Jobseekers allowance queries

Bob Bob

I am working part-time (full time but on a reduced working week) and my partner (whom I live with) is unemployed and coming to the end of her JSB. She is going through the process of applying for JSA but has become rather worried. When she rang to see at what stage the application was at she also enquired as to the likely outcome. To which she was told straight out that although the application wasn't fully processed the likely outcome was that due to my earnings she would only get ~€100 (maybe less) because I earned too much and that our monthly outgoings (mortgage, gas bill etc) wouldn't factor into the calculation.

We are both over 25
I have a gross weekly income of €329.33 (1482 per month) i.e. not all that much beyond minimum wage.

It seems wrong to me, very wrong, that someone is not entitled to full JSA simply on the grounds that there partner is essentially working a minimum wage job.

Quite frankly we are royally screwed if her income is cut by ~400 a month. We barely cover our bills now (on a good month we have roughly 50-100 spare)

Is there something Im missing? does anyone have any advice?

Dempo1

Your in that awful catch 22 Whereby a partners income (even if not married) but living together makes an enormous outcome on the means test. I have a similar position although both of us are not working. I get the usual JSB due to run out in May and my girlfriend only gets €135 per week. I have a small mortgage (thankfully) and luckily Mortgage payment protection. Even aside from this i was not entitled to mortgage interest relief because my partner resides with me, she is not entitled to rent allowance. I too now have to being the process of applying for JSA and such is our situation my partner now has to return home (Poland).

Base on our experiences i am sad to say it is highly likely your partner will only get the €100. Its bizarre, if we were just renting would would be entitled to substantial rent allowances, the system is completely unfair.

Bob Bob

Man thats awful news :eek:

If she gets her payments cut its begins the clock on when I lose my house.

Would us being married make a difference? (we are together 5 years and things are going that way anyway, we just cant afford the wedding)

or would me being fully unemployed change things?
(Being fully unemployed may happen anyway, I work in the construction industry and my company is hanging on by less than a hair thread)

Dempo1

Hi again,

Being married actually just confirms your partnership, it makes no difference. Its really bizarre. I was in hospitality ironically affected by the downturn in construction (Hotel owned by a well known developer) made ten of us redundant last year.

Its funny that the only support i have received is my mortgage provider but i reckon this is because thousands are in the same boat and my mortgage is very small. Have you availed of any mortgage breaks? interest only payment periods etc?

Bob Bob

yes we took intrest only payments for about 4 months (I think) early last year to give us some breathing room while we cut costs in other areas.

Our mortgage is with TSB and, to be polite, they are difficult to deal with at the best of times.


I hear canada is nice this time of year....

Dempo1

Bob Bob wrote: »

yes we took interest only payments for about 4 months (I think) early last year to give us some breathing room while we cut costs in other areas.

Our mortgage is with TSB and, to be polite, they are difficult to deal with at the best of times.


I hear Canada is nice this time of year....

LOL, yes Canada is cool, have visited a few times. I too am with PTSB and actually found them helpful, although i have my mortgage over nine years and its small in comparison to many out there (€60K left) i reckon if it was bigger they may be a little different to deal with. Just curious have you check about mortgage payment protection insurance? do you have it? might be worth exploring.

Bob Bob

I'll need to check but as far as I know our insurance only covers death (not really an option). Certainly worth looking into

Xiney

From my calculations she is actually likely to get more like 166 euro per week provided your only income is your 329 euro per week.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61508425&postcount=7

There is a link there to a spreadsheet I made back in the day. It still uses the old Jobseeker's Allowance rates - they have come down by 8 euro (personal rate) and 4 euro (qualified adult rate) since the new budget.

I know it's still thirty euro less than what she was getting on JSB, but it's a hell of a lot better than the 100 euro they told her she'd get.

Dempo1

Xiney wrote: »

From my calculations she is actually likely to get more like 166 euro per week provided your only income is your 329 euro per week.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61508425&postcount=7

There is a link there to a spreadsheet I made back in the day. It still uses the old Jobseeker's Allowance rates - they have come down by 8 euro (personal rate) and 4 euro (qualified adult rate) since the new budget.

I know it's still thirty euro less than what she was getting on JSB, but it's a hell of a lot better than the 100 euro they told her she'd get.

