Moving to Donegal from Scotland....

I'll move this to the State Benefits forum where the regulars there should know the answer.

versace1888 wrote: »

I'm hoping someone on here can help me, or at least let me pick their brain!!

My husband is Irish and originally from Derry and I am from Scotland. We are both desperate to move to Ireland and to most likely the Donegal area. Ideally one of us will have a job before moving over, but what I wanted to know was. Say for example, I can't get a job - I have lived and worked in Scotland all my life and never been unemployed, if I struggled to find work once we move, would I be entiltled to claim job seekers allowance? If I'm not entitled to jobseekers, are there any benefits we may be entitled too?

Any tips or advice would be a massive help? Hope someone can help.....

You would both have to satisfy the habitual residence conditions. Does your husband hold an Irish passport? Has he ever worked in the Republic?

versace1888 wrote: »

Yes, My husband is Irish and has an Irish passport. He only moved to Scotland when he met me 7 years ago. We just feel it would be a better way of life over there for our kids (God willing! We dont actually have kids yet!).

So, he is an Irish citizen but has worked in Scotland for 7 years but I have a UK passport. Do you know how long we would have to be living there before I could claim? I just think its easier finding a job when you're actually living there, so we are keen to move really soon and then look for a job for me, if that makes sense?

Has he ever worked in the Republic?... if the answer is No and all of his family and your family live outside the state then more than likely you centre of interest would not be in the Republic and you would be deemed not habitually resident. On the other hand if one of you get a job in the Republic you can have your contributions from Scotland transferred to Ireland.

Read all the links which you have been sent very carefully.

If you get work, then you will be in a good situation but if you don't and are out of work when any Jobseekers Benefit you are entitled to transfer exceeds its allotted time, you will then be faced with claiming Jobseekers Allowance and for that you will have to prove habitual residence here and undergo means testing. That means that any property you have in the UK will be assessed as well. You will need to produce evidence that you have severed all ties in Scotland and that means producing evidence of property sale, end of any renting of property, closure of bank accounts etc. The criteria for qualifying is so tight that, as another poster mentioned, you would need to produce your tickets to Ireland, evidence of moving your belongings etc. And, like you will have to produce evidence of severing ties in Scotland, you will have to produce evidence of setting roots down here including buying or renting a property, opening bank accounts, registering with doctors and generally making connections in the community.

More details here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html