UK to Eire [god willing]

Leeandcrowd

Hi all , i'm considering moving from the UK to Eire with my wife and family, we love Ireland and I want to return to my roots. My mothers people came from Ireland, I was born in the UK. Whilst not ideal I know, but in case we cannot get any work we might have to seek some kind of state welfare benefits, in other words dole!


My wife and I have three school aged children. We will be permanent residents,we will of severed all financial and business ties with the UK and will own our own home in Eire.

I have read that I will of needed to have paid national insurance contributions in the UK for the past two years to be able to claim anything in Eire,however due to the UK economy I have been on a low wage [self employed] I have therefore been legally exempt from paying any UK national insurance [social insurance]

I have an idea/business plan up my sleeve, and don't want to come to Ireland as a sponger from the UK, but if my plan fails or doesn't take off for some reason and we can't find work, I will need a back-up plan,which obviously means claiming the dole or some other form of benefit

Many thanks

Leeandcrowd

mrsbyrne

have you been receiving JSB in the UK? If you are, you can transfer it here for 78 days. But you will have to do all the transfering from your end.
If you are leaving work in UK to come and live here and apply for the dole you will have alot of difficulty. You will have to satisfy the HRC. Read this carefully before you make any more descions:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html
Pay particular attention to what is required of even Irish citizens returning from a period abroad, and consider that you are not even an Irish citizen :eek:

Leeandcrowd

Thanks mrsbyrne, no i'm not claiming JSB here in England, its a funny old game this EU shenanigans, people from all over the world not just the EU seem to jump off the boat here in the UK and get instant entitlement to everything, yet we get the short straw

ABajaninCork

I've moved from the UK to Ireland. And like MrsByrne says, it's not easy convincing Welfare of the HRC requirement. It was hard when I moved over some years ago and it's not any easier now.

I had to provide ferry tickets, marriage cert (fortunately I married in Ireland, and am married to an Irish national), details of bank statements, letters from the council, P60's, and letters from my former employer, amongst other documents.

Things are not at all easy here. I would think VERY carefully about coming over.

Have you scoped out where and how you're going to live? What about schools for the children?? It's hugely expensive to send kids to school here. It's not like home where all you have to do is provide the uniform. You also have to buy thre books they need. NOT CHEAP!!

What about medical care? You need to think about this. You may be able to get a GP Visit Card (otherwise it's E50 a pop to see the doctor!!) or you might even get a full Medical Card (Free GP visits and 50c per item for your meds) But don't bank on that! If you're not entitled to either then you need to take out some kind of health insurance, and the cost of medication is paid in full. It's not £8.40 a time like home. However, you can claim back the cost from Revenue (the tax man)

Like I say. Think very carefully about this before you make the move.

Good luck!:)

Pauvre Con

It's definitely a decision made by pragmatism and not a sense of whimsical romance about the Emerald Isle. I think you need to have a very very good reason to relocate from England. Things are tough here.

CuriousG

I would gladly swap with you to get out of Ireland ha ha. As much as I love the place, it is more of a struggle every day.... It's good that you're going to be happy here because of your family, but try and be really prepared for the financial side of things.. It will be pretty different. Good luck!

Leeandcrowd

Thanks folks for all your informative posts they are much appreciated, We don't expect Eire to be utopia and i'm expecting my finances to take a bit of dive, due to many factors cost of living etc. But as a last resort I was thinking we might of got some financial help from the government. I have a great many Irish friends here in England and they seem to be entitled to everything a British person is?

We are planning on moving to Donegal, just a thought, but again as a last resort, what would there be to stop me claiming in Derry but live in Donegal?

ABajaninCork

Leeandcrowd wrote: »

Thanks folks for all your informative posts, We don't expect Eire to be utopia and i'm expecting my finances to take a bit of dive, due to many factors cost of living etc. But as a last resort I was thinking we might of got some financial help from the government. I have a great many Irish friends here in England and they seem to be entitled to everything a British person is?

