Social Welfare JA Jobseekers Allowance under 25

• . Parental Income
• 2. Exceptions
• 3. Calculation of benefit & privilege from 30th April 2008
• 4. Assessment of benefit & privilege prior to 30th April 2008
• 5. Claimant working on the family farm or business
• 6. Other Benefit and Privilege Cases
• 7. Assessment of Benefit & Privilege from Seasonal Earnings
• 8. Minimum Weekly Payment

Parental Income

Where a person is living with a parent or step-parent in the family home, an assessment is be made of the yearly value of any benefit and privilege enjoyed by that person by virtue of residing with a parent or step parent. The value of the benefit and privilege assessed is based on the level of the parents income.

No assessment is made where the person is living with other relatives e.g. a brother or sister or with non-relatives.

Exceptions

• Where a married/co-habiting son/daughter is living with his/her parents, no assessment is made. Or where daughter/son has a child dependant and is living with her/his parents.
• Where a person returns to the parental home having had an independent life-style elsewhere in Ireland or abroad for an appreciable length of time e.g. at least 3 years, the assessment in this case is €7.00 per week.
• PRETA. The assessment of B & P from parental income was abolished for all PRETA customers with effect from 30 April 2003
• JA. In recent years, the assessment of Benefit & Privilege from parental income was abolished for persons in excess of certain ages as follows:

Excess of Certain Ages:

Age GroupEffective DateJA customers aged 29 and over30 April 2003JA customers aged 27 and over7 April 2004JA customers aged 26 and over13 April 2005JA customers aged 25 and over1 February 2006

Persons aged under 25

Benefit & privilege applies to persons under 25 years. The assessment of parental income continues to apply to persons aged under 25 who reside with a parent or step-parent. On reaching age 25 the B & P assessment should be revised to "Nil".

Calculation of benefit & privilege from 30th April 2008

Budget 2008 provided for a change in the method of calculating the yearly value of benefit and privilege. The new assessment method is effective from 30th April 2008 and applies to all relevant JA claims whether existing or new.

Parental Income

Under the new arrangements, parental income includes:

• Income from employment
• Income from self employment
• Income from occupational, Irish Statutory Pensions and foreign pensions
• Rental Income
• Maintenance payments
• Social Welfare payments
• Health Service Executive payments
• Solas/Educational Training Board (ETB) Training Allowances
• Income from Community Employment Schemes

All Social Welfare payments are included as income for B & P purposes with the exception of the following:

• National and Smokeless Fuel Allowance
• Child Benefit
• Early Childcare Supplement
• Respite Care Grant
• Guardian Payment
• Domiciliary Care

HSE payments that are not included as income for B & P:

• Blind Welfare Allowance
• Mobility Allowance
• Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance
• Foster Care Allowance

Deductions

Deductions are allowed for income tax, pension levy income levy, Universal Social Charge, PRSI, superannuation/ PRSA contributions, private health insurance contribution, union dues and rent/mortgage payments. Where parents are in receipt of Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement, a disregard applies only to the amount of rent or mortgage actually paid by the parents.

No deductions are allowed in respect of travelling expenses, life assurance premiums, sports/social club subscriptions or savings schemes deductions e.g. Instalment Savings, Credit Union lodgements etc.

In cases where parents have property other than the family home and that property is yielding an income, the net income of that property is asessed e.g. rental income less expenses such as mortgage repayments, insurance costs, repairs etc.

Calculate the net income of the family (gross income less the various deductions, as appropriate). Apply a disregard of €600.00 for a two parent family and €470.00 for a one parent family. An additional disregard of €30.00 applies for all children up to 18 years of age who are not getting a SW or HSE payment in their own right and for all children over 18 years in full time education irrespective of their age (excluding children who are in receipt of a Social Welfare payment in their own right or in employment or self employment).

See above the operational guidelines applying to your sons claim for JSA

Very easy to cast blame on " idiot politicians" as usual. Departmental structures and policies are, for the most part, put together by senior civil servants and advisors.

The only person stopping your lad from getting a few bob to tide him over is you.

I have interviewed hundreds of people on JSA who have contributed to society for years, have PhDs, master degrees etc. They are all treated equally in the eyes of the DEASP.

Trying to be clever by moving him won't work either. He has had a claim opened already with his current address. The question of how long he is at his grandparents house will come up very quickly when they see the change of address.

You may think you're "sticking it to the Man" by not supplying documentation for a means test but " The Man" doesn't care and the only one to lose out will be your son.