JSA while pregnant

Rabidlamb

My wife is being made redundant at the end of March.
She understands that she'll be entitled to JSA allowance straight away.

We were planning on trying for our 3rd child around the same time.
What happens to her JSA allowance during the pregnancy & would she be entitled to the larger maternity benefit (€280 ???) for 6 months ?.

Thanks for any replies.

wmpdd3

Will she not get JSB, would she have 5 yrs of prsi contributions? As far as I know maternity benefit is based on the year preceding the year you claim, so that would be based on 2011, if she claimed it in 2012.

PS the mat benefit is now €262:(

Rabidlamb

Yes, she's been in full-time employment for over 10 years.
I've been reading here:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

Maternity Benefit is paid by the Department of Social Protection to women who have a certain number of paid PRSI contributions on their social insurance record and who are in insurable employment up to the first day of their maternity leave.

As she wont be in "insurable employment" where would she stand ?.
Also, what happens to her JSB while she's on maternity benefit ?.

Thanks again.

cee_jay

If she won't be in insurable employment, she won't qualify for Maternity Benefit.
She can continue claiming Jobseeker's benefit - she will be excused from signing for a month either side of the birth of the child normally.