# Early retirement and social welfare



## Fisherman

If I take early retirement at 64 will I be entitled to any social welfare for the remaining 2 years to state pension


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## Time

Jobseekers benefit after a waiting period of 9 weeks till you are 66.


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## Billo

Jobseekers Benefit only lasts for 9 months IMHO.


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## Time

Then JSA for the remainder.


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## gipimann

If you wait until you are 65 you can claim Jobseekers Benefit for the full year until you reach 66.
There is a concession for persons aged 65 signing on - the 9 month rule isn't applied.
The concession won't apply if you sign on at age 64.


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## dub_nerd

I presume to qualify for Jobseeker's, even at 65, you have to be seeking a job?


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## commonsense

dub_nerd said:


> I presume to qualify for Jobseeker's, even at 65, you have to be seeking a job?



No, from the 1st January 2014:

"The Department of Social Protection is putting new administrative provisions in place to ease the transition from the labour force into retirement. From 1 January 2014, if you are claiming Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance and are aged 62 or over, the following will apply:

You will no longer be required to engage with the activation process and you will not be subject to penalty rates for non-engagement
You can voluntarily avail of a range of supports (for example, training or employment support programmes) from the Department of Social Protection"


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## gipimann

While older jobseekers won't have to go through the activation process, they must be available for and be seeking work to qualify - see the information on this page (just below the paragraph quoted above)http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Jobseeker's-Benefit.aspx


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## Time

I doubt they would be hassled as much as a 20 year old in all fairness.


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## eastbono

Just to note if you take early retirement you do not have to wait 9 weeks for jobseekers benefit.


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## kbie

Would 'credits' at the last Class be available during this period?


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## eastbono

A person could sign on for a class contributions or if a public or civil servant they can sign for wops.


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## Fisherman

Firstly, thanks for all your replies and interest shown.....

 Wont 'look a gift horse in the mouth', but why do they allow you to draw JB if you effectively leave your job and have a pension.

 I presume if you pension was large enough to pay tax on, the JB would be taxable .


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## Time

Yes, JB is always taxable.


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## pudds

> why do they allow you to draw JB if you effectively leave your job and have a pension.



JSB is not a means tested payment, but you must be genuinely seeking and looking for work to claim it.


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## Ann1

gipimann said:


> If you wait until you are 65 you can claim Jobseekers Benefit for the full year until you reach 66.
> There is a concession for persons aged 65 signing on - the 9 month rule isn't applied.
> The concession won't apply if you sign on at age 64.



So what would happen if you started claiming JB in say February aged 64 yrs and then turned 65 in the August having only claimed 6 months benefit. 

My understanding of the new rule is that if you are claiming JB and turned 65 while still claiming it that they will continue to pay you JB until you reach pension age. I could be wrong but that is how I read it.


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## gipimann

I had a look at the operational guidelines and it's not 100% clear, but you may be right.  The guidelines appear to say that if there is an entitlement to JB on the 65th birthday,  it will be  extended to 66.
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Jobseekers-Benefit.aspx

If a person signed on at age 64 they might exhaust their entitlement before age 65.


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## pudds

gipimann said:


> I had a look at the operational guidelines and it's not 100% clear, but you may be right.  The guidelines appear to say that* if there is an entitlement to JB on the 65th birthday,  it will be  extended to 66.*
> http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Jobseekers-Benefit.aspx
> 
> If a person signed on at age 64 they might exhaust their entitlement before age 65.



That is exactly my understanding of it, as I was facing the same situation until I discovered the 'earnings related' clause, which made JSA a better option in my case,

This is from the State Pension info



> If you are getting Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) and are aged between 65 and 66 when your JB would normally end, you may continue to receive it until the age of 66, provided you meet the PRSI requirements.


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## Bronte

So for the OP the best thing to do is to wait until he is 64 and 3 months, he applies for JB which he is entitled to for 9 months (less 9 weeks I guess) and then at 65 because he is already on JB it will continue until he reaches retirement. 

Have I got that right. Because of the 9 week rule, maybe he should be 64 and 1 month? 

It's awfully complicated these rules.

Gipeman, what is the 'activation' process?


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## gipimann

Activation is where jobseekers are directed towards training or education with a view to getting the jobseeker back into the workforce. Failure to engage in activation can result in reduced payment.


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## eastbono

He wont have to serve 9 week disqualification if he takes early retirement. You are correct in saying it would be best for him to wait until he is 64 yrs and 3 months before he applies for jsb....he would need to err on the side of caution here and be very accurate about his date of his application so that he is still in payment of jsb on his 65th birthday.


