# Single Parent Unemployed since Aug, What are my entitlements...



## Luckyellie (5 Jan 2009)

hi,
I have been unemployed since August. I am a single parent so i am getting a payment of 240.00 a week. I am also receiving 98.50 unemployment benifit. 

I am starting a job which is relief (shifts when available) which pays 300 a shift and hope to work one a week if available. What am i entitled to if anything?

I am going down to the social welfare office on Wednesday but just wondering if anyone knew anything? 

Have applied for loads of full time jobs but its tough at the moment and i would prefer to be working but will i be worse off...


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## Black Sheep (6 Jan 2009)

It appears to me that you would loose E16.40 of the JB and E47.00 of the Lone parent payment. Therefore your overall gain (based on one shift per week) would be E237 (approx). Seems very worthwhile to me!!

By the way make sure you are claiming your single parent tax credit


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## mrsmonypenny (7 Jan 2009)

You could apply for the Back to Work Scheme. I was on this a few years ago and it really helped. You get your employer to fill in the forms for you, and you send them back. Whichever social welfare payment you are currently getting, ie, One parent family, will then become "Back to Work" Payment. (In other words, you wont be claiming one parent family anymore, it will be back to work). The back to work lasts for four years, however, every year it is phased out, so for example say year one you were getting €160 a week, then year 2 you get €110, year 3 €60 a week, and so on until it is phased out. If you do get back to work, you are also entitled to claim FIS. FIS is calculated as follows: It only takes into account the wages that you make from your employer. There are income limits depending on your circumstances, ie, one child, two children....etc. Say for example you have one child, and your income limit is €480 per week, and you earn €300 per week in your wages, that leaves a difference of €180. So they then calculate 60% of that €180 which will then give you a payment of €108 per week. So that will be on top of your wages, your back to work, and if you are claiming your rent allowance, and medical cards, etc. The FIS is reviewed every year, and you will have to re-apply.

Both the Back to work and FIS have a bit of a back log on applications so you could be waiting a couple of weeks for it to be processed, however, they do backdate the payments.

Hope this helps, however, the citizens advice website has all the official information on this.


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