How much can your partner earn?

godzillaess

Hi,

if a couple are on social welfare(job seekers allowance), and one of them takes up a job offer, how much will that job have to pay in order to make the unemployed partner be entitled no/ zero welfare payment?

i.e if one of them get a job paying 27k per year for example, what happens then? Is the payment cut off completely or is the unemployed member of the relationship still going to receive a partial welfare payment?

many thanks

mp22

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/reference/worksheets/worksheet_jobseekers_allowance_and_income_from_work.html

godzillaess

mp22 wrote: »

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/reference/worksheets/worksheet_jobseekers_allowance_and_income_from_work.html

Thanks- I had a look but finding it a bit confusing.

If a couple are in the following situation:

One has a full time job, take home pay of 450 p.w
Other is self employed earning 200 p.w

I'm guessing that couple have no entitlements - is that correct?
Cheers

mp22

Probably, the max you can get from the social for a couple is €312 aprox.

godzillaess

mp22 wrote: »

Probably, the max you can get from the social for a couple is €312 aprox.

tried to work it out there, by my calculations if 1 member of a couple is taking home 450 p.w and the other is unemployed, then there is no entitlements for the unemployed person in this case:

JSA weekly rate:: €188
+
child dependant increase :€0
+
Increase for qualified Adult: €0

Total max JSA payment : €188

LESS
Weekly means from work : €0
Spouses/partners/cohabitants weekly means from work:€234
(I got €234 based on a weekly take home pay of €450....€450 - €60= €390, €390 x 60% = €234).

As the weekly means are greater than the max JSA payable there will be no payment made.

..Thats my take on it- can you advise if I have calculated correctly? Thnaks


Edit: so, by my calculations, if you have a couple and 1 is working full time and one is unemployed, the threshold is roughly €375 take home per week for the working member at which point the unemployed will lose all welfare entitlements.

mp22

As I understand the means test your calculations are correct for a person living on there own ie no partner.when there is a partner involved you add a qualified adult to your figures

JSA weekly rate:: €188
+
child dependant increase :€0
+
Increase for qualified Adult: €124.50

Total max JSA payment : €312.50

LESS
Weekly means from work : €0
Spouses/partners/cohabitants weekly means from work:€234

weekly payment of €78.50

godzillaess

mp22 wrote: »

As I understand the means test your calculations are correct for a person living on there own ie no partner.when there is a partner involved you add a qualified adult to your figures

JSA weekly rate:: €188
+
child dependant increase :€0
+
Increase for qualified Adult: €124.50

Total max JSA payment : €312.50

LESS
Weekly means from work : €0
Spouses/partners/cohabitants weekly means from work:€234

weekly payment of €78.50

yes I thought about that, but an adult earning 450 p.w take home is hardly a qualified Adult ?

mp22

They are, because if neither of you were working the dept would be shelling out 321.50 a week,therefore when one half works the qualified adult payment is added in to the calculation.

eastbono

Please note its gross pay less prsi etc from the list below and not take home pay that is assessed.

To calculate your spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's weekly means from work first calculate his/her assessable earnings.

The following items are always deducted from his/her gross earnings to get assessable earnings:

PRSI (Contribution)
Union dues
Superannuation
PRSA (Personal Retirement Savings Account
AVCs (Additional Voluntary Contributions)