The "live as it happens" Budget comment thread....

Rb

MikeC101 wrote: »

This I don't understand - if you're rejecting job offers, shouldn't it be cut completely??

Perhaps if you were rejecting a job offer that would have paid less than your social welfare payments there's a case for just reducing your payment, but other than that, nobody should be getting away with refusing work to stay on welfare.

Oh absolutely. People found rejecting offers should be made fight their case for their social welfare thereafter, rather being handed slightly less as a punishment.

Buceph

LookingFor wrote: »

If you're 21 with no dependents and unemployed you probably should be living at home. There's no shame in that. Trying to live some financially independent lifestyle while unemployed at that age just ain't realistic.

€100 a week for nothing when you're living at home ain't to be sniffed at. Pretty nice I'd say, in fact.

I'd say ditto for 24s and unders, tbh. You really shouldn't be taking on massive financial responsibilities at that age, you should be financially footloose.

I know some people who don't have the option of living at home. And I always thought you couldn't get the dole while living in the parental home anyway.

But I agree, if someone doesn't have to pay rent, €100-150 seems reasonable.

TouchingVirus

Deleted User wrote: »

What's going on? RTE is reporting that the dole is down €8 a week? I'm 32 and heard nothing about that come from the minister. He only said if you refuse a job offer then it drops to €150. Is the €8 a mistake or correct?

Jobseekers Benefit is down €8.

The Dole aka Jobseekers Allowance, is down €8.20-€8.50 for people over 24. If you've refused a job it's down to €150. If you're new and aged between 20-21 you'll get €100. If you're new and 22-24 you'll get €150.

No word on 18-20's on JSA

misslt

Deleted User wrote: »

What's going on? RTE is reporting that the dole is down €8 a week? I'm 32 and heard nothing about that come from the minister. He only said if you refuse a job offer then it drops to €150. Is the €8 a mistake or correct?

Apparently theres a 4.1% reduction across all SW - aside from the changes for 21-24's.

angel01

Is jobseekers benefit been changed or is it just the allowance?

ibarelycare

Deleted User wrote: »

What's going on? RTE is reporting that the dole is down €8 a week? I'm 32 and heard nothing about that come from the minister. He only said if you refuse a job offer then it drops to €150. Is the €8 a mistake or correct?

He seemed to rush over it:

From http://www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2010/FinancialStatement.aspx#item13

In the case of working age rates of payment there will be a reduction of about 4.1 per cent.

mathie

Whi is talking now?

Some very valid point ....
BL has failed the young of this country
No job creation
The young are taking the redundancies
Poor broadband etc etc

Little Acorn

Sorry wrote: »

Very sorry to interrupt the flow, but could someone tell me this:

I applied back in September for Jobseeker's Allowance and am still waiting.. Will my rate be €150 when it's granted? Thanks to anyone who can clarify this!

What age are you?
18-21- 100 euro per week
22-24 (new applicant)-150 euro per week
25 or over-204 euro per week. This will be cut to 150 per week if you refuse a job offer.

dollybird09

how much is petrol gone up? I think thats the only thing that effects me

efb

Lads I'm 29 living at home and working. Suck it up and move home.

MOH

From www.budget.gov.ie - sorry for the length but to try to clear up the confusion:

he maximum personal rate for all weekly schemes (other than personal rates applicable to those aged 66 and over) will generally decrease by amounts varying between €8.20 and €8.50 per week from the first week in January 2010 and proportionate decreases will apply in respect of people on reduced rates of payment.

Associated maximum Qualified Adult Allowances (QAAs) will generally decrease by €5.50 per week from the first week in January 2010 and proportionate decreases will apply in respect of people on reduced rates of payment.

There will also be a decrease of €10 per week in the maximum rate and a decrease of €4.50 per week in the minimum rate of Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit from the first week of January 2010.

Activation Measures
There are a number of changes to the Jobseeker’s Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance schemes as set out below:

* New maximum personal rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance and basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance will be introduced for new applicants aged 20 to 24 inclusive. The new rate will be €100 per week for new applicants aged 20 to 21 and €150 per week for new applicants aged 22 to 24. The Qualified Adult rate applicable to Jobseeker’s Allowance/basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance applicants aged 20 and 21 will also be €100 per week and for those applicants aged 22, 23 and 24 will be €130.10 per week. These rate reductions will not apply to claimants with dependant children.

* The personal rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance and basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance will be reduced to €150 per week where job offers or activation measures have been refused. Further details of this measure will be published in the Social Welfare Bill, 2010.

macplaxton

SOCIAL WELFARE
People of Working Age
The maximum personal rate for all weekly schemes (other than personal rates applicable to those aged 66 and over) will generally decrease by amounts varying between €8.20 and €8.50 per week from the first week in January 2010 and proportionate decreases will apply in respect of people on reduced rates of payment.

Associated maximum Qualified Adult Allowances (QAAs) will generally decrease by €5.50 per week from the first week in January 2010 and proportionate decreases will apply in respect of people on reduced rates of payment.

There will also be a decrease of €10 per week in the maximum rate and a decrease of €4.50 per week in the minimum rate of Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit from the first week of January 2010.

