Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

JSA Means test

  • 16-12-2009 2:51am
    #1
    lisil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭


    Hi Guys, Im sorry if this has been discussed before but searched everywhere and can't make head nor tail of how JSA means test works.Can anyone help?

    I have been unemployed since 1st July, didn't qualify for JB so been waiting on JA means test. My husband works and we have
    3 kids. How do they work out if I am entitled or not.

    Any help would be much appreciated...Im at wits end.

    Cheers

    Lisil


Comments

  • #2
    Citizens Information: Graham
    Company Representative Posts: 85 Verified rep ✭Citizens Information: Graham


    Hi Lisil


    the means test for Jobseeker's Allowance looks at your income as a household and at property (not your family home), savings, investments and so on.

    Your means under the various headings (for example, cash income, employment, capital) are calculated in different ways and then added together.

    Your total household means is then deducted from the maximum payment for your situation - in your case, this would be a personal payment, an increase for a qualified adult and an increase for three qualified children.

    You can find out full details of the how the means test works here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/irish-social-welfare-system/means-test-for-social-welfare-payments/means-test-for-jobseekers-allowance

    Graham Long
    Citizens Information


  • #3
    lisil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭lisil


    Thanks Graham, I saw that there, it's just that the girl at social welfare when I first applied said that they take into account your mortgage expenditure and the likes . Haven't read this anywhere so I'd say she must have just got herself a bit confused.


  • #4
    hphilip
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭hphilip


    Well my recent means test just shows that the system , as if we didn't already know is absolutly corrupt.

    I know of people that are unemployed for years and getting the full dole , and have no intention of returning to work. Also plenty of people who are working and signing also.

    I was made let go from my Private sector job last November (2008), a salary of €32,000 gross I also had a brevement in the family around the same time and had to wait 15 weeks to receive my jobseekers benefit.

    My wife works in the private sector also and had a wage of €33,000 gross per 48 hour week.

    I received my jobseekers benefit of €204.30 and like most other people was able to survive with the Loans, Mortgage and household bills, despite having €22,000 less in income.

    I have made approximatly 200 applications for work since i was let go. I received a letter from social welfare to advise me that I am being means tested. While I am married My wife and I have single persons tax allowance as we were earning similar money , there was no point in obtaining married allowance.

    I received my means test and the social welfare have awarded me an allowance of €5.90 per week. This is a 96% decrease. They do not take into account your outgoings.

    Considering my wifes wage , as such pays the bills and mortgage and so on , we were living on my JSB , where as now €5.90 per week would not even pay the esb bill in the month.

    In the past 2 years, we had to pay the 1% levy , while I was working and my Wife had another 1% in April , a 7% pay cut and now a 96% decrease in the allowance, which makes it near impossible to pay the mortgage. so from a personal income of €32,000 Gross , has now dropped to €306.80 per year. How can anybody survive on this??

    Thanks for reading my rant , But if there is anyone that can advise me or tell what I can do , would be muchly appriciated.

    At least Ive my health, Happy Christmas to all!!

    Regards

    Philip


  • #5
    snuggles09
    Registered Users Posts: 711 ✭✭✭snuggles09


    My partner applied for JSA on the 16th of September this year..I am on teh back to work allowance.

    He got a letter this morning to say that he has been approved..they worked it out as 204.30 + 13 euro for each of our 3 children (he will only get half the 26 euro as we are cohabiting) minus his 75 euro means that they worked out.

    He will therefore get 168.30 euro now per week and they said they will issue a check and back date it from the 16th of September.

    We didnt think he'd get much with me being on a back to work but they worked it all out and we were surprised to find out we were actually entitled to the JSA


  • #6
    buzzymam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 146 ✭✭buzzymam


    hphilip wrote: »
    Well my recent means test just shows that the system , as if we didn't already know is absolutly corrupt.

    I know of people that are unemployed for years and getting the full dole , and have no intention of returning to work. Also plenty of people who are working and signing also.

    I was made let go from my Private sector job last November (2008), a salary of €32,000 gross I also had a brevement in the family around the same time and had to wait 15 weeks to receive my jobseekers benefit.

    My wife works in the private sector also and had a wage of €33,000 gross per 48 hour week.

    I received my jobseekers benefit of €204.30 and like most other people was able to survive with the Loans, Mortgage and household bills, despite having €22,000 less in income.

    I have made approximatly 200 applications for work since i was let go. I received a letter from social welfare to advise me that I am being means tested. While I am married My wife and I have single persons tax allowance as we were earning similar money , there was no point in obtaining married allowance.

    I received my means test and the social welfare have awarded me an allowance of €5.90 per week. This is a 96% decrease. They do not take into account your outgoings.

    Considering my wifes wage , as such pays the bills and mortgage and so on , we were living on my JSB , where as now €5.90 per week would not even pay the esb bill in the month.

    In the past 2 years, we had to pay the 1% levy , while I was working and my Wife had another 1% in April , a 7% pay cut and now a 96% decrease in the allowance, which makes it near impossible to pay the mortgage. so from a personal income of €32,000 Gross , has now dropped to €306.80 per year. How can anybody survive on this??

    Thanks for reading my rant , But if there is anyone that can advise me or tell what I can do , would be muchly appriciated.

    At least Ive my health, Happy Christmas to all!!

    Regards

    Philip



    hphilip - did you get any change in your JSA since December? I transferred to JSA from JB today and am down from 320.50 to 158. Spent the last 12 months restructuring our finances to stay on top of everything and we did (just about with self employed husband on 250 net a week and 3 kids) Means Test my ass......taking into account meagre earnings but not our outgoings does not calculate our "means" Cant get FIS payment either as husband self employed. Am so depressed and upset, 18 years working, never claimed a penny amd i'm now facing spiraling debts and destitution. Did you get your appealed/revised at all?


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Jarren
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,692 ✭✭✭Jarren


    hphilip wrote: »
    Well my recent means test just shows that the system , as if we didn't already know is absolutly corrupt.

    I know of people that are unemployed for years and getting the full dole , and have no intention of returning to work. Also plenty of people who are working and signing also.

    I was made let go from my Private sector job last November (2008), a salary of €32,000 gross I also had a brevement in the family around the same time and had to wait 15 weeks to receive my jobseekers benefit.

    My wife works in the private sector also and had a wage of €33,000 gross per 48 hour week.

    I received my jobseekers benefit of €204.30 and like most other people was able to survive with the Loans, Mortgage and household bills, despite having €22,000 less in income.

    I have made approximatly 200 applications for work since i was let go. I received a letter from social welfare to advise me that I am being means tested. While I am married My wife and I have single persons tax allowance as we were earning similar money , there was no point in obtaining married allowance.

    I received my means test and the social welfare have awarded me an allowance of €5.90 per week. This is a 96% decrease. They do not take into account your outgoings.

    Considering my wifes wage , as such pays the bills and mortgage and so on , we were living on my JSB , where as now €5.90 per week would not even pay the esb bill in the month.

    In the past 2 years, we had to pay the 1% levy , while I was working and my Wife had another 1% in April , a 7% pay cut and now a 96% decrease in the allowance, which makes it near impossible to pay the mortgage. so from a personal income of €32,000 Gross , has now dropped to €306.80 per year. How can anybody survive on this??

    Thanks for reading my rant , But if there is anyone that can advise me or tell what I can do , would be muchly appriciated.

    At least Ive my health, Happy Christmas to all!!

    Regards

    Philip


    Hi Philip

    You know what to do don't you

    https://www.welfare.ie/EN/Secure/Pages/ReportSuspectFraud.aspx ;)


Advertisement