JobSeekers Benefit - and PRSI credits for 2010

[shellie_13]

I was made redundant last year after 11 years in the same role. I started claiming Jobseeker's Benefit in October but signed off on Jan 22nd as I went travelling. I returned to Ireland last Tuesday but only managed to make a fresh claim today for Jobseekers Benefit. They are treating it as a repeat claim and I have an appointment about my claim on Thurs.

I think however that I may have messed up my credits for this year. I believe I need 39 credits this year for any claim I may need to make in 2011. But by calculations, I suppose I have lost 15 credits this year already.

I know this question is a bit of a long slot - but is there anything I can do to rectify this ?

 

[Welfarite]

No, unfortunately not, unless you worked while away in another EU state. The time you spent travelling is now a 'gap' in your 2010 record and you will only have 37 weeks 'credits' for the times you claim(ed) this year. Some schemes require paid contributions in the governing contribution year (GCY)anyhow and some allow a 'fallback' of using two years (say, 2010 and 2009 in claimyear of 2012) if you haven't enough of a record in the GCY.