Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist

Jobseeker's Allowance is a payment to people who are unemployed. If you are unemployed, you can apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) or Jobseeker's Benefit (JB).

You can apply for JA, if you have been on JB and your payment has ended. You can also apply for JA, if you are only entitled to a reduced rate of JB and would be better off on JA (this is known as Optional JA.)

Jobseeker’s Allowance is a means-tested payment, so your income must be below a certain amount to get JA.

If you are parenting alone, you can apply for the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment (JST). It provides support to lone parents who have young children aged between 7 and 13.

Chun Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist a fháil, ní mór duit a bheith 18 mbliana d’aois nó níos sine agus faoi bhun 66 bliain d’aois. Chomh maith leis sin, caithfidh tú:

• A bheith dífhostaithe go hiomlán (nó ag obair 3 lá sa tseachtain nó níos lú)
• A bheith ar fáil chun obair lánaimseartha a dhéanamh agus a bheith dáiríre ar lorg oibre
• A bheith in ann obair a dhéanamh
• Pass a means test
• Meet the habitual residence condition

You can get more information on the conditions for getting a jobseeker's payment and employment services for jobseekers.

There are some special provisions for older jobseekers and for pregnant women.

Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist agus obair

To get Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be looking for full-time work – and you must be able to show proof of this to the DSP.

If you are working 3 days a week or less, you may get JA for the days when you do not work. However, you must show that you are still trying to get full-time work.

If your employer reduces your days at work to 3 days a week or less, you may get JA for the other days.

You must still meet the other conditions that apply to JA, such as pass the means test. Income from work will affect the amount of JA you get.

If you have been getting long-term JA (for over 15 months or over 390 days) and you take up part-time work for under 24 hours a week, you can apply for the Part-time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJI). This scheme allows you to work part-time and get a special weekly allowance instead of your jobseeker’s payment.

Find out more in our document about how income from work is assessed for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you have children and stop claiming JA when you start work, you can apply for a Back to Work Family Dividend.

You can use the Benefit of Work Estimator to find out how starting work could affect your income. It works out the total amount you will get if you take up full-time work and compares this to your jobseeker’s payment.

Féinfhostaíocht agus Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist

If you are self-employed, you may be entitled to JA, depending on your income from your business. You can find out more in our document about self-employment and unemployment. Self-employed farmers on a low income can apply for Farm Assist.

Ealaíontóirí agus Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist

If you are a professional artist on JA, you can be exempt from labour market activation for the first year that you are out of work. This means that you do not have to show that you are looking for work. It allows professional artists who are getting JA to focus on their artistic work. The Department of Social Protection (DSP) provides a full list of professional art forms covered (pdf).

Tástáil acmhainne

Caithfidh d’ioncam a bheith faoi bhun leibhéal áirithe chun Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist a fháil.

To find out if your income is low enough to qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance, the DSP does a means test.

The means test looks at your income, savings, investments and property, but not your own home. It includes your spouse’s, civil partner’s or cohabitant's income. (A cohabitant is a person living in an intimate and committed relationship with a person of the same or opposite sex who is not that person’s spouse, civil partner, or a close relative.) However, some income is not be taken into account in the means test.

To find your rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance, the DSP will deduct your total means from the maximum payment for your household.

If your partner works or is taking part in Tús, their earnings are assessed in the same way as earnings from any part-time work or casual work. Find out more in our document about work and Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If your partner or cohabitant started a Community Employment (CE) scheme before 1 January 2023, their earnings from the scheme are assessed in the same way as earnings from part-time work. If they start CE in 2023, your means will be halved, you can find more about how CE is assesssed in the means test for Jobseeker's Allowance.

If you are claiming JA and your partner is getting certain social welfare payments, the total amount paid to you as a couple cannot be more than the maximum amount for one person (including any dependants) on one social welfare payment. Find out more in our page about the means test for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

If you are 24 or under and living with a parent (or a step-parent) in the family home, the JA means test will assess some of your parents’ income. Find out more in our document about how living with your parents is assessed in the means test.

Dícháiliú agus laghdú ar íocaíocht

You may not be entitled to JA in certain situations. This is known as being disqualified. You could be disqualified from getting JA for up to 9 weeks if you:

• Má d’fhág tú obair go deonach agus gan cúis cheart
• Má chaill tú do phost trí mhí-iompar
• Refused an offer of suitable employment or training and you have been on a penalty rate of JA for at least 21 days

Your payment can be reduced if you do not attend meetings requested by the DSP or if you do not participate in an appropriate employment support scheme, work experience or training (see also ‘Penalty rates’ below).

Read more in our document about sanctions that may apply if you do not fulfil the conditions of your jobseeker's payment.

Mic léinn

If you have just left school, you cannot get Jobseeker's Allowance. To get Jobseeker's Allowance you must be at least 18 and be out of school for 3 months. The 3 month disqualification rule does not apply to Youthreach participants.

If you are a third-level student studying full-time, you cannot claim the dole (JA or JB). You cannot sign on outside term-time, such as during the summer holidays (unless you are a mature student). However, once you have finished college permanently you can claim a jobseeker's payment if you cannot find work. This is also the case if you leave college without finishing your course.

Obair nó oiliúint ghearrthéarmach

The DSP has a fast-tracking system for people who sign off JA to take up work for a short period (of up to 12 weeks) or to go on a short training course (lasting up to 12 weeks).

