JSA Question - Grandfathers income

Downbound Train

Hi guys, I'm just trying to figure out what I'm entitled to and am a bit confused, if anyone could help that would be ideal.

My situation at the minute is that I'm 21 and for just over 3 years (except for last summer when I had a job in a different town) I've lived in my grandfathers house while I've been attending college, I was also just generally keeping an eye on him, helping with shopping, cleaning etc. However a while back he got sick, was in hospital for a while and eventually ended up in a nursing home (he's 92).

I've finished college now (well except for 1 exam in August) and am looking for a job. I had to give up my job that I had last summer because of a nasty back injury - this is a bit better now but I can't do jobs which require a lot of lifting or physical activity. It's proving difficult to find a job - my savings are gone now and I'm on a overdraft atm (a small one).

While my grandfather lived in the house he bought the heating oil, shopping and paid the bills - all his pension (and his savings) goes on the nursing home now which s very expensive. The bills are all still in his name but since I'm the only person using the utilities I pay him the money. He doesnt charge me any rent or anything.

As my grandfather does his income come into the means-test for JSA? Or cause I'm the only one in the house is it just my personal income(which is zero!)?

Any idea on how much, if anything, I'd be entitled to?

I'm pretty desperate atm, as I said I'm on an overdraft to pay for food. Yes I am stupid for letting it get like this but I was so focused on my recent exams that I just ignored everything else. I know next to nothing about benefits and things. I can't go back to my parents because I don't really get on with them (things are ok at a distance but living together hasn't worked in years which is why I left to go to my grandads), plus they live in a small town with massive unemployment whereas I live miles away in Dublin now where there are obviously much more opportunities. Can the welfare people tell me to move back in with my parents? The plan is to get a job, save up and do a postgrad - in Dublin. Moving back to my parents would scupper this.

Any advice at all would be appreciated. I'm going to go sign on this week but I'd like to have an idea of what I'm entitled to, the process etc and he stuff about my living arrangements, grandfather, my back injury etc before I do. I don't want to go in without a notion. All the stuff on the citizens info site seems to be about either living with parents, with a spouse, having rent/mortgage etc.

Many, many thanks.

mp22

Call in to your local office and put in a claim for JSA,you may need a letter from collage stating end dates ect.http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html