MEANS TEST

aztec.mc

Can anyone shed any light on our situation?... Pleeeease.
My partner and I were assessed for means test and were told our means was €205 pw. He is unemployed and not entitled to JB anymore. I am working and get €497 net a week (€590 gross). We have a mortguage, health ins, pensions etc. He has been to the SW officer twice and she cant seem to calculate if he's entitled to anything. The very nice lady in the dole office said he would be entitled to €110 approx pw but dont quote her!
I know the personal rate of JA is €196- does the 'quallified adult' apply- can we add that on to the personal rate and then minus the means of €205 to get the JA....? confussed and getting worse.
Thanks in advance

cee_jay

On Jobseekers Allowance, because your husband is married, his full weekly rate is 196 + 130.10 for you.
Then the means from your income is taken off this.
So his weekly rate will be approx 110/120 euro.

aztec.mc

Thank you so much for your reply!
The lady in the SW office said that was what he was entitled to but the SW officer who interviewed him for means test (twice by mistake) said he wasn't entitled to anything.
I presume this applies to cohabitating couples too not just married couples?

We couldn't get a straight answer on welfare or cit advice websites- kept being re directed. Found it very hard to understand the Qualified Adult payment- does this get added on even if I'm working- as long as my wages dont go over a certain limit?
We wont get our hopes up just yet until its confirmed but thanks for your help...

cee_jay

It applies to both married and cohabiting couples.
Once a partners income is taken into consideration as means, then you receive the family rate (personal and increase for partner).
Social Welfare inspectors do not decide on claims so cannot say if you qualify for payment or not.

phester28

my wife was told that I earn to much money in the social welfare office for any JSB or JSA the non stamp one. Her stamp will soon be running out and I had a look online.

I found only one example of a cohabbiting couple
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/4096_What-is-the-means-test.aspx

Example: 2
Spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's gross weekly earnings €650.00 Minus PRSI (Subclass A1) €33.92

Union dues €3.60

Superannuation €9.80

Travel €15.00
Amount taken away €62.32

Their total reckonable earnings €587.68
Plus carer's own earnings + €105.00
€692.68 disregarded earnings of €665.00
Combined means of couple €27.68
We halve the combined means to give
the carer's weekly means.
€13.84
Weekly Carer's Allowance €196.50
Half-rate increase for 3 children (€14.90 x 3) + €44.70
Total Carer's Allowance €241.20
Example end

so my gross less prsi + pension and union dues but not USC Pension levey etc.

now after this calculation I have 550pw and according to the about the first 665 is disregarded. (well assuming that in a few weeks she will have no income from her stamp) giving a negative number

half of this is negative so our means is 0.

Her JSB/JSA should be 188-0 by my calculations

Am I missing anything obvious?

eastbono

What are your gross earnings less prsi, union and pension? How many children do you have? The example you have picked has no bearing whatsoever on jsa.

phester28

from my P60 my gross is 33125 total PRSI is 1325.36 Pension is 1314
NO children

I assume that the USC, pension levy, property tax etc are not allowed (although they are taxes)

eastbono

Only prsi/pension and union dues are deductible. I have your gross less prsi/pension at €586 pw approx. How the means are calculated for jsa are as follows. There is a €60 disregard and then 60% of the remaining figure is your spouses weekly means from your employment....in this case €315.60. You spouse would have a personal rate of €188 and an adult dependant rate of €124.80 totaling €312.80 and as the weekly means exceed €312.80 she would be deemed means in excess. She should sign for credits.

mrsbyrne

phester28 wrote: »

my wife was told that I earn to much money in the social welfare office for any JSB or JSA the non stamp one. Her stamp will soon be running out and I had a look online.

I found only one example of a cohabbiting couple
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/4096_What-is-the-means-test.aspx

Example: 2
Spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's gross weekly earnings €650.00 Minus PRSI (Subclass A1) €33.92

Union dues €3.60

Superannuation €9.80

Travel €15.00
Amount taken away €62.32

Their total reckonable earnings €587.68
Plus carer's own earnings + €105.00
€692.68 disregarded earnings of €665.00
Combined means of couple €27.68
We halve the combined means to give
the carer's weekly means.
€13.84
Weekly Carer's Allowance €196.50
Half-rate increase for 3 children (€14.90 x 3) + €44.70
Total Carer's Allowance €241.20
Example end

so my gross less prsi + pension and union dues but not USC Pension levey etc.

now after this calculation I have 550pw and according to the about the first 665 is disregarded. (well assuming that in a few weeks she will have no income from her stamp) giving a negative number

half of this is negative so our means is 0.

Her JSB/JSA should be 188-0 by my calculations

Am I missing anything obvious?

This is the means test for Carers Allowance not JSA

phester28

can anyone point to the correct rules for the means test for JSA

If we have a child if the rate is transferable of 14.80 then I would get a few small euros.

I hate that Social have not included USC a compulsory tax in the means test

eastbono

If you have a child the rate for a child dependant is €29.80 on top of the already mentioned €312.90 and your spouse would receive €27 pw going on your current earnings.

As to correct rules for jsa means test I explained how means from earnings for jsa are calculated in a previous post I really dont know what more help I can be.

phester28

thanks for helping. Your explanation was perfect.

I only wanted to see all the other angles and rules that applied. Now that i have the child dependent rate. I think I have it all. I also wanted to make sure the I understood the adult dependent rate correctly.