What days can you collect JSA at the post office? Tuesday to Friday?

GerryCarry

JSA becomes available for collection at the post office from Tuesday of each week.

What is the last day each week that I can collect it before the DSP will cut off my payment for that week?

Is Friday of each week the latest you can collect it?

gipi

It used to be available until close of business on the Monday after the payment day (so almost a week). This might have been extended during the COVID years.

TooTired123

See below:

GerryCarry

So far i've been able to collect my Tuesday JSA on Wednesday. I was just wondering if I could extend that time to Friday each week as it can be hard to get transport to the post office.

I'm surprised it was once, any maybe still is, possible to collect it as late as close of business on the following Monday. I guess that would make sense as the next payment would then kick in on Tuesday morning again.

Robert Nairac

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242181#Comment_120242181

You should ask the people in the post office how long they hold it for. I believe they held it for a week in my local one.

GerryCarry

Take a situation with covid.

If I have covid is it ok to simply not turn up at the post office for 2 weeks while I make sure i'm free from covid? I presume I would then have to go in to the DSP and explain why I didn't collect my JSA for those 2 weeks at the post office.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120292670#Comment_120292670

If you have Covid, technically you're not satisfying the criteria of being available for and seeking full time employment and you should apply for Illness Benefit for that period. That can be paid into your bank account.

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293248#Comment_120293248

I dont think the DSP would be happy creating all that paper work for something like covid as covid is now pretty much considered just a cold.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293974#Comment_120293974

Those are the rules regardless of paper work but back to your OP.

There is no longer discretion re collection times. Payments not collected on the day will be returned, your claim suspended and you guessed it, lots of paper work and explanations before payment is restored.

Dial Hard

All of the above is incorrect. JSB and JSB will be held at the post office for collection for 20 days.

https://www.anpost.com/Help-Support/Covid-19/Social-Welfare/DSP-Payments#:~:text=Selected%20post%20office%20payments%20will,are%20first%20due%20for%20collection.

And seriously, suggesting that someone isn't available or looking for full-time work because they've to self-isolate for 7 days??? Please.

Dial Hard

I had Covid in December and was out of the country for a week in January (for a holiday booked and paid for long before I found myself unemployed, before anyone starts foaming at the mouth) and my payments were still there the following week, so the above was correct as of January this year.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120300038#Comment_120300038

That information is sadly out of date it was extended during the pandemic alright but payments are returned for Jobseekers Allowance payments after 3 days now I believe.

My wife is on JA and received a letter to this effect in early February changing her payment from the bank where it had been throughout Covid and back to the post office with the advisory re: three days.

And believe it or not that is the correct course of action to follow if you're off sick and cannot collect your payment.

If you're referring to Jobseekers Benefit payments I believe there is more leeway there as you are in fact claiming your PRSI entitlements as opposed to being on the means tested version of the payment. You are however required to notify the department of any holidays taken (you can take two weeks holiday per year and still be entitled to payment)

Dial Hard

That info specifically relates to in-office collections. I've only been on JSB since October so have always had to collect my payment in person.

118821_87b226ed-0a20-411e-8a3a-b42c16d61132 (1).pdf

That one's straight from gov.ie - https://assets.gov.ie/118821/87b226ed-0a20-411e-8a3a-b42c16d61132.pdf

Maybe things have changed since January but I haven't had any correspondence from the Department saying so. Perhaps the OP's best bet is to just ask Intreo.

Dempo1

OK this is the situation.

As of February 2022 , DSP announced all new Jobseeker claims would be Post Office collection only. All existing claims with EFT option would in time return to Post office collection.

Those on PUP transitioned to JSB automatically if eligible had that payment done by EFT if they were already using this option. When their JSB ran out, they had to apply for JSA and that was through Post office collection only.

There are exceptional circumstances were DSP will look at a EFT request for a Jobseekers payment but on a case by case basis.

As for collection Days , DSP to my knowledge don't permit chopping and changing of collection day for Jobseekers payments , gone are the days folks could wait a few days. My post master says, any payments not collected on the day of issue are now returned and this likely could lead to suspension of claim.

As part of the DSP announcement re returning Jobseekers payment to Post office collection only ,the Minister bizzarely stated it was to combat fraud and to support local post offices.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120300038#Comment_120300038

That information was pertaining to the covid crisis and isn’t applicable now at all

dasa29

I just seen the Following information on Citizen Information.

New on citizensinformation.ie

This news item was posted on January 30, 2023

From 1 February 2023, the extended expiration periods for collecting social welfare payments from the post office introduced during COVID-19 will no longer be available.

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120300481#Comment_120300481

Well you definitely do not need to collect it on the day. JSA becomes available on Tuesdays at the post office and I have collected it on Wednesdays. How much beyond Wednesday you can collect it I don't know. Perhaps it is 3 days like a previous poster said. In that case, you would have until Thursday to collect JSA at the post office.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120302179#Comment_120302179

Again, you collect it on the day its due. Becoming available is irrelevant. The only leeway is other non Jobseekers payments.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120301638#Comment_120301638

Correct.

munsterlegend

I know Job seekers allowance payments are to be collected on a Tuesday but know some people can collect it on a Monday. When do the post office get approval for payment? Not sure how the money gets to An Post on a Monday unless they receive it on Friday or something?

here4dacraic

I was just approved for JSA Monday last, received text, email, then posted letter about it.

The letter said first payment to be collected on 14/09/2023 and every Tuesday after that. With any arrears issued shortly.

I went into Intreo the following day to let them know I was already schedule to be out of the country from 13th-17th. They had me fill out the hols form. I was informed that the first payment and arrears should still be at the PO on Monday as it there for three business days.

Happy days, it was there on Monday with arrears. As the letter from Intreo said "and every Tuesday after that" I went in this past Tuesday, as that was the first/following Tuesday after the initial collection day of 14/09.

When I went into PO Tuesday the woman behind the counter said 'you collected yesterday' with a less than happy expression. I explained to her what I shared above. She said 'no, you have nothing to collect as you collected yesterday, come in Monday.'

I thanked her and went on my way. I am confused though, the letter from Intreo says every Tuesday, she said that's not correct but to come on Monday. I also do not know how JSA normally works, are you paid for week gone or the week ahead? When i collected on Monday the 18th for what was to be collected on the 14th the receipt said it was for arrears and the pay period of: 13/09/2023 to 19/09/2023. That seems to me you are collecting social welfare for the week completed?

Sorry, long message over. I think/hope it is relevant to this thread. Any thoughts you can share are welcome. Cheers.

TooTired123

Did she even swipe your card?

JSA allowance is paid for the week in arrears. So, for last week.

The person working in the post office needs a bit of ….help.

All she has to do is swipe your card.

If there’s nothing there and you were expecting there to be a payment then she refers you back to the sw office. it’s not difficult.