Signing for credits

sellerbarry

Hi all. I am signing for credits and have missed my one date this year (last Friday 22nd) I had it in my mind that the date was the 26th. I will be at the welfare office first thing in the morning. My question is, will this affect my wife as she claims for me as an adult dependant? Thanks;)

Balagan

sellerbarry wrote: »

Hi all. I am signing for credits and have missed my one date this year (last Friday 22nd) I had it in my mind that the date was the 26th. I will be at the welfare office first thing in the morning. My question is, will this affect my wife as she claims for me as an adult dependant? Thanks;)

The payment for an adult dependant is not connected to the dependant signing for credits. But as it is in your best interests to sign for them, you should go to SW tomorrow and see if they will let you sign late.

sellerbarry

Balagan wrote: »

The payment for an adult dependant is not connected to the dependant signing for credits. But as it is in your best interests to sign for them, you should go to SW tomorrow and see if they will let you sign late.

Thanks balagan.;)

analbeads

what are these credits for?
i was on half rate JB for 15 months while on lone parents and when it came to an end i was told i had to sign for credits but id get a letter to explain. i never got one so i didnt go in the following month. that was at the start of july so im getting abit worried that ive ment to be signing all this time and missed the last 4 months:eek:. wat happens if you dont sign?

Balagan

1. Credited contributions (credits) are social insurance contributions which are awarded to an insured person without a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) payment being received from the insured person.

Credits are awarded in circumstances such as unemployment and illness, and their purpose is to help protect the social insurance entitlements of insured persons during periods when they may not be in a position to pay contributions.

In order to qualify for credits, a person must first have entered insurable employment - he or she must have paid at least one PRSI contribution as an employed contributor.

Credits may enable insured workers to qualify for various social insurance benefits. While the contribution conditions applying to the various insurance benefit schemes can vary,a claimant must, in general, have.....

If at any stage in their working life, a person has no PRSI paid or credited contributions for two full tax years, they cannot be awarded credits again until they return to work and pay PRSI contributions for at least 26 weeks. The value of a credit is generally the value of the last paid contribution.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/pages/creditsaward.aspx

You'll note that it says a gap of two years so your not signing for four months shouldn't be an issue but best follow up soon. AFAIK as soon as it's set up, you only sign for credits every few months.

sellerbarry

Just an update. Went to welfare office this morning and told them the story. No problems. Signed a form and told to sign on next September again.

CiniO

Balagan wrote: »

1. Credited contributions (credits) are ...

This pretty much explains what credited contributions are.
But do you have to sign for them somehow intentionally?
Or is it like that if you get a social welfare payment, you get your credited PRSI contributions automatically?

Balagan

If you are on a social welfare payment, it's likely that you are receiving credits, but there are loopholes (e.g., if there's been a gap of two years - see below) so, it's advisable to directly ask SW for confirmation that you are obtaining credits. If you are a dependant adult on your partner's claim, you need to set up signing for credits separately from yourself.

Credits during unemployment

You get credits automatically if you are fully unemployed and getting Jobseeker's Benefit. You can continue to get credits if you have used up your entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit and qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance.

You do not automatically get credits if you are getting Jobseeker's Allowance. You must have paid or credited PRSI contributions in either of the last two tax years to get credits with Jobseeker's Allowance.

You can sign on for credits, if you are not entitled to a social welfare payment or you are qualified adult on your spouse's/partner's social welfare payment as long as you:

* Are unemployed
* Available and capable of work
* Genuinely seeking work
* Have paid or credited PRSI contributions in either of the last two tax years

You can also sign on for credits if you are on strike from work. You must sign on for credits in your local social welfare office - see 'Where to apply' below.

If you are unemployed and getting credits you can continue to get credits if you take part in one of the following:

* Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA)
* Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
* FÁS/Cert/BIM/Teagasc Training Courses

If you take part in the BTEA Scheme you will not get a weekly Back to Education Allowance, but you may get the Cost of Education Allowance. This is a once off payment at the beginning of each academic year.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/irish-social-welfare-system/social-insurance-prsi/credited-social-insurance-contributions

Susywong

When you sign for credits... after the employment benefit has expired. How long does it go on for? Is it like 2 years and then you have too work again?