Activation Measures
There are a number of changes to the Jobseeker’s Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance schemes as set out below:

* New maximum personal rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance and basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance will be introduced for new applicants aged 20 to 24 inclusive. The new rate will be €100 per week for new applicants aged 20 to 21 and €150 per week for new applicants aged 22 to 24. The Qualified Adult rate applicable to Jobseeker’s Allowance/basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance applicants aged 20 and 21 will also be €100 per week and for those applicants aged 22, 23 and 24 will be €130.10 per week. These rate reductions will not apply to claimants with dependant children.

* The personal rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance and basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance will be reduced to €150 per week where job offers or activation measures have been refused. Further details of this measure will be published in the Social Welfare Bill, 2010.

http://www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2010/Summary.aspx#SocialWelfare

Mad_Max

Flaccus wrote: »

No. You will be on job seekers benefit then and get the full amount (204 or whatever it is) for 12 months if you have enough stamps payed. After that you move to job seekers allowance and if you refuse a job it gets cut to 150.

Ah right woopsie. I assume then someone on JSB now when that runs out they go to the new JSA rates then?

Cannibal Ox

I don't get the dole changes, why is it only 20-21 on 100€? What about 18-19? Are they still getting full dole?

Grievous

Guys,

I am 25. How much of my 204euro per week will be getting taken away from me?

Thanks for the help. There are so many pages in this thread to find the answer but I don't have the time to look through them.

Thanks in advance.

TouchingVirus

angel01 wrote: »

Is jobseekers benefit been changed or is it just the allowance?

Just allowance was affected with the cuts to €150 and €100.

Benefit just got a 4.1% reduction in personal rates, down to €196

holmyster

has anyone any idea how much the fuel has gone up by?

Rujib1

Buceph wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance of the welfare system, I've been in unversity and living with my parents for the past few years. But how does someone on €150 a week pay the bills, pay rent, pay for food etc? To me that seems awfully ****ing tight, let alone trying to pay all that on €100pw.

I know someone who lost her job in a Cork hotel due to flood damage. Will not reopen till sometime next year.
She went out there looking for an alternative. She got not one but 4 job offers.

So moral is gat off your educated ass and get something. Anything!!!! When you have a job you will get a job.

Rb

fi314 wrote: »

This can be true to a point.
However, if you have gone through the education system and trained a particular field spent thousands say becoming a nurse, physiotherapists ect

Why should you take a job that would see your skills diminish. Students are being told go on job seekers and seek the vital experience to get a job,,,,
This cut will see people automatically looking overseas

Tough, basically. Social welfare is there to support you with your necessities until you can support yourself, if you're offered employment and the opportunity to support yourself and no longer bear burden on the state and refuse it, you deserve to be punished for it. Simple as really.

Just because you trained as an architect, doesn't mean you can sit on the dole until a job in architecture comes up. It's completely illogical and most of these so called trained professionals are going to have an extremely tough time getting jobs in these fields that they believe they deserve anywhere else.

Hillel

fricatus wrote: »

Surely to God if you've made it into a €46k paying job you can do a quick search on the internet and some basic primary school maths?

That's uncalled for IMHO. All he/she was doing was trying to understand the personal impact of the budget. Lets be fair and keep a sense of balance.

nkay1985

So the Public Service pensions change only affects anyone hired from now on yeah?

Which will only save us money in how many years' time?

madmoe

token56 wrote: »

In terms of rent etc there is also rent allowance I think

Yep, u defo get rent allowance as well if your not living at home.

TouchingVirus

Grievous wrote: »

Guys,

I am 25. How much of my 204euro per week will be getting taken away from me?

Thanks for the help. There are so many pages in this thread to find the answer but I don't have the time to look through them.

Thanks in advance.

4.1% of it, because you're already in receipt of payments. If you refuse a job or 'activation measures' (i.e. education, FAS courseS) then you'll drop to €150.

oscarBravo

RossFixxxed wrote: »

So what's with the new tax that replaces levy, health levy and PRSI? Did I pick that up wrong? How does it work?

Not until 2011.

token56

Rte have the Taoiseach getting a 20% cut down twice. Wouldn't like to be him right now.

jenzz

Deleted User wrote: »

What's going on? RTE is reporting that the dole is down €8 a week? I'm 32 and heard nothing about that come from the minister. He only said if you refuse a job offer then it drops to €150. Is the €8 a mistake or correct?

He said the reducion is 4.1% so thats where the €8 comes from

Flaccus

Buceph wrote: »

I know some people who don't have the option of living at home. And I always thought you couldn't get the dole while living in the parental home anyway.

But I agree, if someone doesn't have to pay rent, €100-150 seems reasonable.

If you are over 24 and living at home your parents income/means is not taken into account. You are assessed individually.

Kevin11

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin11
2700 I make it. Steep enough for the lower paid public sector in my book

46k is lower paid?!

Its not and I didnt mean it like that but I thought he would leave anyone on less than 30k alone.

Rb

TouchingVirus wrote: »

Jobseekers Benefit is down €8.

The Dole aka Jobseekers Allowance, is down €8.20-€8.50 for people over 24. If you've refused a job it's down to €150. If you're new and aged between 20-21 you'll get €100. If you're new and 22-24 you'll get €150.

No word on 18-20's on JSA

Did he not say down to €100 for them if they've no dependents?

TouchingVirus

madmoe wrote: »

Yep, u defo get rent allowance as well if your not living at home.

You need to be renting for a minimum of six months beforehand to receive Rent Allowance.