Likely redundancy in January, how can I survive off €208 JB a week with 1200 monthly rent?

machaseh · 25-11-2022 8:41pm #1

Hi all

I am a foreign (EU) national living in Ireland for 5 years -> this qualifies as Habitual Residence and I would qualify for Jobseekers Benefit given my PRSI contributions.

Having no dependents I am allowed 208 a week of JB maximum.

Now I live in Dublin City. I have a rent of €1200 a month, so that means my JB would be lower than my monthly rent. How am I supposed to survive then once I get inevitably made redundant in January? Not to mention that most people also eat food in order to survive and pay bills as well. A cheaper rent in Dublin is not possible, in fact my rent is already well below market-value.

Moving rural is also not an option because I do not drive and I also do not have any friends in Rural Ireland, as I am a foreign national.

Given the state of the company, reorganizations and lay offs it is very likely that in January I will officially get the notice of redundancy. Obviously I understand that I can eventually find a new job, but odds are that more companies will have hiring freezes given that we are entering a recession, this question is assuming that finding a new job will take a lot of time.

So how am I supposed to survive once this happens? Are there other state benefits I would be entitled to? Or would I only be entitled to this amount which is lower than my rent? In that case where would I get the money from to pay the rest of the rent? Is there a legal way to obtain the rest of the money?

Thanks in advance.

TooTired123 · 25-11-2022 10:44pm

I’m not sure what your query is.

The SW rules are the same for everyone regardless of your country of origin.

There are no other benefits you will be entitled to. You will probably get a medical card if you apply for one. You might get Rent Supplement from the CWO but it won’t go anywhere near covering the €1200 rent. If you want to stay in Dublin in that apartment then it’s imperative you have another job lined up when that one ends.

L1011 · 25-11-2022 10:45pm

You will need to find another job if you wish to stay where you are.

How long are in you in the current job?

touts · 25-11-2022 10:46pm

The situation out there is pretty grim if you are renting. My advice is if you expect to be made redundant in January then you have two months to find another job. Go all out to try and find one.

machaseh · 25-11-2022 10:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922103#Comment_119922103

' I’m not sure what your query is.'

The query is simple: how am I supposed to pay my basic living expenses once I go unemployed, given that the Jobseeker's Benefit is a lot less than my rent (which is not a high rent for Dublin at all, in fact it's a below market rent).

Of course I understand that the Irish State wants me to have a job. D'oh. Any country wants their residents to have a job. But this is not always possible especially during times of economic crisis.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922116#Comment_119922116

I started in June 2020 in my current job. I have been working full time in the ROI since October 2017.

I understand that the Irish State wants its residents to have a job. But it is , during times of economic crisis, not always possible to have a job, hence my question in the OP.

L1011 · 25-11-2022 10:56pm

You will get some amount of redundancy money as you have been there over 2 years. It probably won't be much

You will absolutely have to find another job. There may be lots of tech layoffs right now but there are still thousands of unfilled posts.

machaseh · 25-11-2022 10:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922209#Comment_119922209

My worry is not really as much that I won't find a job at all. I mean in theory I could go pull pints at the local right. My worry is more that I wouldn't find a job that earns as much as I do now which by the way is also not an earth shattering amount of money, and also that I would at least have a period of unemployment in between.

Esse85 · 25-11-2022 10:58pm

Have you any savings?

What redundancy payment do you expect?

Many people cannot afford to live in Dublin city centre, therefore they go where they can afford.

You could learn to drive.

You could move somewhere cheaper outside the city centre but close to public transport.

ThreeGreens · 25-11-2022 11:03pm

When you have a few options.

Hindsight...you should have been making some savings as your safety net. If you haven't you should start saving now.
Get another job as quick as you can
You'll probably get some redundancy. Probably not a lot given your short service, but it will buy you some time.
Take in a lodger to share your rent with. You can earn up to €14K per year renting out a room, without paying tax which would largely cover your rent. Space is in short supply in Dublin so you shouldn't have too much difficulty in finding someone
Talk to Social Welfare to see if there is any emergency support you can get
Move in with someone else so that your rent is cut down significantly, and cut down your other expenses to the minimum.

There is no magic solution. It's spend your savings, replace the income or remove the expenses.

Esse85 · 25-11-2022 11:08pm

Worth looking at this person's previous posts before replying with a detailed reply.

L1011 · 25-11-2022 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922230#Comment_119922230

Even with the reduction in hiring / layoffs, in most tech roles people who can start quickly have their arms bitten off by recruiters.

Spend as little as you can, save as much as you can and start scoping out roles even before you know for sure you're getting the axe (but wait to be told, so you get the redundancy)

machaseh · 25-11-2022 11:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922231#Comment_119922231

No I could not learn to drive. First of all it costs a lot of money, second of all the waiting times are long, third of all a car is very expensive for a foreign national (insurance), fourth of all I happen to have a medical disability that does not make driving safe for me. I would not want to hit your child on the road because I couldn't see her due to my medical disability.

machaseh · 25-11-2022 11:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922282#Comment_119922282

I have a flatmate so my real rent costs are slightly lower. There's no spare room left for a number 3.

machaseh · 25-11-2022 11:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922272#Comment_119922272

I can't move down the country because I don't drive. Also the local rural Irish population would not take kindly to a foreigner. They would be very racist. I've already experienced that they kick me out of the pub for being a foreigner and that was even in Dublin.

