Written answers

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Department of Social Protection

Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility

Photo of Brendan  RyanBrendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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82. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to any cases of persons retiring at 65 qualifying for jobseeker's benefit for nine months but then failing a means test for jobseeker's allowance for the three months before their entitlement to their old age pension at 66; her plans to examine this with a view to ensuring persons on modest incomes maintain a payment in the three months until they are 66; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48425/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Jobseeker's benefit is a weekly payment to people out of work and covered by social insurance. If a person does not qualify for JB they may qualify for means tested jobseeker's allowance. The Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure on the jobseeker’s schemes of €3.66 billion in 2013.

Budget 2013 provided that the duration for which jobseeker’s benefit is paid has been reduced from 12 months to 9 months for recipients with 260 or more contributions paid and from 9 months to 6 months for recipients with less than 260 contributions paid.

Legislation provides that, subject to the person having paid 156 or more qualifying contributions and satisfying the general scheme conditions, a person whose JB expires in their 65th year will continue to be paid benefit up until the age of 66. On this basis, workers who suffer a substantial loss of employment at age 65 will generally be able to claim jobseeker’s benefit for the full year to age 66 provided they have paid at least 156 qualifying contributions.

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