Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if an unemployed person on jobseeker's allowance may work a few hours per week without losing their benefits. [2197/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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1A person on jobseekers allowance may work for a few hours per week without losing their payment depending on the circumstances of the case.

In order to qualify for jobseeker's allowance, a person must be unemployed for at least three days in a six day period and satisfy a means test. In assessing means, account is taken of any cash income (including earnings) of the customer and his/her spouse/partner. The value of capital and property (other than the family home) is also taken into account. In the case of a person working, a disregard of €20 per day worked is applied to these earnings up to a maximum of three days per week. The balance of the means involved is assessed at 60%.

Jobseeker's allowance is based on a family rate of payment which includes the personal rate, and increases for a qualified adult and children, if applicable. To calculate the rate of payment the assessable means is deducted from the overall family rate to arrive at the customer's rate of payment. If the weekly means of the family are equal to or in excess of the family rate payable on jobseeker's allowance, then the claim is disallowed.