JSA: Won't pass means test but what about stamps

UDP

Hi,

My wife is unemployed but won't get anything any JSA due to my income.

Should she be applying for something anyway for stamps etc or something like that? or what is the correct thing to do?

danjo-xx

UDP wrote: »

Hi,

My wife is unemployed but won't get anything any JSA due to my income.

Should she be applying for something anyway for stamps etc or something like that? or what is the correct thing to do?

If she is fit for work then she maybe entitled to Job Seekers Benefit but it depends on her stamps/prsi record. Have a read through this.

To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit, you must pay Class A, H or P PRSI contributions. Class A is the one paid by most private sector employees. Class H is paid by soldiers, reservists and temporary army nurses, who do not qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit until they have left the army. To qualify you need:

• At least 104 weeks PRSI paid since you first started work

And

• Have 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year (a minimum of 13 weeks must be paid contributions*)

Or

• Have 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.

*If you do not have 13 paid contributions in the relevant tax year, you must have paid 13 contributions in any of the following years:

• The 2 tax years before the relevant tax year
• The last complete tax year
• The current tax year.

The Relevant Tax Year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which your claim is made. So, for claims made in 2012, the Relevant Tax Year is 2010.


There are a number of circumstances in which you can be awarded credited contributions. For example, pre-entry credits are given when you start employment for the first time in your working life. However, you can only qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit when you have actually paid 104 contributions. Credits are also awarded while you are getting certain social welfare payments, including Jobseeker's Benefit (provided it is for 6 days), Jobseeker's Allowance or Illness Benefit.


Contributions you have paid in other member states of the EU/EEA will be added to your Irish contributions. If you are applying for Jobseeker's Benefit and need the contributions paid in another EU/EEA country to help you qualify, then your last contribution must have been in Ireland.

UDP

danjo-xx wrote: »

If she is fit for work then she maybe entitled to Job Seekers Benefit but it depends on her stamps/prsi record. Have a read through this.

Thanks, she doesn't have any stamps built up as she has a chronic illness. She would get disability benefit but didn't pass the means test due to my income.

Just afraid that she should be still signed on to get stamps or something and doesn't suffer in the future because she didn't sign on for something now.

danjo-xx

Bottom Line:

If she is not entitled to any allowance then it is vip that she signs for credits, but you still have to be available and genuinely looking for work to be eligible for this.