Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons aged between 18 and 24 years of age who are in receipt of a reduced jobseeker’s payment. [4831/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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An age related jobseeker’s allowance rate of €112.70 generally applies to young jobseekers aged 18-24 to incentivise them to engage in education or training to improve their chances of obtaining full time sustainable employment. Where a young jobseeker participates in education or training they can receive the maximum weekly personal rate of €203 increasing to €229.20 if participating on the Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS).

At the end of December 2020 there were 19,280 recipients of Jobseekers Allowance or Jobseekers Benefit aged 18-24, of whom 14,850 receive a rate less than €203.

Reduced rates do not apply to all jobseekers under 25. Those rates do not apply to people with a qualified child and people who were in the care of the Child and Family Agency, or TUSLA, during the 12 months before they reached 18 or who are living independently and in receipt of State housing supports including rent supplement and the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

I trust that this clarifies the position for you.