Some questions on receiving Job Seeker's Allowance

tommy21

Hey all, like most posting here, the mind boggles at how difficult it is to apply/qualify for JSB/JSA or even suss out the requirements.

Have done my own research and read the FAQS, but have some questions:

My situation is im a 24 (not 25 unfortunately) year old male living at home in a single income family, of which this income is quite high when looked at individually (its about the 60,000 mark or around that), but not so when taken into account the parent in question supports me, my two siblings (both over 18 however) and the other out of work parent along with other financial problems. I perceive this to be the main blockage to my receiving anything (in terms of means testing). Is there any point in applying for Job Seekers Allowance or is it considered on a case-by-case basis? I will not apply for JSB as although my part-time job ended in April, I don't think I have the credits - then again I have had so many jobs over last few years and so many P60s etc that I haven't a clue whether this is an option or not as can't work out on the forms.

I recently finished my one year postgrad masters exams but deferred the thesis portion for medical reasons, so submission is Sept next year. I read in the FAQs that while this will require me to explain in detail to the social welfare officer, it will probably not prevent me qualifying as I'm doing it in my own time and am available to work any time. Can anyone confirm this? Nowhere can I find when I actually potentially became qualified to seek JSA - was it the day after my last exam? The month after?

I am actively looking for work and have printed out my application letters and responses from employers where they have bothered to, to attach to application. There is simply no work out there.

I guess in addition to the above, I'm wondering how I even go about this. I get that I go down to my local office and bring all these forms in, am I interviewed then or do I just hand it all in and wait for a letter of appointment? I have so many technical questions I wish you could make an appointment to have them go through with you in person, but that would probably cripple the system lol.

Anyway, hope someone can shed some light.
Thanks a mil!

Xiney

As soon as you finished your last exam you were allowed to apply for JSB or JSA.

You actually have to fill out the same form for JSA as you do for JSB. You fill out a supplementary form(s) for JSA for the means testing. This means everyone is essentially first trying for JSB and if they don't have enough credits they look into JSA for you.

Your parent's net income is what is assessed. This is likely around 40k if your parent is earning 60k gross. This is equivalent to 770 per week (no sense in getting too precise if we don't know the exact salary to start with!)

A two parent family has a weekly allowance of 600 euro. Since your siblings are over 18, there is no allowance for them.

So you deduct 600 from 770 to get 170 which is your parents' weekly assessable income not taking mortgage or rent into account. 34% of this is taken in account and called "benefit and priviledge". This is around 60 euro (again, no point in being exact without the exact net income).

Which means you are entitled to 204.30 - 60 = 144.30 per week. If your parents have a mortgage/pay rent you may be entitled to the full whack.

tommy21

Xiney wrote: »

As soon as you finished your last exam you were allowed to apply for JSB or JSA.

You actually have to fill out the same form for JSA as you do for JSB. You fill out a supplementary form(s) for JSA for the means testing. This means everyone is essentially first trying for JSB and if they don't have enough credits they look into JSA for you.

Your parent's net income is what is assessed. This is likely around 40k if your parent is earning 60k gross. This is equivalent to 770 per week (no sense in getting too precise if we don't know the exact salary to start with!)

A two parent family has a weekly allowance of 600 euro. Since your siblings are over 18, there is no allowance for them.

So you deduct 600 from 770 to get 170 which is your parents' weekly assessable income not taking mortgage or rent into account. 34% of this is taken in account and called "benefit and priviledge". This is around 60 euro (again, no point in being exact without the exact net income).

Which means you are entitled to 204.30 - 60 = 144.30 per week. If your parents have a mortgage/pay rent you may be entitled to the full whack.

You legend, thanks very much for the info. I saw that alright on the JSB form (e.g. tick here if you want to be assessed for JSA should your claim fail) but was sure the JSB wouldn't apply. That said no harm in applying for that first, I guess, and then they will contact me for JSA followup I guess?

If I have a legitimate reason (have a medical cert) for not applying when I could have, is it possible it will be backdated? See I finished my written exams end of May, however I still had a presentation to do towards ends of June, and I only got a letter formally granting the deferral of the thesis portion in the middle of July. So I don't know what date to go for really! Very good news though if your above info is correct!

Xiney

backdating is always up in the air.

You can always give it a try, though. Just head down tomorrow to make sure if it's not backdated, you get it started asap anyway.

tommy21

Went into the Cork Hanover St. office today and had to make an appointment for next week, but the girl said based on my contributions I would qualify in her opinion for some or possibly(unlikely I say) all of JSB. Next week is real test of course, but it looks good preliminarily (is that a word? ) There was virtually nobody in the place, and I was talking to someone within 10 minutes, was shocked after hearing all the stories. Maybe I just got lucky? Claim processing is probably a different ball game though!

tommy21

An additional question if anyone can answer: as I said above I am looking for jobs but not many employers go to bother of sending me back a polite no that I can use as proof of my search. That said I have 5 or 6 from last month, and have dropped many all over town (Cork) too. With my interview on Wednesday for JSB, I was thinkin I had read somewhere that applying/registering with FAS would be a requirement/strongly encouraged. Is this the case? Could I be sent packing saying "come back when you've tried your luck with FAS"? Or is it the case that if I have the credits and can say that I have tried and am continuing to try for job then that should fly? Thanks.

yoohoo

well once you apply you have 30 days to register with fas so that should be no problem. and as proof of searching for a job, personally to make life easier on myself I tend to email job applications then I can print out the emails and give them to the social welfare office

Xiney

I have all the emails I've sent off applying for jobs labelled in gmail, so I could just print them off if I was asked. Also have the rejection letters, what few there are.

If I applied via post I have the cover letters saved in a folder as well.


The social have definitely heard already by now that employers aren't sending out rejections - you're not the only person this is happening to!

As for FAS, they don't let you register until you've been 30 days unemployed (I tried the day after I lost my job way back when, and they told me to come back :rolleyes:)

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

As for FAS, they don't let you register until you've been 30 days unemployed (I tried the day after I lost my job way back when, and they told me to come back :rolleyes:)

Eh? Back in Oct 08, I registered with them on Monday, after finishing work on Friday.

(My team actually did a "field-trip" there on the Thursday, to pick up registration forms for everyone - I think FAS were quite surprised to see such organisation and fore-thought!)

Have things actually changed? Or maybe a new FAS officer got the wrong end of the 30-day rule, since Welfare say that you MUST register with FAS within 30 days of claiming.

Mr. Razzcocks

Edit: nevermind

tommy21

Mr. Razzcocks wrote: »

Edit: nevermind

?