Jobseeker's Transitional payment

What is Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment?

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a social welfare payment for people who are parenting alone, whose youngest child is aged between 7 and 14. JST is €232 per week, with an extra amount per child. You may get less than this based on a means test.

You can get One Parent Family Payment until your youngest child turns 7. After this, you can apply for JST, but you should check if other payments are more suited to your situation. JST is paid until your youngest child turns 14.

You don’t need to have been getting One Parent Family Payment to qualify for JST.

The rules for getting JST are similar to One Parent Family Payment. Although it is a jobseeker’s payment, many of the usual rules for Jobseeker’s Allowance do not apply. However, you must engage with your local Intreo office when asked to do so.

How to qualify for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment

To qualify for JST, you must:

  1. Be the main carer of a child that is at least 7 and under 14 (the payment ends when the youngest child reaches 14)
  2. Not live with a spouse, partner or civil partner
  3. Satisfy a means test
  4. Engage with your local Intreo office and sign a quarterly declaration
  5. Be habitually resident in Ireland

Main carer for a child

The child must normally live with you. If they live with the other parent of the child (or some other person) for part of the week, you can still qualify for JST. The child must live with you for the greater part of the week. You cannot get JST if you have joint equal custody of the child. Joint custody means that the child lives equally between you and their other parent.

Not cohabiting

You cannot get JST if you are living with your spouse, partner or civil partner. This applies to opposite sex and same sex relationships. It also applies if the person is not the parent of the child.

If you are married and have separated, you cannot get JST until you have been separated for 3 months.

The Department of Social Protection has detailed guidance on what cohabitation means for social welfare payments.

Satisfy a means test

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a means-tested payment. This means that your income, savings and capital are assessed to see if you qualify for the full payment, a reduced payment or nothing. Capital includes property (that you don’t live in), land, company shares, and other types of investment.

You can rent out a room in the home that you live in and earn up to €14,000 a year without it affecting your JST.

Income from work

If you are working, the first €165 of your gross weekly earnings is disregarded (or not taken into account). 50% of the balance is assessed as means.

If you are self-employed, your net profit (your gross income minus expenses) is assessed in full. The €165 disregard does not apply, and 100% of your income is assessed as means.

Work and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment example
Example

Niamh is working and earns €350 per week and has 1 child.

The maximum JST payment possible is €232 personal rate plus an Increase for a Qualified Child under 12 years of age of €46 = €278

Earnings of €350 – €165 disregard = €185

50% of €185 = €92.50 = Niamh’s assessable earnings

JST maximum payment of €278 - assessable earnings of €92.50 = €185.50

Niamh will be paid JST of €185.50

You should check if you would be better off claiming Working Family Payment if you work at least 38 hours per fortnight.

Maintenance

If you get maintenance (either for you or for your child), this is calculated as part of your means. Up to €95.23 per week can be disregarded if you use it for housing costs. Half of the remaining maintenance is then assessed as your means.

Engage with local Intreo and sign a quarterly declaration

You must sign a declaration every quarter of a year to say that you still qualify for the payment. You also must attend appointments at your local Intreo when asked, and your rate of payment could be reduced if you refuse to take part in recommended courses, employment, and schemes.

Habitually resident

You must live in Ireland and satisfy the habitual residence condition.

Difference between JST and Jobseeker’s Allowance

This table shows the differences between Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.

Differences between JA and JST
Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
Must be available for full time work Do not need to be available for full time work
Must be genuinely seeking full-time work Do not need to be genuinely seeking full-time work
Cannot study full-time. May qualify for Back to Education scheme (not eligible for maintenance grant) Can study full-time and continue to get JST. Eligible for maintenance grant.
Must be unemployed for 4 days out of 7 and satisfy the means test Can work on any number of days and satisfy the means test
Spouse or partner’s income is assessed as means Cannot be cohabiting
You do not need to have children to qualify You must be the main carer of a child between 7 and 14 to qualify

Rates

Weekly Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment rate 2024

Maximum personal rate

Increase for a child dependent

€232

€46 (child aged under 12)

€54 (child aged 12 and over)

Extra benefits

You can get Child Benefit for your children up to the age of 18.

You may also qualify for extra payments (depending on your situation) like:

You cannot get the Working Family Payment in addition to Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.

You can also check if you would qualify for:

How to apply

You apply for the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment using the JST1 form. You can also get an application form from your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You can get help with filling in your application form at your Intreo Centre, Social Welfare Branch Office or nearest Citizens Information Centre.

If you think you have been wrongly refused Jobseeker's Transitional payment you can appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Further information

If you wish to talk to someone about your entitlements, you can contact your local Citizens Information Centre, Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Treoir and One Family can also provide support and information when you are parenting alone.

Treoir

28 North Great Georges Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel: +353 (01) 670 0120
Page edited: 8 January 2024