# Job Seekers Allowance/ Benefit



## Mrst (7 Aug 2007)

Hi, I am completely confused!! I left full time employment in mid June to become a full time mum. I called to the local social welfare office today to try to sign for credits - not wanting all my years of stamps to just disappear. I was given a job seekers form and although I explained that I was only signing for credits the girl behind the desk put on the form that I was laid off and seeking work. She said I would be entitled to 15 months of payments based on my PRSI payments for 2005/06. My husbands weekly pay after tax each month is about €1k - will I be means tested or automatically get a basic payment. When I left my job I assumed I was entitled to nothing at all. Years ago I had to fight to get anything when I was laid off, have things changed that much in 5 years??


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## Berni (8 Aug 2007)

You are quite correct - if you are not available for full time work, you can't receive payment. The girl you spoke to is wrong, and in signing the form you have agreed with what she put down. You should go back and have it changed.


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## pat127 (8 Aug 2007)

Mrst said:


> Hi, I am completely confused!! I left full time employment in mid June to become a full time mum. I called to the local social welfare office today to try to sign for credits - not wanting all my years of stamps to just disappear. I was given a job seekers form and although I explained that I was only signing for credits the girl behind the desk put on the form that I was laid off and seeking work. She said I would be entitled to 15 months of payments based on my PRSI payments for 2005/06. My husbands weekly pay after tax each month is about €1k - will I be means tested or automatically get a basic payment. When I left my job I assumed I was entitled to nothing at all. Years ago I had to fight to get anything when I was laid off, have things changed that much in 5 years??



In case it's relevant, take a look at the Homemaker's Scheme at

http://www.welfare.ie/publications/sw1.html

Note the reference to the Note about getting credits automatically if you are in receipt of Child Benefit.


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## gipimann (8 Aug 2007)

In order to sign for credits only, you must also be available for and seeking work:

In order to be entitled to Unemployment Credits, a person
must be available for full-time employment, capable of work
and must also be genuinely seeking work. The additional
requirement to be genuinely seeking work for the award of
credits while unemployed is effective from 27 August 2003.

(from Welfare Website - http://www.welfare.ie/foi/creditsaward.html#7 )


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## Welfarite (9 Aug 2007)

You are signing a statement that you are available for work when clearly you are not. The girl might have thought you were because you asked to sign for credits without knowing the conditions to do that. You can't "Only sign for credits". Ring them and ask them to cancel your claim adn confrim that in writing.


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## Trish2006 (9 Aug 2007)

Does anyone know what defines genuinely seeking work?  I'm in a similar position, #2 due soon and I don't think it'd be feasible in either a commuting/financial aspect for me to continue with my current job (no possibility of part time in current job and highly unlikely to get part time in a diff co, not in my industry).  However, I'd rather keep working than abandon the career that I've spent 10 years in and 4 years studying for.  But how choosy do you get to be in 'seeking work'.  It would have to pay enough that I'd make an acceptable amount of money on it after childcare costs, and it would have to be local instead of city centre based because of traffic and the fact that the train station car park is now full before the creche opens, so that option that I used to use is now gone.  The only reason I'm managing at the moment is because it's summer and traffic/parking is lighter.  Is it acceptable to only accept a job that suits, i.e. if I got offered something like what I have now, I'd have to turn it down.  Would that be seen as not genuinely seeking work?  I've paid enough taxes over the years and feel if I'm entitled to job seekers benefit then I should avail of it.  Also, if I don't get anything after a certain period then I understand that I could probably avail of Fas (or whoever) retraining, possibly in an area that would be more suitable to local/part time work.

Anyone been there, done that?


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## Welfarite (9 Aug 2007)

If it's definitionsa you want, t's all here folks!!!!!!  http://www.welfare.ie/foi/jb_jobseekben.html


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## Trish2006 (9 Aug 2007)

Great link, thanks.  Looks like it's down to a deciding officer to decide if you get it or not.


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## Welfarite (9 Aug 2007)

Yep, and they're human too!


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## Mrst (10 Aug 2007)

Thanks for all the replies, I am going to call in tomorrow and have a chat with them again, I didn't know that unemployment benefit/ assistance "the dole" was renamed - God I am so not with all this social welfare terminology. I also thought I could sign to keep my credits or stamps or whatever they are called. I have no intention of returning to work for another 2 or 3 years and left a grand old job to become a full time mammy. Am I going to get the lady at the front desk in trouble for this? I hope not. Also hubbie does not want anybody from the social welfare office looking into his financial business - he was as clued into this whole thing as me. All I know is that I went in not expecting anything and knowing very little and now I am more confused than ever and to top it all a recruitment agency rang me this morning offerring me a part time position. The plot thickens.


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## ClubMan (10 Aug 2007)

Mrst said:


> I also thought I could sign to keep my credits or stamps or whatever they are called. I have no intention of returning to work for another 2 or 3 years and left a grand old job to become a full time mammy.


So _Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance _is not certainly relevant if you are not available for and actively seeking work as pointed out earlier so the _Homemaker's Scheme _mentioned earlier is most likely what you need. 





> Also hubbie does not want anybody from the social welfare office looking into his financial business


 Er, why?


> and to top it all a recruitment agency rang me this morning offerring me a part time position.


 Presumably irrelevant if, as you say...


> I have no intention of returning to work for another 2 or 3 years and left a grand old job to become a full time mammy.





> The plot thickens.


 What plot?


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