# unemployed and pregnant



## elizabethno1

Hi 
just wondering can anyone give me advice please i lost my job 3mths ago due to recession i live in ireland im now on jobseekers benefit and im pregnant how soon should i inform my social welfare office im pregnant as im 6 and 1/2 mths pregnant now still able to work if i got it but hard to get work when pregnant i am alone as there is no father figure around as i dont know where to even find him as it was a drunken one night stand which we were both stupid to lead to this but it happens 
im happy with the pregnancy but i dont know where i stand with social welfare as im new to all this 
please help


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## enoxy

I'd be inclined to say nowt to social welfare until the baby arrives ( u have up to 2.5 months left of JB) and then you will need to claim child benefit. Or maybe the JB will continue until the end of the term of payment if you say nothing and don't claim CB - which is worth 140 euro per month per child as opposed to about 180 per week for the JB. 

I'm sure the morality squad on AAM will descend on this post to say you should 'fess up as not being available for work and discontinue your claim but if you did that you'd be left high and dry with no cash at all.

 Not sure what best advice is re JB and pregnancy but the experts on AAM will advise you I'm sure. The above is my tuppenceworth...


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## gipimann

Once you're still available for, and looking for work you can continue to claim your JB, both before and after the baby's born.  If you continue to claim JB, you can claim an increase for the baby (€29.80 pw).

When the baby is born, you may be eligible for One Parent Family Payment.   
You may be able to claim both (JB would be paid at half of the rate you get now in addition to One Parent Family Payment).

If you're not available for work, and you have no income while waiting on One Parent Family Payment, you can apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance, which is dealt with by Community Welfare Officers based at local health centres.   They may also help you with an application for a medical card (if you don't already have one).

You'll get an application form for Child Benefit in the post when the baby is registered - it has no effect on JB so there's no need to deprive yourself of the payment.


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## elizabethno1

thank you both for your advice much appreciated


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## eastbono

You can also get an exemption from signing every month and get your jobseekers paid into a bank account. I think is 4 weeks before your due date and not sure about after baby arrives could be 6 weeks. When its your next signing on date ask about this, there is form you fill out.


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## elizabethno1

ok im signing next week so will ask then about it thank you


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## Ildánach

*http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/ja_jobseekall.aspx
*

*



			(c) Pregnancy
		
Click to expand...

*


> Pregnancy is not an illness and in the absence of any complications  of pregnancy or other illness, a pregnant woman (who may not be entitled  to Maternity Benefit) satisfies the condition of being capable of work  for the purpose of Jobseeker's Allowance throughout her pregnancy and in  the period following the birth. She will also satisfy the availability  condition unless there are other factors which could call her general  availability for work into question. She must, however, continue to look  for work throughout her pregnancy and in the period after the birth of  her child in order to satisfy the condition of genuinely seeking work.  *On an administrative basis a woman will not normally be requested to  prove that she is genuinely seeking work in the 4 weeks immediately  before the expected date of birth of her child or in the 8 weeks period  following the birth. She will not be required to attend at the the Local  Office for signing purpose during this period provided she tells the  Local Office of her pregnancy.*


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## starbar11

@elizabethno1

i gave birth to a baby nearly three months ago under the exact same circumstances as you, after a one night stand and the father changed his number. i told the social welfare when i was 8 months pregnant as i wasnt sure what to do as i worked all my life and wasnt familiar with the system after losing my job. they said it was ok, tht i was still technically available for work so dont worry! hope everything works out for you !

how much is the one parent family payment? i am still waiting for it to be processed and im really struggling .. i had to move home because of no money, so will my fathers income count when i am means tested?i have no savings or anything?


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## Guest105

*Rates*

*One-Parent Family Payment rates 2011: *

*One-Parent Family Payment*
*Weekly rate (maximum)*

Personal rate (under 66)€188
Child dependant€29.80

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...hildren/one_parent_family_payment.html#l62fd2



As far as I am aware you won't be means tested under your parents income once you over the age of 23.


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## eastbono

starbar11 said:


> @elizabethno1
> 
> i gave birth to a baby nearly three months ago under the exact same circumstances as you, after a one night stand and the father changed his number. i told the social welfare when i was 8 months pregnant as i wasnt sure what to do as i worked all my life and wasnt familiar with the system after losing my job. they said it was ok, tht i was still technically available for work so dont worry! hope everything works out for you !
> 
> how much is the one parent family payment? i am still waiting for it to be processed and im really struggling .. i had to move home because of no money, so will my fathers income count when i am means tested?i have no savings or anything?



When applying for one parent family your parents income is not means tested. OPF Benefit is the same as jsb  €188 personal rate and €29.80 for your child. Under the new regulations you will be able to receive OPF until your child is 14. You will have to provide details of your childs father as he will be pursued by SW for maintenance.  

Are you still in receipt of jsb... if you are you should get your child added to your claim.


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## gipimann

You can't be paid for a child dependant on One Parent Family payment (OFP) and Jobseeker's Benefit (JSB) at the same time.

The only option is to be paid full rate OFP including an increase for the child, and half-rate JSB which is half of the single rate only.


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## starbar11

thanks a million everone, thats a great help


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## shinners

have you considered whether you could qualify for maternity benefit, as you worked until recently? last day of insurable employment must be within 16 weeks of your due date so if you could even get a weeks work you could potentialy qualify for maternity benefit. see http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW11/Pages/2HowdoIqualify.aspx for full details

edit: just realised your baby is almost due so its probably too late now to do that.


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## GoldWings

Can anyone clarify exactly HOW to inform the Dept. Social Welfare of your pregnancy? Can you do it on the signing day, or do you have to ring and arrange an interview? And do you have to provide a certificate from the Doctor??

Also, if you're suffering an illness during the pregnancy that's affecting your ability to seek work, how do you inform them - can you just send them in a sick cert with a cover letter or do you have to arrange to meet them etc? 

Thanks in advance.


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## aloiv

Could someone give me an advise if I'm on J.Allowance, I've one child already and got pregnant how much I'll got from Social Welfare or what will be happen with my payment if I'll tell them i'm pregnant? and when I should inform them, I'm one months in pregnant.


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## Ildánach

You don't get any extra for being pregnant, although you can apply for a one off payment of an Exceptional Needs Payment from your COmmunity Welfare Officer if you have any pregnancy related expenses - see here for more details http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/swa_exneeds.aspx

Once the child is born you can claim an additional 29.80 for the child, or if you are parenting alone, you can apply for One Parent Family Payment, which is paid at the same rate as Jobseekers.

If you are working part-time, you may be entitled to Maternity Benefit instead of Jobseekers.  If you are working more than 19 hours a week, you may be eligible for Family Income Supplement (and Materntiy Benefit) instead of Jobseekers.  If parenting alone and working, you can get One Parent Family Payment, Maternity Benefit (half rate) and Family Income Supplement at the same time.

As above posters have said, once you tell them that you're pregnant, they will excuse you from signing for the last 4 weeks of the pregnancy and the first 8 weeks after the baby is born and should adjust your claim once you provide them with the birth cert.


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