Government Benefits Megathread

zweton

Can we assume an even bigger spike in unemployment when peoples furlough ends and the companys cant take them back. Will just have to be let go . JSA after that then I imagine or will the gov extend it..

rajqo

logically... if the government banned people working in cinemas, theatres, museums, restaurants, pubs and gyms - how they can reduce the payment to 203 a week? they literally don't allow you to go back to work so why to punish you even more and lower your income like you voluntarily left your job? these people have still bills to pay... ridiculous

Dodge

rajqo wrote: »

logically... if the government banned people working in cinemas, theatres, museums, restaurants, pubs and gyms - how they can reduce the payment to 203 a week? they literally don't allow you to go back to work so why to punish you even more and lower your income like you voluntarily left your job? these people have still bills to pay... ridiculous

They’ll say you can work in Tesco or Aldi or whoever is looking for staff to start immediately.

I’d also be fairly certain that by the end of the 12 weeks some of the places told to close will be allowed open too

What they don’t want is a prolonged period of paying 350 a week to half a million people and they have been fairly open from the start that this is a temporary payment

masculinist

rajqo wrote: »

logically... if the government banned people working in cinemas, theatres, museums, restaurants, pubs and gyms - how they can reduce the payment to 203 a week? they literally don't allow you to go back to work so why to punish you even more and lower your income like you voluntarily left your job? these people have still bills to pay... ridiculous

That's a legitimate concern. I think people should at least get a PRSI stamp while they look for a new job and be treated like a benefit claimant instead of an assistance one. Nobody used to a proper even minimum wage is without motivation when on 200 a week.

Dodge

masculinist wrote: »

That's a legitimate concern. I think people should at least get a PRSI stamp while they look for a new job and be treated like a benefit claimant instead of an assistance one. Nobody used to a proper even minimum wage is without motivation when on 200 a week.

They definitely will get a prsi credit while on jobseekers benefit

Galway20188

I don’t think it’s fair to expect people to go looking for jobs in others shops like Tesco etc instead of continuing the covid PUP payment because what’s going to happen when those jobs do eventually reopen? And what about holiday pay people have built up?

rajqo

least what they can do for people banned to work is to get that 350 a week until not back to work. If they want to have pubs closed until next year, sure - but that is a decision of this government and not the pubs owners hence the increased welfare payments. Pay them at least that amount until ban not lifted.

even if all banned jobs would be closed for the remaining of the year - is calculated as follows... 500k people on 350 a week payment for another 36 weeks (until end of year) is 6,300,000,000.00 euro in words 6.3 billion euro.
Ireland paid 41.7 billion euro just to bail out banks. Isn't it time NOW to bail out people?

Blanco100

rajqo wrote: »

least what they can do for people banned to work is to get that 350 a week until not back to work. If they want to have pubs closed until next year, sure - but that is a decision of this government and not the pubs owners hence the increased welfare payments. Pay them at least that amount until ban not lifted.

even if all banned jobs would be closed for the remaining of the year - is calculated as follows... 500k people on 350 a week payment for another 36 weeks (until end of year) is 6,300,000,000.00 euro in words 6.3 billion euro.
Ireland paid 41.7 billion euro just to bail out banks. Isn't it time NOW to bail out people?

Absolutely crazy, we cannot afford this. You cannot pay someone like this on the promise of a job in a years times. What happens if the pubs reopen and people are let go because punters don't come as often anymore? Already happening in some countries, shops/bars/restaurants reopened but footfall is scarce. Is the government to blame then? Its circumstances.

Its crazy times we are living in but you cannot have a 2 tier welfare system for the next 6-12 months. Unfortunately if you don't have a job its €203 per week. I believe there are folks bringing in this amount every week who never even earned €350 per week prior to this emergency.

On top of that, genuine job seekers on €203 per week are also in same boat, slim prospects of employment and will have to make ends meet also.And their circumstances of unemployment may be non covid related, but a result of their own company downsizing/letting people go etc...

rajqo

Blanco100 wrote: »

Absolutely crazy, we cannot afford this. You cannot pay someone like this on the promise of a job in a years times. What happens if the pubs reopen and people are let go because punters don't come as often anymore? Already happening in some countries, shops/bars/restaurants reopened but footfall is scarce. Is the government to blame then? Its circumstances.

Its crazy times we are living in but you cannot have a 2 tier welfare system for the next 6-12 months. Unfortunately if you don't have a job its €203 per week. I believe there are folks bringing in this amount every week who never even earned €350 per week prior to this emergency.

On top of that, genuine job seekers on €203 per week are also in same boat, slim prospects of employment and will have to make ends meet also.And their circumstances of unemployment may be non covid related, but a result of their own company downsizing/letting people go etc...

Of course if the pubs are allowed to reopen and then they close because nobody visit them, they would go to 203 a week... right now none of the pubs are allowed to be open and that's the difference. If government lifts the pubs restrictions, no more 350 payment for them

Dodge

Galway20188 wrote: »

I don’t think it’s fair to expect people to go looking for jobs in others shops like Tesco etc instead of continuing the covid PUP payment because what’s going to happen when those jobs do eventually reopen? And what about holiday pay people have built up?

They leave the Tesco job and go back to their original job

Or stay with Tesco, whichever one they want to do

(Please don’t think I’m knocking Tesco jobs here bye, far from it)

Idjit

My partner applied for JB (not entitled to the emergency payment) in the first week of this month and is still waiting for word back. They confirmed they had his application but are snowed under.

Anyone else waiting for JB application to be processed?

