Social Welfare:
Job Seekers Benefit -
Jobseeker’s Benefit is a weekly payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to people who are out of work and covered by social insurance (PRSI).
To qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit you must:
- Be unemployed (you must be fully unemployed or unemployed for at least 3 days in 6).
- Be under 66 years of age.
- Have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
- Be capable of work.
- Be available for and genuinely seeking work.
- Have a substantial loss of employment and as a result be unemployed for at least 3 days in 6.
Social insurance (PRSI) contributions -
In order 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.
If you wish to appeal a decision contact: http://www.socialwelfareappeals.ie or phone (01) 673 2800.
Visit http://www.welfare.ie for further information.
Family income supplement -
Family Income Supplement (FIS) is a weekly tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to people on low pay. You cannot qualify for FIS if you are only self-employed – you must be an employee to qualify.
You must have at least one child who normally lives with you or is financially supported by you. Your child must be under 18 years of age or between 18 and 22 years of age and in full-time education. To qualify for FIS, your net average weekly family income must be below a certain amount for your family size. The FIS you receive is 60% of the difference between your net family income and the income limit which applies to your family.
If you are getting FIS you may also be entitled to the Smokeless Fuel Allowance and the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance. If you think you have been wrongly refused FIS you can appeal this decision. Your income from FIS is not taken into account in the assessment for a medical card.
The following payments do not count as family income: Child Benefit , Carer’s Allowance , Guardian’s payments , Supplementary Welfare Allowance ,Rent Allowance for tenants affected by the de-control of rents , Domiciliary Care Allowance, Foster Child Allowance , Income from casual employment by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as a home help and Income from a charitable organisation.
Disablement benefit -
Disablement Benefit is a benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme. It can be paid to you if you suffer a loss of physical or mental faculty because of an accident at work, an accident travelling directly to or from work, or a prescribed disease contracted at work. Payment is made where the level of disablement following the accident or disease is assessed at 1% or more.
Where the level of disablement is assessed at 20% or more the benefit is paid by weekly or monthly pension. However, where the rate is assessed at less than 20%, the benefit is paid as a lump sum. The size of the lump sum will vary depending on the degree of disablement and how long you are reasonably expected to be disabled.
If you are getting Disablement Benefit and you are unfit for work, you may qualify for Illness Benefit based on your social insurance contributions (PRSI). If you do not qualify for Illness Benefit or another social welfare payment, you may get Incapacity Supplement.
To apply for the disablement benefit: You can download the application form at www.welfare.ie and it should be sent to: Department of Social Protection, Social Welfare Services Office, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Co. Longford.
