Self employed to get Jobseekers Benefit from Q4 2019

[Brendan Burgess]

I missed this in the Minister's speech.

But it's on the Department of Social Welfare's website

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Budget-2019.aspx

Self-employed to become eligible for Jobseeker’s Benefit – to be introduced in Quarter 4, 2019. This is a further extension of social welfare benefits to the self-employed based on their Class S PRSI contributions.


This is just crazy.

Someone who pays 4% of their declared income in PRSI will get Jobseekers Benefit and a Contributory Pension for life.

An employee, on the other hand, pays 4% of her salary and their employer pays 10.75% on their behalf into the Social Insurance Fund and that is not enough.

And it will be wide open to fraud from those working in the cash economy.

Brendan

 

[gnf_ireland]

Someone who pays 4% of their declared income in PRSI will get Jobseekers Benefit and a Contributory Pension for life.

Is Jobseekers Benefit not just for 6-9 months after they become unemployed? After that, I understood it moves to Jobseekers Allowance which is a different discussion. [I am not an expert in the welfare framework]

Do I agree that certain self-employed people would want to get jobseekers benefit - yes probably. With the growth of the 'gig' economy and the push away from permanent to more contract type work, this makes sense. But personally I think it should be an opt-in - so maybe a Class Sx, where the person is opting into paying higher PRSI contributions for higher entitlements.

Should self-employed get Jobseekers Benefit for a 4% contribution - absolutely not ! There should be a premium for this level of 'insurance' cover

And for the record, I personally pay Class S PRSI contributions !

 

[Monbretia]

What about illness benefit that would be of more benefit you would imagine to self employed people because realistically if you are applying for job seekers benefit then you are no longer self employed, you're just unemployed like everyone else on it and it is only for a limited time anyway.

 

[Steven Barrett]

This is just crazy.

Someone who pays 4% of their declared income in PRSI will get Jobseekers Benefit and a Contributory Pension for life.

An employee, on the other hand, pays 4% of her salary and their employer pays 10.75% on their behalf into the Social Insurance Fund and that is not enough.



Brendan

And we get our teeth examined once a year too! And sickness benefit...yet we're not paying for it.

We are turning into a welfare state. Those on welfare fair better than someone who works in Budget 2019. Self employed/ directors get lots more social protections without paying for it.

I was expecting them to introduce higher PRSI rate in this budget but they didn't, probably because they are planning an election soon.

But lets not pretend that PRSI is used to pay for welfare benefits. It's all thrown into the pot and pays for whatever is needed. Overall, we are a high taxation country where the self employed pay 11% USC if they do well and earn over €100k while someone with the job security of a large multi national pays 8% USC. So the self employed could be paying 55% in taxes on income.


Steven
http://www.bluewaterfp.ie (www.bluewaterfp.ie)

 

[Meath Lady]

What about illness benefit that would be of more benefit you would imagine to self employed people because realistically if you are applying for job seekers benefit then you are no longer self employed, you're just unemployed like everyone else on it and it is only for a limited time anyway.

I agree Monbretia. Illness benefit should certainly be a consideration for the government

 

[iTechy]

But it will be a nice incentive to those who want to take a punt at something would it not, as far as im aware most other countries have systems in place for those who's businesses have wound up, its the least they deserve after employing people etc. It will be great for entrepreneurs...how many jobs may be created??

 

[Brendan Burgess]

We have got Jobseekers Allowance in place for everyone.

They are paying 4% of their income for this insurance policy.

If they want the same benefits as PAYE employees, they should pay the same price 15%.

Brendan