That may well be the case. But consider this: Have they paid NI and tax in the UK? If they have, then yes, they are fully entitled to benefits. From your OP it seems that you have not been paying in as you've been exempt for some reason. Is that right? But you want to move over and (possibly) claim benefits despite the fact you've not been paying NI. I did already post that Welfare will want proof you've been paying stamp in the UK. i.e a P60.

I can't stress this enough. You need to THINK VERY CAREFULLY about your proposed move. Satisfying the HRC will be tough enough. Getting ANY kind of State help will be an entirely different matter especially now that budgets have been cut, benefits have been drastically reduced and we haven't even had this year's Budget yet.

If I were you, I'd stay out for now. Really.

ABajaninCork

And I wouldn't even think about living in the Republic and claiming in the North. The DHSS are wise to that, and Welfare are fast catching on to it too!

Why not move to NI altogether. Much easier in terms of benefits, and cost of living.

Leeandcrowd

ABajaninCork wrote: »

That may well be the case. But consider this: Have they paid NI and tax in the UK? If they have, then yes, they are fully entitled to benefits. From your OP it seems that you have not been paying in as you've been exempt for some reason. Is that right? But you want to move over and (possibly) claim benefits despite the fact you've not been paying NI. I did already post that Welfare will want proof you've been paying stamp in the UK. i.e a P60.

I can't stress this enough. You need to THINK VERY CAREFULLY about your proposed move. Satisfying the HRC will be tough enough. Getting ANY kind of State help will be an entirely different matter especially now that budgets have been cut, benefits have been drastically reduced and we haven't even had this year's Budget yet.

If I were you, I'd stay out for now. Really.

Thanks for your post, you've given me plenty to think about. I've not paid NI because due to the downturn in the economy the last few years. I have been exempt because I haven't earn't enough.

I had a mate who came over admittedly in the late 80's and signed straight on the dole. But yes I guess many of them have paid in so are entitled to take out, even if the balance of giving and taking is slightly out of balance lol, thats for all who come from the EU not just my Irish friends, but Poles and Portuguese as well half of the ones I know are not working.

kwearykoru

Please refer to Ireland or Republic Of Ireland not Eire if you are conversing in English. Do your research. I hope things work out for you

Leeandcrowd

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Why not move to NI altogether. Much easier in terms of benefits, and cost of living.

Its Donegal or nothing for us, but hey all is not lost, maybe me and my new business venture might turn into an asset to the country, ''he who dares Rodders, he who dares'' I've never been a quitter, it must my Irish genes:)

Leeandcrowd

kwearykoru wrote: »

Please refer to Ireland or Republic Of Ireland not Eire if you are conversing in English. Do your research. I hope things work out for you

Thanks, Its good to learn

P.S could I also use Free State

Pauvre Con

Donegal...beautiful part of the world but not an obvious place to go to find your fortunes! I hope you have a very good plan up your sleeve. I'm English and moved here about a year ago with my Irish girlfriend and to be honest I hate it here now. Love the people and country etc but the economy is in the toilet and I've never experienced the problem I've had here in trying to work in the other countries I've lived in. You have to work here to claim job seekers benefits and allowances which I have done but then thanks to arbitrary qualifying rules and being means tested has meant during my current period of unemployment that I'm getting absolutely nothing in the way of financial help. So it seems an insane decision to move to Ireland from England with a family without a job awaiting you. Sorry for such a gloomy picture but the world has changed over the last few years - not just for the Irish. Not so many years ago I was able to leave England for the continent without a job, place to stay and with no connections and set up a new life very easily. Not so easy now though....

edellc

Op you seem more concerned about what others are getting and how you can free load too, we don't have an endless bag of gold from the leprechauns to pay everyone so please get that notion out of your head and concentrate on maybe finding work before you move over and start scrounging with out contributing....most of the so called Polish and other Europeans have worked here and have paid PRSI contributions therefore they are entitled to apply for JSA or JSB when falling on hard times.

The job situation is difficult but there are jobs have a look at irishjobs.ie and see if there is anything for you

I know you think your being "funny" or PC with Eire and free state but its not, its like I can bitch about MY country but don't you do it...the same principle applies here, so its the Republic of Ireland to you

Also you cant just rock up to the welfare expecting a hand out you must meet a habitual residence requirement, link is below
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html