Gheobhaidh tú d’íocaíocht arís gan mhoill.

You must inform your Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare branch office before you start work or training (see 'Signing off Jobseeker's Allowance' below).

Your Rent Supplement can also be suspended for up to 12 weeks.

Reduced personal and qualified adult rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) for people between 18 and 24 do not apply to:

• Daoine a bhfuil leanaí cleithiúnacha acu
• Daoine atá ag aistriú ón Liúntas Míchumais go Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist
• People who were in the care of the Child and Family Agency during the 12 months before reaching 18.

If you were getting an age-related reduced rate of JA and you take part in a course of education, training or an employment support scheme the appropriate personal rate of payment applicable to that course or scheme will apply as long as you are aged under 25. When you complete the course you will go back to your previous age-related JA rate.

All Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) participants aged under 25 who were getting a reduced age-related Jobseeker’s Allowance payment, get a maximum BTEA rate of €244 per week. Any means you have are deducted from this rate.

Rátaí pionóis

Your payment can be reduced if you do not attend meetings when the DSP asks you to. It can also be reduced if you do not take part in an appropriate employment support scheme, work experience or training.

You can find out more in our document about penalties for not meeting the conditions of your jobseeker's payment.

Íocaíochtaí do chleithiúnaithe

If you qualify for JA, you get an amount for yourself, which is called the personal rate of payment. You may also get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant and any child dependants.

Child dependants

A child dependant is usually a child up to 18 years of age who lives with you. The extra payment for a child dependant is called a Child Support Payment (previously called an Increase for a Qualified Child or IQC).

If you have been getting Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 156 days and your child is in full-time education, a Child Support Payment will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22.

If you and your partner are both getting a social welfare payment, you will each get a half-rate Child Support Payment .

Adult dependants

You may get an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) for an adult dependant (this is usually your spouse or partner).

You can claim an increase for your partner if they started their CE scheme before 1 January 2023 or they are taking part Tús. The means test will assess their income from the scheme in the same way as income from a job where they pay PRSI.

If your partner started a CE scheme in 2023, you cannot claim an increase in your payment for them. It will include full rate increases for your child dependants. Half of your joint income will be assessed in the means test.

If your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is getting a social welfare payment in his or her own right (with some exceptions) or is on a Further Education and Training (FET) course or VTOS course and getting an allowance you will not get an IQA, but you will get a half-rate Child Support Payment .

If you live with a person aged 16 or over who is caring for your child dependant, you may be able to get an IQA for them. To apply for this IQA, you must be single, widowed, divorced, separated, a former civil partner or not living with your civil partner.

Íocaíocht a fháil

You collect your Jobseeker's Allowance payment weekly from your nearest post office.

You must bring your Public Services Card or Social Services Card (SSC) with you to collect your payment at the post office.

If you are using an SSC, you will also require photo ID. Any of the following forms of photo ID can be used with your SCC

• Driving Licence
• Pas
• Irish Residence Permit

If you have lost your PSC or SSC or they have expired, contact your nearest Intreo Centre for assistance.

Sochair eile

Má tá Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist á fháil agat, b’fhéidir go bhfaighidh tú:

• Rent Supplement - a payment that helps with the cost of your rent.
• Fuel Allowance - paid between October and April to help with cost of fuel. You can get it if you have been getting JA for 312 days and satisfy the qualifying conditions. Days of unemployment on JB count towards the 312 days if you went straight from JB onto JA without a break.
• Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance - to help with the cost of uniforms and footwear shoes for children who are attending going to school
• Medical card - if your income is below a certain level

You do not qualify for the Household Benefits Package or Free Travel with JA.

You should apply for Jobseeker's Allowance the first day you become unemployed. It is important to apply on the first day you become unemployed because you will not get paid for the first 3 days of your claim.

If you make a late claim, it may be backdated if you provide good evidence for the delay.

Tá tuilleadh eolais ar fáil inár ndoiciméad faoi shíniú ar an mBeochlár den chéad uair.

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

Iarratais ar líne

Is féidir iarratas a dhéanamh ar líne ar Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist ar mywelfare.ie.

After you log in, it will ask you to give some personal and financial information, as well as details of your employment, training and education history. It will also ask you to upload or post any supporting documents that are needed.

Chun iarratas a dhéanamh ar líne, ní mór cuntas MyGovID a bheith agat.

Iarratas a dhéanamh ar fhoirm pháipéir

You can get a Jobseekers's Allowance application form UP1 at your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

If you are making a repeat claim (less than 6 months since your last claim) you fill in form UP6 (pdf).

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

Is féidir iarratas a dhéanamh ar Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist:

• Ar líne ag MyWelfare.ieMyWelfare.ie
• In person at your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Ba chóir iarratas a dhéanamh ar líne nó tríd an bpost nuair is féidir.

If start work, you will need to close your claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance. You should tell your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office the date you are going to start work.

You can also close your Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit payment on MyWelfare.ie. To do this you will need a MyGovID account.

If you are entitled to at least one day of Jobseeker's Allowance in the payment week that you close your claim and start work, you will get your full Jobseeker's Allowance payment for that payment week. The payment week for Jobseeker’s Allowance runs from Wednesday to Tuesday.