You need to understand that living in Rural Ireland is not really feasible for foreigners who don't drive.

mikemac2 · 25-11-2022 11:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922272#Comment_119922272

A tad harsh

And in some countries in Europe you can get 70% or more of your salary in unemployment benefit for 12 months.

“Where on earth?”. The OP worked for 7 years straight.

Maybe the OP will get a job straight away but hiring slows down this time of year with Christmas and budgets. Apply for a well paying permanent job today and with interviews and background checks 2 months would be considered fast

TooTired123 · 25-11-2022 11:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922521#Comment_119922521

People work for 40 years straight and they get €208. If you want to get JB at a rate of 70% of your salary then Ireland is not the place to be.

mikemac2 · 25-11-2022 11:37pm

Ah Ireland is not the place I am 😄

best of luck OP. I hope you get help and not judgement

TooTired123 · 25-11-2022 11:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922503#Comment_119922503

All in all you appear to be very unhappy with Ireland. That’s a pity. There’s no point in going back and forth about it. €208 is it right now it will be €220 in January. The important thing is that you know that now and you can put a plan together to have a job to go to when this one ends. Best of luck.

RurtBeynolds · 25-11-2022 11:41pm

You should quite easily be able to find another job in the next two months.

AMKC · 25-11-2022 11:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922480#Comment_119922480

That's the wrong attitude to have for a start. You will never accomplish anything if you are always negative.

I take it you have a sight imperfect maybe reduced visibility or no sight in one eye. I to am like that and for years I let it stop me from driving I used it as am excuse and well I did not need to drive because someone else was always doing the driving at work so that was good with me. That was untill this year when I said not anymore and done a bit then realised hey this is not as bad or as hard as I thought it might be. It was confidence as well do or well lack of it. I just did not have any but it has all come back to me this year.

You have to remain positive. You will not get anywhere in this world being negative.

Start looking for jobs now and if you do get layed off at least then you will have options.

Shauna677 · 26-11-2022 12:23am

Won't the OP qualify for HAP?

Tork · 26-11-2022 12:43am

Why not go back to where you came from? You don't seem to like Ireland very much and you've not saved much money by working and living in Dublin.

Button_y · 26-11-2022 1:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922503#Comment_119922503

Wow! reread what you wrote and see the racism in your post against rural Ireland!

On your original question no you probably can't maintain your lifestyle on the benefits available you need to find a job or change your lifestyle to match the available benefits. You are lucky you have lead time to prepare

machaseh · 26-11-2022 1:14am

It's easy to tell people to go back where they came from. But unfortunately it's not always that easy to do in practice

machaseh · 26-11-2022 1:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922546#Comment_119922546

This is standard in the Netherlands though and all Statistics show that Ireland is at least as developed. It's not like we are living in Burkina Faso.

CramCycle · 26-11-2022 1:36am

Start looking for a job now. Don't wait for what you know is coming. Regrettably all the talk in the world isn't going to change anything. 208 a month won't pay your rent, maybe there is assistance available but your landlord must accept it and you must get it signed off and that's simply not happening. Also don't discount the rest of Ireland , start looking at other major cities and towns for work and rent .

26-11-2022 3:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923375#Comment_119923375

There is zero point in arguing about what is the standard in the Netherlands. You don't live in the Netherlands.

You will qualify for Jobseekers Benefit @ €220 per week (from January 2023) for 9 months based on contributions, and you can make an application for Rent Supplement.

In the interim, best brush off the CV and start looking around.

GSBellew · 26-11-2022 3:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922230#Comment_119922230

Then go pull pint's like many of us have at points in time to make ends meet, you worry that you won't earn as much, well won't it be more than if you don't bother doing it?

As for your rent, well you are lucky in that you have the freedom to move to somewhere cheaper to rent, might be inconvenient but it's better than it'd be if you had a mortgage.

SweetSand · 26-11-2022 3:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119922503#Comment_119922503

OMG, are you for real? As a foreigner myself, who ended up in a very rural part of Connemara in 2001, where there was nothing around, and I came from a 2million city and it was a shock. Everything you are talking about is a BS - you are an adult, you have time to find another job, you can move, you don’t need to rely on SB, and yes, you can pass driving test in Ireland, which I did after having passed driving test in my country, and I had to do it again after moving to another country. It really makes me mad to hear about “rural Irish” being not kind. Yes, there was a learning curve to understand each other but in all honesty there was so many kind people I met and learned so much about Irish history and culture, at the end I felt honoured to be a part and enjoy the craic with so many locals. Ireland is too generous with all the benefits full stop. Hate seeing people taking advantage of it. If you were in US - there would be no redundancy and no payments afterwards.

TooTired123 · 26-11-2022 8:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923375#Comment_119923375

You don’t live in the Netherlands. It’s pointless talking about the Netherlands.

machaseh · 26-11-2022 2:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119923617#Comment_119923617

But you can drive. I can't drive i have a visual disability.

If I'd live in the back arse of Donegal I'd be stuck there. I couldn't do groceries even or go to a local pub.

And the people here in Ireland generally are quite racist as we see in this thread as well. Hence i prefer to live in the city where the other foreigners are . I don't have any Irish friends at all. Don't like them

Likely redundancy in January, how can I survive off €208 JB a week with 1200 monthly rent?

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