified of the decision and advised of your right to appeal against the decision.

Illness Benefit (excluding any increases for qualified children) is considered as income for tax purposes and it is taxable from the first day of payment. Illness Benefit is paid directly to you without any deduction of income tax. If you are employed, your employer will take your Illness Benefit into account for PAYE purposes.

If you are unemployed, Revenue will take account of the amount of Illness Benefit paid to you when they adjust your tax credits or review the tax affairs of your spouse.

If you are in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) you can only take up employment under the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme. However, you must be in receipt of payment of Illness Benefit for a minimum of 6 months to be eligible to apply.

Invalidity Pension: Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and are covered by social insurance (PRSI). Subject to your medical condition, you may qualify for Invalidity Pension if you are or have been in receipt of Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance. Invalidity Pension is based on a claimant’s social insurance contributions and the personal rate of payment is not means tested. Invalidity Pension is taxable. If awarded Invalidity Pension you are entitled to a Free Travel Pass. You may also get extra Social Welfare benefits, for example, the Household Benefits Package. To qualify for award of Invalidity Pension a claimant must satisfy both PRSI contributions and medical conditions.

In order to qualify for the payment you may be required to undergo a medical assessment by a doctor employed by the Department of Social Protection. A DSP Deciding Officer will take all medical evidence into consideration when deciding if you qualify for the payment.

To qualify you must:

• Have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason. (you will probably have been getting Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance during that time), or

• Be permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason (in certain cases of very serious illness or disability, you can transfer directly from another Social Welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension).

Invalidity pension can be paid up to the age of 66 at which time there is an automatic transfer to State Pension (Contributory). It is payable while you continue to be assessed as unfit for work and where you are unlikely to be able to work for the rest of your life because of your illness or disability.

During the course of your claim for Invalidity Pension, you may be asked to attend a medical assessment by a Medical Assessor. The opinion of the Medical Assessor following this assessment is submitted to a Deciding Officer for consideration regarding your continued entitlement to Invalidity Pension. In any case where payment of Invalidity Pension is disallowed, you will be notified of the decision and advised of your right to review and / or appeal.

Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB): The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme replaced the previous exemption arrangements, where people on Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension could get permission to work part-time, (known as an exemption), for rehabilitative or therapeutic purposes and keep their Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment.

Partial Capacity Benefit scheme is a Social Welfare scheme which allows individuals in receipt of an Illness Benefit payment for a minimum of 6 months, or Invalidity Pension to return to work, (if they have a reduced capacity to work) and continue to receive a payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

You should apply for Partial Capacity Benefit before you start to look for work. Your payment may change when you go back to work but this will not happen until you actually start work. A late application for Partial Capacity Benefit can be accepted, once it is received within 21 days of commencement of employment.

If you find that it might be necessary to take up employment before you receive formal approval for the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme, because of the start date of the job, you should contact the DSP.

If approved for the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme, there is no restriction on the amount of money you can earn or number of hours you can work on this scheme. You can also qualify for the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme if you are seeking to become self-employed. Participation on the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme is voluntary.

When you apply for the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme, a Medical Assessor from the Department of Social Protection will assess the restriction on your capacity for work. This may require you to attend a medical assessment. You should include all appropriate medical evidence with your application form. If you qualify for the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme, you will not be required to send in medical certificates.

The level of restriction on your capacity for work is linked to your rate of payment on the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme. If you are unhappy with the level of restriction of capacity assessed by the Department’s Medical Assessor, you have the right to review that decision directly with Partial Capacity Benefit Section, or to appeal that finding to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

You will require the permission of the Department of Social Protection before you take up or begin employment under the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme. If employment has been secured, please contact Partial Capacity Benefit section directly by e-mail at PCB@welfare.ie.

If you were entitled to Free Travel or Island Allowance, Living Alone Allowance or Household Benefits while in receipt of Invalidity Pension, you can keep them if you qualify for Partial Capacity Benefit. However, entitlement to Household Benefits will be subject to a means test after 2 years.

Partial Capacity Benefit is made up of a personal rate for you and may include increases for your qualified adult and qualified child(ren). The personal rate of payment is based on the assessment of your restriction on capacity for work and on your Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension.

The duration of payment on the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme will depend on the Illness and Invalidity payment you are currently in receipt of.

If, for example, you leave the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme because your employment ceases or because your medical condition has deteriorated, you may return to your previous Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment, if you continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions of the payment.