Changes to Rebate The 2011 Act provides for amendments to the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 by way of a reduction from 60% to 15% in the rebates paid to employers from the Social Insurance Fund. This reduction applied in the case of rebates paid to employers on or after 1 January 2012 in respect of the statutory redundancy lump-sum payments made to employees who are […]
Qualifying Adult Many Social Welfare Payments carry an addition/ increase in respect of a qualified adult (IQA). The adult addition applies with respect to most social welfare benefits. There are differences with respect to non-contributory old-age pension. This addition is not payable with all Social Welfare Payments, including particular widowers’ and loan parents’ payments. A qualified adult is generally a spouse (or a civil partner […]
Available for Work A person must either be available for employment or be exempt from availability. He must show to the satisfaction of the relevant officers of the Department that he or she is willing and able to take up an offer of suitable full-time employment. If a person imposes unreasonable restrictions on the nature of employment, hours, remuneration, duration, location and conditions of employment, […]
Back to Work Allowance The back to work enterprise allowance is a weekly payment to unemployed persons who have commenced a business. They retain full social welfare payment for the first year and 75 percent in the second year. It is not taxed or subject to PRSI. The business venture must be viable and sustainable. It must be approved in writing by a local development […]
Back to Education Allowance It is possible to avail of certain full-time second and third-level courses of VTOS, Educational Training and Development schemes while retaining social welfare payments. Back to Education allowance applies to persons aged 21 or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments for at least three months (second level course) and nine months (third level course). Jobseeker’s Allowance Benefit […]
Farm Assist Farm Assist is a means tested payment for low income farmers. The person must be a farmer between the ages of 18 and 66 and satisfy a means test. A farmer is a person engaged in farming in the state including commonage. The land must be owned or leased. Husbandry means working the land with a view to extracting traditional produce and includes […]
Overview Jobseeker’s Allowance is the means tested payment in respect of unemployment. Many of the tests are similar to those set out above in respect of the Jobseeker’s Benefit. The entitlement to Jobseeker’s Allowance applies to a day of unemployment, which forms part of a period of interruption of employment. The person must be between the age of 18 and 66 years. He must prove […]
Overview Jobseeker’s Benefit is the successor to the former unemployment benefit. The 2006 Act renamed unemployment benefit as Jobseeker’s Benefit. Jobseeker’s Benefit is a flat sum prescribed by the legislation. There are increases for qualified adults and qualified children. The other additional benefits do not generally apply to Jobseekers Benefit. There must be a interruption of at least three days of employment (by way of unemployment […]
The Scheme The community employment scheme is designed to help long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged persons get back to work through part-time and temporary placements in jobs based in local communities. Participants are encouraged to seek full-time employment or part-time jobs elsewhere based on the experience and skills obtained. The scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection. Community employment has two distinct options, […]
Tests There are a number of means tests applicable to social welfare benefits. Similar principles underlie the various tests. There are different tests between shorter-term and longer-term payments and supplementary welfare allowance. Each of the means tests is based on an assessment of income and assets. Generally, assets owned by the person and his spouse are considered. Income which the person might reasonably be expected […]
Deemed Income on Capital The deemed income on capital for the purpose of jobseekers’ allowance, pre-retirement allowance or the Farm Assist as follows: €20,000 to €30,000 5.2percent. €20, 000 to €30,000 5.2 percent. €30,000 to €40,000 10.4%. Over €40,000 20.8%. In the case of disability allowance, the permitted amounts of capital which is not assessed is higher €50,000. In the case of supplementary welfare allowance […]