JB, Credits and Springboard

[Jordan Belfort]

I am currently on JB and entitled to be until the end of the year. I think it would make since if I suspend my claim now and re-activate in the new year so that
1. I will have no other income next year so I would pay very little tax on JB. ( Due work and redundancy in first part of 2023 I am paying high rate tax on my JB now )
2. It is useful to have an active JB claim if signing up for a Springboard course. Would be nice to have some entitlement to reactivate as needed.

Can I suspend the payments and sign for credits indefinitely. Then a a later date I could reactivate my remaining 3 months of JB before going back to sign credits again?
IS this possible or are there any other issues with this idea. Note, i am not entitled to JA at all due means test.

 

[ClubMan]

Is this of any relevance?

Returning to education with Springboard+

Springboard + provides free, part-time, third-level and retraining places.

www.citizensinformation.ie

If you are getting a jobseeker’s payment and participating on a part-time Springboard+ course, you will continue to get your jobseeker’s payment under the Part-Time Education Option (PTEO).

If you are getting a jobseeker’s payment and you are on a full-time course, you may have the option to transfer to a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA).

Otherwise you can terminate your JB claim via myWelfare online and if/when the time comes you can apply again and the DSP will tell you if you qualify.

I'm not sure about PRSI credits in the meantime if you're not on any welfare payment. You might want to ask DSP. Unless you mean voluntary contributions?

Voluntary social insurance contributions

Voluntary social insurance contributions can help you qualify for a social insurance payment in the future. Find out more about making voluntary contributions.

www.citizensinformation.ie

 

[S class]

Jobseekers benefit runs for 9 months after you suffer a loss of employment. If you delay starting JB after you cease employment you lose this portion of your 9 month claim. I would imagine that if you opt to stop your JB claim early that you would lose the remainder of the nine months. If you were to say you want to remain on credits only, it would cause a situation where you are unemployed and entitled to JB payment and DSP would probably need to stick by their rules and continue paying JB.

You should continue to claim all your JB.

You could requalify for JB next year if you got employment for at least 13 weeks.

 

[Salvadore]

Credits are for those who don’t qualify for payable benefits.

 

[Salvadore]

Can I suspend the payments and sign for credits indefinitely. Then a a later date I could reactivate my remaining 3 months of JB before going back to sign credits again?

It’s a condition of JB (and even signing for credits) that a claimant is actively seeking work. It’s a safety net rather than a grant.

Your proposal to defer payment wouldn’t seem to be consistent with this requirement. It assumes that you will definitely be unemployed next year which would probably not be the case if you’re actively seeking work now.