JB exclusion period - when should I sign on?

I am being made compulsory redundant shortly and due to the redundancy payment I will be disqualified from claiming Jobseekers Benefit for 5 weeks.

A friend told me that if I sign on immediately after finishing up work I will be entitled to 47 (52 - 5) weeks of JB, once my disqualification period is over. However, if I wait 5 weeks before signing on, then I will have completed the disqualification period and be entitled to the full 52 weeks JB.

Does anyone know if this is true? I know there is the issue of losing 5 weeks stamps if I don't sign on immediately, but not too concerned about that.

No, you are required to sign-on on the first day of unemployment. This ensures that your PRSI record is maintained.

Even if what your friend said was correct, you would still be without a JB payment for 5 weeks. Also, if you did wait 5 weeks to claim, you would have to account for what you did for the 5 weeks during which you did not claim which may cause more unnecessary hassle that you don't need at a time like this.

By delaying the claim you might also delay any entitlement to claim for a tax refund, or secondary benefits down the line should you need them e.g. a friend was made redundant at the beginning of May & is still waiting for their Medical Card application to be acknowledged, never mind to be issued.

It's best just to do things by the book.

Hi Papercut, thanks for the reply - it is appreciated.

I hear what you are saying about doing things by the book as it is probably more hassle otherwise.

I guess my main concern is whether I could potentially lose out on 5 weeks JB, which amounts to just shy of €1000. And then I have to weigh that up against the secondary benefits & PRSI record I could lose out on and any potential hassle factor.

I probably won't look for any tax refund until after year end as I will just complete the Form12 and get any tax refund / top slicing relief in one go.

I think the means test would severely restrict any JA I would be entitled to post JB. So that's why I'd prefer the max JB... Although, hopefully I won't be unemployed that long!

When you mention accounting for the 5 weeks if I waited, what sort of problems could I run into? If I said to the welfare people that I just didn't sign on because I knew I was disqualified for 5 weeks, might this not be acceptable?