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## Bronte

gipimann said:


> Activation is where jobseekers are directed towards training or education with a view to getting the jobseeker back into the workforce. Failure to engage in activation can result in reduced payment.


 
Amazing really when you consider that we're all constantly being told we should work later in life, and they are all over the world trying to increase the retirement age.


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## Ann1

eastbono said:


> *He wont have to serve 9 week disqualification if he takes early retirement.* You are correct in saying it would be best for him to wait until he is 64 yrs and 3 months before he applies for jsb....he would need to err on the side of caution here and be very accurate about his date of his application so that he is still in payment of jsb on his 65th birthday.


Hi Eastbono....I thought if you left your job of your own accord that you are disqualified from JSB for 9 weeks...or is this rule relaxed if you are over 62 years of age..??


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## gipimann

Bronte said:


> Amazing really when you consider that we're all constantly being told we should work later in life, and they are all over the world trying to increase the retirement age.


The older jobseeker can engage in activation if they wish, but they won't be forced into it or penalised if they don't.


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## eastbono

Ann1 said:


> Hi Eastbono....I thought if you left your job of your own accord that you are disqualified from JSB for 9 weeks...or is this rule relaxed if you are over 62 years of age..??



If you take early retirement or redundancy(unless the redundancy package is >€50,000 and you are < 55 years of age) a disqualification period is very seldom imposed.

On the other hand leaving a job of your own accord....e.g. just walking out of a job or being fired for gross misconduct can result in a disqualification of up to 9 weeks.


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## Ann1

eastbono said:


> If you take early retirement or redundancy(unless the redundancy package is >€50,000 and you are < 55 years of age) a disqualification period is very seldom imposed.
> 
> On the other hand leaving a job of your own accord....e.g. just walking out of a job or being fired for gross misconduct can result in a disqualification of up to 9 weeks.



Would you know if the 9 weeks disqualification would apply to someone leaving a job...aged 64 because they want to move back to their own home. They have been working north of the border for 4 years to stay in employment and paying high rent there each month. It's becoming too difficult to maintain two homes..


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## eastbono

Ann1 said:


> Would you know if the 9 weeks disqualification would apply to someone leaving a job...aged 64 because they want to move back to their own home. They have been working north of the border for 4 years to stay in employment and paying high rent there each month. It's becoming too difficult to maintain two homes..



It shouldnt as its a different jurisdiction. They would be classed as returned emigrant and would be applying for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment that is assuming the person is paying contribution in the UK and is not a cross border worker....from what you say  they have been living there for the past 4 years so not cross border worker.... they will also have to fill out a habitual residence form as they have been out of the country for a considerable period of time (I know its only the North but this will still apply).


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## Ann1

eastbono said:


> It shouldnt as its a different jurisdiction. They would be classed as returned emigrant and would be applying for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment that is assuming the person is paying contribution in the UK and is not a cross border worker....from what you say  they have been living there for the past 4 years so not cross border worker.... they will also have to fill out a habitual residence form as they have been out of the country for a considerable period of time (I know its only the North but this will still apply).


Yes he is a cross border worker and travels home every weekend so he has not lost his habitual residence. He is entitled to claim JSB under cross border legislation while he is looking for work in the south. My query was more to do with the 9 week disqualification period when someone leaves their job due to no longer being able to afford to keep two homes running compared to someone who decides to retire but seemingly does not lose out on the initial 9 weeks JSB.


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## eastbono

Tbh I couldnt answer that question. It would depend on the deciding officer awarding his claim. He should call into his local sw office and see what they would say. As I dont live or work in a border area I couldnt say how this would pan out.


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## Golden1951

*new legislation for easing into retirement*



commonsense said:


> No, from the 1st January 2014:
> 
> "The Department of Social Protection is putting new administrative provisions in place to ease the transition from the labour force into retirement. From 1 January 2014, if you are claiming Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance and are aged 62 or over, the following will apply:
> 
> You will no longer be required to engage with the activation process and you will not be subject to penalty rates for non-engagement
> You can voluntarily avail of a range of supports (for example, training or employment support programmes) from the Department of Social Protection"



does this mean i can retire now at the age of 62 and claim this, as i am having difficulty doing the job i am doing i have been on illness benefit for the past 8 months, also would i have to wait the 9 weeks before i would get any benefit


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## Time

No. There would be no 9 week waiting time.


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## gipimann

You still need to be available for work, even if you are not channeled towards activation because of your age.


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