Seeking Advice For Parents

purpletele32

Hi There, I am currently looking for advice for my parents with regards Social Welfare entitlements

Both are 63.

My mum has not worked for the last 10 years due to bad Arthritis. Prior to this she had worked all her life and not claimed Social Welfare at any stage. Since giving up her job she has not claimed any benifits and has depended on my Dad to support her.

My dad took early retirement from the post office, he gets a weekly pension of €263.21 and works one day part time for €74.56 [€337.77 in total]

This €337.77 each week is all they have to live on combined, which has been fine up until now.

However my dad is now in a position where his job looks likely to go. The business has changed hands recently and the new owners have made it clear they wont him there. They are trying to sublty force him out, we suspect because of his age.

The above is really only a side matter though. My question is, based on the above facts, If he was to leave this job would he have any social welfare entitlements to fall back on?

Surely €263.21 couldnt be deemed sufficient for 2 people to live on. Niether of which have EVER claimed a penny from social welfare.

Thanks for any help and advice you guys can offer.

mp22

I will presume that your father is paying prsi on his wages.If he is let go he would be able to claim JSB,your mother would be classed as a qualified adult.JSB lasts for 12 months.They would have to claim JSA until your fathers 65th birthday,then pre-retirment http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_transition.html

then hopefully he has enough stamps for this http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_contributory.html

purpletele32

Hi MP22,

Thanks for your reply.

He doesnt pay anything on his current wages as its only 1 day a week. He paid all relevant taxes before retiring.

If he was to leave the job volentarily can he sign on straight away though?

mrsbyrne

If your dads employer is making him redundant and if your dad has been working there for more than 2 years, then he will be entitled to a redundancy payment
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment_and_redundancy/redundancy/redundancy.html
your dad mustnt leave, for two reasons. Firstly, he would be cancelling his right to redundancy, secondly he would be disqualifying himself from Jobseekers Benefit, which, if he was earning in 2009 what he is earning now, and if he has enough A stamps, will be paid at the rate of €84.50 for your dad, and €80.90 for your mum, as his dependent.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_benefit.html'
The benefit is not means tested so the PO pension will not affect this payment, but the Benefit will only last for one year
Its a pity its too late now, but if your mum had looked for Illness Benefit when she stopped work, she would possibly be getting an Invalidity Pension now.

mrsbyrne

purpletele32 wrote: »

Hi MP22,

Thanks for your reply.

He doesnt pay anything on his current wages as its only 1 day a week. He paid all relevant taxes before retiring.

If he was to leave the job volentarily can he sign on straight away though?

Even though he is making no contribution to his PRSI stamp, his employer is still obliged to pay his contribution, so a stamp should have been paid. If he leaves he will get nothing.

purpletele32

Thanks for that Mrs Byrne,

You are right when you say its a shame, they are really proud people and would only look into social welfare as a last resort.

Theres some good info in there for me to start with. Thanks again :-)

LegacyUser

Should'nt your mother have been claiming Jsb when she finished work ten years ago. She was entitled to claim on her own behalf no matter what your dad was working at. She should have also then applied for Invalidy benefit or illness benefit due to sickness as far as I know. Maybe she could call to Social Welfare and see can she claim any benefits due to paying PRSI all her life - it may be that now its too late if she was'nt signing for credits since leaving work, check to see if she should be signing for credits at present in order to get her old age pension when the time comes!! I did hear that claiming pensions in their own right is worth more than one adult claiming for a qualified adult on the same claim, not sure, but they need to get some advice/information as to what is best for them. Good luck.