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Child Item

Job Seekers Benefit / Allowance after illness benefit

El Gato De Negocios

Hi.

My wife has been on illness benefit for approx 2 years and that period is coming to an end. Without going into specifics, she has been unable to work due to mental health / anxiety related issues.

Her intention is to try and get a job as an SNA and since January this year, she started retraining for this career, completing successfully the level 5 and 6 qualifications and she will shortly be completing an add on course.

She has registered online for the national SNA job database but there are slim pickings at the moment in our area.

She left her last job in November 2021 on health grounds and started receiving illness benefits around February 2022 (backdated to when she finished) however she never received or applied for any JSA / JSB.

My question is, does she have any entitlement for same and if so, how does she go about applying?

It's not a long term option as my salary is above the threshold however if she was able to get it for at least a few months / up to the 9 months, that would bridge the gap between having no income and hopefully being able to find a Job in this field.

Any advice welcomed.

Tia.

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Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058326467/job-seekers-benefit-allowance-after-illness-benefit

I'm so sorry to hear this, Can I suggest she may be better off applying for Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension, having been on illness Benefit so long. Her time on illness benefit would help in her application.

It's normal for DSP To make contact after 18 months giving options. It is a daunting process & would require support of her GP.

She could apply for JSA as I doubt she'd qualify for JSB.

Invalidity Pension & JSB are not means tested but Disability Allowance & JSA are.

My concern, and she may wish to find employment, is if she applies for a Jobseeker payment she'll immediately be referred to Job activation schemes & this could be quite stressful.

If for example she was approved for Disability Allowance, she can work if she chooses to.

I would think carefully but feel Invalidity pension or Disability Allowance might be her best options, she can apply for both at the same time. It is a long process requiring medical reports etc & processing time up to 2 months.

Good luck with whatever decision she makes.

wench

If she is going to apply for JSB, she should do so before the end of this year.

At the moment, 2021 is the governing contribution year, ie the year they will look at to see if she has enough paid contributions. As she was working until Nov, she should be ok on that criteria. In January it will move on to 2022, at which point she likely wouldn't qualify.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121481932#Comment_121481932

I'm Open to correction but I'd have thought a lot of contributions already used after being in receipt of IB for nearly 2 years 🤔 she may only be eligible for JSB for a short period of time or on a reduced rate

El Gato De Negocios

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121481932#Comment_121481932

Thanks. She was paying massive tax annually up until she finished work in 2021 so hopefully she will have enough contributions. Can she apply online or would she have to go into the welfare offices?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482321#Comment_121482321

I'm afraid it makes little difference in the amount of tax she's paid, the Maximum if she's enough contributions will be €220 + €12 increase from January, she may actually get less given she's been on Illness Benefit. If this is the route she'll take, she'd need to get an application in before the end of December

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482321#Comment_121482321

I would go in person if she can. They'll be better able to talk her though her options and make sure the ball is rolling before the year end.

If she is still on Illness Benefit, she will need to be signed off as fit for work in order to claim JSB. That could cause an online application to fail, so I wouldn't chance it with time being tight.

wench

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482276#Comment_121482276

Your contributions don't get "used up" like that. You just need to have the right number in the governing year when the claim is awarded, then they don't come into it after that.

Schemes such as IB or JSB will have a certain max payment period, but they usually run independently. The two years on IB does not affect the 9 months of JSB. The operational guidelines on claim linking indicate her jobseekers wouldn't be reduced because of it.

Where the claim links back to a different (not JB) claim

Where the person was paid Illness Benefit, Occupational Injury Benefit, Maternity Benefit, Health and Safety Benefit or Invalidity Pension, or was awarded an unemployment/disability credited contribution in the 26 week period immediately preceding the date of the JB claim:

No waiting days are served

The CT (Cumulative Total number of days) starts at day 1

The rate of payment is based on the current GCY.

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482840#Comment_121482840

Thanks for clarifying 👌

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482321#Comment_121482321

https://www.mygovid.ie/ is a useful site.

For information purposes and also can be used for online applications if that is the route she takes.

Also citizens information is a good resource for explaining the ins and outs of the various types of payments. And they are helpful on the phone also.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/social-welfare-payments-and-work/

All the best.

I hope that everything works out well for her.

tanqueray10

Hello! I’m now in the same position your wife was, just wondering how she got on and what the best option to apply for is please?