AdrianG08

Jade182 wrote: »

My partner applied for JB (not entitled to the emergency payment) in the first week of this month and is still waiting for word back. They confirmed they had his application but are snowed under.

Anyone else waiting for JB application to be processed?

Thats madness. If its a case he didn't leave on his own accord then its very unfair having to be out of pocket for such a long period.

Idjit

AdrianG08 wrote: »

Thats madness. If its a case he didn't leave on his own accord then its very unfair having to be out of pocket for such a long period.

It's actually a bit complicated, he's one of those 'grey area' cases that kind of fell between the cracks I think.

He's living off of savings right now but I'm just concerned that regular JB/JA applications are being left by the wayside at the moment due to the huge backlog in emergency payments.

monty_python

Has anyone on the covid payment not applied for Jsb yet? I haven't and am wondering if I should do in now or wait 2/3 weeks

Galway20188

Also, for those wondering whether it’s 12 weeks or until the crisis is over this is what my social welfare office replied.

There’s conflicting information regarding whether it’s 12 weeks or not so just wanted to share this

Kiith

So is it 12 weeks from when they announced it, or 12 weeks from when you got it?

Galway20188

Kiith wrote: »

So is it 12 weeks from when they announced it, or 12 weeks from when you got it?

I would think from when you start receiving it

JimmyVik

A friend of mine is an IT contractor.
He was doing work for a European company since about 6 months ago.
He was able to arrange it so that he stopped trading at the end of March and both himself and his wife are getting the €350 pw covid payment now.
She was just basically a fake employee of the company for tax reasons. You know how it works with contracting when the spouse doesnt work. So she was entitled to the payment too.

So anyway, the company he was working for in Europe are now back getting him to do some work. 3 days per week. He hasnt told social welfare and both himself and his wife continue to get the covid payment.

What should he do? Should he call to give up the covid payment? Who does he call. Can his wife keep it, if he keeps her off the books for a while?

Sugarbowl

Anyone know what happens with back payments? Is that going ahead? Say if you were 2/3 weeks waiting for your first payment before actually receiving it?

Dodge

JimmyVik wrote: »

What should he do?

You know what he *should* do. You don’t need to ask here

JimmyVik

Dodge wrote: »

You know what he *should* do. You don’t need to ask here

Sorry, what I mean is. He was asking me How he should do it.

road_high

JimmyVik wrote: »

Sorry, what I mean is. He was asking me How he should do it.

You’d imagine he should contact DSP and inform them he is back working and the payment can stop. Isn’t that what happens with the normal welfare payments?

Peadar_85

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Anyone know what happens with back payments? Is that going ahead? Say if you were 2/3 weeks waiting for your first payment before actually receiving it?

Welfare confirmed the below when I asked that very question them:
"Any 'back payments' due will be tacked on at the end of your claim."

splinter65

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Anyone know what happens with back payments? Is that going ahead? Say if you were 2/3 weeks waiting for your first payment before actually receiving it?

When you close your claim your “arrears” will be processed.

splinter65

JimmyVik wrote: »

Sorry, what I mean is. He was asking me How he should do it.

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/a5aed9-how-to-close-a-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/

They’re starting to claw back any “overpayments” already. Anyone who got it, or is continuing to get it , who shouldn’t have will be paying it back.

KeithM94

JimmyVik wrote: »

A friend of mine is an IT contractor.
He was doing work for a European company since about 6 months ago.
He was able to arrange it so that he stopped trading at the end of March and both himself and his wife are getting the €350 pw covid payment now.
She was just basically a fake employee of the company for tax reasons. You know how it works with contracting when the spouse doesnt work. So she was entitled to the payment too.

So anyway, the company he was working for in Europe are now back getting him to do some work. 3 days per week. He hasnt told social welfare and both himself and his wife continue to get the covid payment.

What should he do? Should he call to give up the covid payment? Who does he call. Can his wife keep it, if he keeps her off the books for a while?

They will be onto him without a doubt. I was working remotely myself and applied with all the relevant info initially, and last friday I was asked to send more documents about my employer and how I was working for a foreign company, including recent payslips and bank statements.

masculinist

JimmyVik wrote: »

A friend of mine is an IT contractor.
He was doing work for a European company since about 6 months ago.
He was able to arrange it so that he stopped trading at the end of March and both himself and his wife are getting the €350 pw covid payment now.
She was just basically a fake employee of the company for tax reasons. You know how it works with contracting when the spouse doesnt work. So she was entitled to the payment too.

So anyway, the company he was working for in Europe are now back getting him to do some work. 3 days per week. He hasnt told social welfare and both himself and his wife continue to get the covid payment.

What should he do? Should he call to give up the covid payment? Who does he call. Can his wife keep it, if he keeps her off the books for a while?

If you work one hour while collecting the pandemic payment then this is fraud. Unless you're working for a company in Panama under a fake name and address then its obvious to revenue when work commenced and this will catch up with your friend.
Your friend could employ his wife under the wage subsidy scheme perhaps.

TheGreatMotif

KeithM94 wrote: »

They will be onto him without a doubt. I was working remotely myself and applied with all the relevant info initially, and last friday I was asked to send more documents about my employer and how I was working for a foreign company, including recent payslips and bank statements.

What documents would they specifically be asking for?

Galway20188

Does anyone know why the expected wait time for JSB JSA is online?

Idjit

I was speaking to my SW office today. They said that there is such a huge backlog in online applications that they can't even see them on the system until after 3 weeks.

That might give people some idea of the waiting times. If you only applied a week ago online, it's pointless to contact the SW to see the progress of your application.