Thanks for that Xiney. Why is it that even though i am on JSB my partner is penalised and only gets €135 per week, out total income per week stands at €331 per week. We have gone through every channel on this and the social welfare inspector only allowed my partner JSA of €135, even though i have a mortgage etc. First time i have been unemployed since 1986 and my JSB is about to run out. Advice appreciated.

Bob Bob

well I also get a supplemntray allowance cause Im only working 3days, its 74 odd I think. Is that included?

even still its better than what she was told. Thanks for that.

Oh, and thats my income before tax too. dunno if that makes a difference though cause I think its done off Gross income

Xiney

ah - it makes a difference if you're both getting a sw payment.

it gets more complicated then and I'm not an expert.

Xiney

Have you applied for mortgage interest relief? I don't have a mortgage so I don't know much about it - but if you aren't getting it yet I'd try that.

Also you can visit your local citizen's information office to find out if you have access to any more payments.

Dempo1

Xiney wrote: »

Have you applied for mortgage interest relief? I don't have a mortgage so I don't know much about it - but if you aren't getting it yet I'd try that.

Also you can visit your local citizen's information office to find out if you have access to any more payments.

Thanks for that, yes i applied for the above, was turned down because they claimed i could not afford the original mortgage (€42k on a €35k PA salary), ludicrous and i appealed, it was eventually approved and they offered me €24 per week, then my partner had to move in and guess what? i lost the interest relief. Really bizarre how the system works, particularly when applicants are honest!

Xiney

How about the medical card?

Dempo1

Xiney wrote: »

How about the medical card?

Thankfully i have been in good health but yes, i have considered applying for the card. My partner is returning home to Poland sadly, this will be shortly before my JSB runs out so my over all circumstances will change and hopefully i will not run into any obstacles re applying for JSA. Just downloaded the application form and was amused by the section dealing with proof of Job applications, Hope they have a large desk to hold my ever enlarging file. Thanks again for the advice.

cee_jay

Dempo1 wrote: »

Thanks for that Xiney. Why is it that even though i am on JSB my partner is penalised and only gets €135 per week, out total income per week stands at €331 per week. We have gone through every channel on this and the social welfare inspector only allowed my partner JSA of €135, even though i have a mortgage etc. First time i have been unemployed since 1986 and my JSB is about to run out. Advice appreciated.

For means tested payments there is a "family rate". On this family rate, the claimaint receives 196 personal rate, and then an increase for an adult dependent of 130.10. You are on JSB, so you get the 196 - this is your stamps and is not means tested.
Because your partner is not entitled to JSB, she can claim JSA, but between you both you cannot exceed the total family rate, so the maximum she can receive is 130.10. So you have 2 choices, you receive this rate on your own JSB claim, or she claims JSA in her own right.

Dempo1

cAr0l wrote: »

For means tested payments there is a "family rate". On this family rate, the claimaint receives 196 personal rate, and then an increase for an adult dependent of 130.10. You are on JSB, so you get the 196 - this is your stamps and is not means tested.
Because your partner is not entitled to JSB, she can claim JSA, but between you both you cannot exceed the total family rate, so the maximum she can receive is 130.10. So you have 2 choices, you receive this rate on your own JSB claim, or she claims JSA in her own right.

Appreciate that cAr0l, my partner actually gets €135 JSA, i am hoping my own rate does not drop when my JSB runs out in a months time, i am heading to the social welfare office tomorrow to make some enquires about when to be applying for JSA, i am really concerned about the JSB running out and with the delays in processing i don't want to be left with nothing, this said there seems to be a little more movement on the Jobs front! Thanks again

alex dunlop

Hi!

Great thread! Hoping this is the right place to ask this.
I'm on jobseekers allowance and recently did a one off job for one day and got a 2 grand cheque which I put in my bank. I want to let the Welfare know about it. I expect they'll take it off my allowance which is fine. Can anyone tell me the procedure for this and what they'll ask me to supply to them?

I'd be so grateful!

Thanks in advance.
Al.

Dempo1

Hi A1, firstly i admire your Honesty however i think your mad disclosing one days work, no matter what the earnings were, you will end up creating a pile of ****e, paper work, trails etc and if this is a once off i would avoid creating a fuss. I know a few do gooders will object but perhaps they have not been the nightmare that is going off JSB and onto JSA.

dudara

Please do not advocate fraud. Please read the forum Charter

dudara