Cohabitation both unemployed

Uncle_moe · 27-06-2011 11:27am #1

Hi,

myself and my girlfriend recently returned from working abroad and are now unemployed. We are moving in together but are unsure as to whether or not we are entitled to full unemployment benefit. Neither of us has a lot of savings and as I said no income at the moment.
Anyone know if we get the full entitlement or not or how it is even assessed for couples?
Also if one person gets a job is it then reassessed?

thanks

snubbleste · 27-06-2011 1:01pm

You need to provide more information. Which country were you working in, how long were you abroad for, have you worked in Ireland previously, where have you checked for factual information besides here..

mp22 · 27-06-2011 1:28pm

Start here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html

You will be looking to claim jsa for one of you plus a dependent adult.
If one gets a job the claim will be reassessed.

Uncle_moe · 27-06-2011 1:29pm

sorry, was in Canada for a while but couldn't find work. I was on Jobseekers Allowance before leaving and my girlfriend had a job. I've checked on boards and social welfare website but can't find any conclusive information.

Apparently they combine your income and halve it or something like that but it surely can't be right as we would only be getting 188 a week between us.
someone posted they were both getting the full amount whereas someone else said they were only getting 133 each on jobseekers allowance.

----snip

ynul31f47k6b59 · 27-06-2011 3:53pm

Returning Irish emigrants

EU rules prevent discrimination on nationality grounds in relation to social security, so it is not possible to exempt a particular category of Irish citizens (such as returning Irish emigrants) from the habitual residence condition (either in general or for Carer’s Allowance) without extending the same treatment to all EU nationals. However, the guidelines regarding determination of habitual residence address the issue of returning emigrants very specifically. The guidelines state: “A person who had previously been habitually resident in the State and who moved to live and work in another country and then resumes his/her long-term residence in the State may be regarded as being habitually resident immediately on his/her return to the State.”

In determining the main centre of interest in the case of returning emigrants, Deciding Officers take account of:

Purpose of return e.g. expiry of foreign residence permit
The applicant’s stated intentions
Verified arrangements which have been made in regard to returning on a long-term basis e.g. transfer of financial accounts and any other assets, termination of residence based entitlements in the other country, or assistance from Safe Home or a similar programme to enable Irish emigrants to return permanently
Length and continuity of the previous residence in the State
The record of employment or self employment in another state and
Whether s/he has maintained links with the previous residence and can be regarded as resuming his/her previous residence rather than starting a new period of residence. - info from www.citizensinformation.ie

How you are assessed will be determined from all the above info that you will have to provide to the deciding officer. Normally in the case of co-habiting couples, one person will receive a full payment and the other will be listed as a dependant adult. You will be reassessed and means tested again if one of you finds employment. More info available on www.welfare.ie

EDIT: Just found this, it's €188 for one person and €124.80 for a qualifying adult. http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/JobseekerSupports/JobseekersAllowance/Pages/ja.aspx#Rates3

Uncle_moe · 27-06-2011 5:25pm

thanks for the replies, thought as much about the dependent adult. Can't afford to live on that.

Uncle_moe · 27-06-2011 5:29pm

sorry one other question, it says the increase for a qualified adult is 124.8, what does this mean exactly?
Why is it called an increase if you only get 124.8 as a dependent or is it that one person gets 188+124.8 and the dependent gets nothing i.e. you get money for having someone dependent on you?

cee_jay · 27-06-2011 6:20pm

You have 2 choices. One person claims and receives the total amount, or you each make a claim and the total amount is halved between you, i.e. 156.40 each.

mrsbyrne · 27-06-2011 8:19pm

youll have to satisy the Habitual Residence Condition first
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html
Not easy.:(
Then youll have to satisfy all the other conditions for JSA, including a means test.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html
Again, not easy.:(
While your waiting for your claim to be examined you can approach the CWO for an interim payment.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/supplementary_welfare_allow.html
Not garaunteed to work.:(
Mind you if you havnt been out of the country all that long, it mightn't be too bad after all. Max you can get as a couple is €188 plus €124. Then getting Rent Supplement is a whole other ball game.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

snubbleste · 28-06-2011 7:30am

Are you suggesting that all this information is publicly available in understandable lexicon free-of-charge online, mrsbyrne?

mrsbyrne · 28-06-2011 10:54am

snubbleste wrote: »

Are you suggesting that all this information is publicly available in understandable lexicon free-of-charge online, mrsbyrne?

Thats what im suggesting snubbleste;)

Lugh Ildanach · 28-06-2011 11:21am

Uncle_moe wrote: »

sorry one other question, it says the increase for a qualified adult is 124.8, what does this mean exactly?
Why is it called an increase if you only get 124.8 as a dependent or is it that one person gets 188+124.8 and the dependent gets nothing i.e. you get money for having someone dependent on you?

The main claimant usually gets the whole money. However if a spouse feels that they are not getting equitable access to the money, they can ask for the payment to be split 50/50.

Also, if both partners are eligible for Jobseekers, they can both apply in their own right (this has some advantages for eligibility for certain schemes) They will not receive more money than they would if only one claims, the total money will be split 50/50.

Cohabitation both unemployed

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