If you are aged 18 or over and unemployed, you may be paid either Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) or Jobseeker's Benefit (JB). Both payments are paid by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). Jobseeker's Allowance was called Unemployment Assistance; the name of the payment changed in October 2006.
You may get Jobseeker's Allowance if you don't qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit or if you have used up your entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit. In some cases, if you are only entitled to a reduced rate of Jobseeker's Benefit you may be better off on Jobseeker's Allowance. However, Jobseeker's Allowance is means-tested and your means must be below a certain level to qualify.
You must be unemployed to get Jobseeker’s Allowance. However, you may get a proportion of your Jobseeker’s Allowance if your days at work are reduced or if you can only get part-time or casual work. Income from work will affect the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance you get. Find out more about how income from work is assessed for Jobseeker’s Allowance.
If you think you have been wrongly refused Jobseeker's Allowance you can appeal the decision.
Supplementary Budget April 2009, announced a number of changes to Jobseeker's Allowance for new claimants under 20 years of age. The changes were as follows:
The personal rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance was reduced to €100 per week for new claimants under 20 years of age (first week of May 2009). The maximum Increase for a Qualified Adult payable to a new Jobseeker’s Allowance claimant aged under 20 was also reduced to €100 per week (first week of May 2009). However, there are some exceptions - see 'Rates' below.
If you are under 20 and getting Jobseeker's Allowance before the first week of May you were not affected by these changes.
There was no change to Jobseeker’s Benefit for claimants under 20 years of age.
Budget 2010, announced changes to Jobseeker's Allowance for new claimants under 25 years of age - see 'Rates' below.
If you are unemployed and getting Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 3 months, you may qualify for a place on the new Work Placement Programme and continue to get your Jobseeker’s Allowance. Placements will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. For more information contact your local FÁS office.
To get Jobseeker's Allowance you must:
To get Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be unemployed. However, there are circumstances in which you can do some work and get Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Part-time or casual work
If you get part-time or casual work (up to and including 3 days per week), you may still be paid a proportion of your Jobseeker's Allowance. However, you must show that you are trying to get full-time employment.
Reduced days at work
If your employer reduces your days at works to 3 days week or less, you may get Jobseeker's Allowance for the other days. You must meet the other conditions that apply to Jobseeker's Allowance, for example, you must satisfy a means test.
Lay off
A lay-off situation arises where your employer is unable to provide work for you, but believes this to be a temporary situation and tells you this before the work finishes. If you are laid off work you may get Jobseeker’s Allowance. You will not get Jobseeker’s Allowance for any day you are getting Holiday pay.
Self-employment
If you are self-employed, you may be entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance, depending on your income from your business. Find out more about self-employment and unemployment.
Self-employed farmers on a low income should apply for Farm Assist.
On strike
If you are on strike, you will not be considered unemployed and will not get Jobseeker's Allowance. However, if you are out of work as a result of a strike, for example, you have been laid off because of the strike, you may get Jobseeker's Allowance. You may get Jobseeker's Allowance if you are "not participating in or directly interested in the trade dispute which caused the stoppage at work".
If you are on strike your family may get Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
You are capable of work unless you can produce medical evidence to prove that you are not able to work. If you have spent some time incapable of work you must produce a final medical certificate to prove that you are now fit for work.
If you are ill and incapable of work you may be entitled to Disability Allowance or Illness Benefit.
You must be available for work and actively looking for work to qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance. You may be asked to show evidence that you are actively seeking work. For example, letters showing job applications or failure to get a job.
Unavailable for work
You can be regarded as not being available for work and not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance if you put unreasonable restrictions on the following:
If a Deciding Officer is of the opinion that you have placed unreasonable restrictions, you will be interviewed and given the opportunity to respond.
If you are looking after a sick or elderly person you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance
More information about the situations in which you may be considered unavailable for work is available.
Jobseeker's Allowance is a means-tested payment. Your means must be below a certain level to get Jobseeker’s Allowance. A means test looks at all your sources of income including your spouse’s or partner’s. However, some income may not be taken into account.
Your total household means is deducted from the maximum payment (usually this is the personal rate including any increases for adult and child dependants) to find the actual amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance you are entitled to. Find out more about the means test for Jobseeker’s Allowance.
If you are 24 years of age or under and and you are living with a parent or a step-parent in the family home, some of your parents' income will also be taken into account in the assessment for Jobseeker's Allowance. The Department call this an assessment of the 'benefit and privilege' you get from living with your parents. Find out more about how living with your parents is assessed in the means test.
Your means are halved if your spouse or partner is:
If your means are halved, you will not get an increase for a qualified adult but you will get a half-rate increase for each qualified child.
If your spouse or partner works it can affect your Jobseeker's Allowance. Your spouse or partner's earnings from insurable employment are assessed in a similar manner as your earnings from part-time or casual work. Find out more about work and Jobseeker’s Allowance.
You may be disqualified from getting Jobseeker's Allowance for 9 weeks if you:
Suitable employment does not include the employment in a job that is vacant because of a trade dispute. In addition, the employment must be suitable, having regard to your age, sex, physique, education, normal occupation, where you live, rate of pay offered and your family circumstances.
If you have just left school you cannot get Jobseeker's Allowance. To get Jobseeker's Allowance you must be out of school for three months and you be at least 18 years of age.
| New and existing claimants | Personal rate | Increase for a Qualified Adult | Increase for a Qualified Child |
| Maximum rate | €196 | €130.10 | €29.80 |
| Age | Personal rate | Increase for a Qualified Adult | Applies to |
| 18 - 19 | €100 | €100 | New and existing claimants |
| 20 - 21 | €100 | €100 | New claimants |
| 22 - 24 | €150 | €130.10 | New claimants |
Exceptions to age related Jobseeker's Allowance payments for people under 25
The reduced age related personal and qualified adult rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance for claimants under 25 years of age do not apply in the following cases:
Certain children in the care of the HSE during the 12 months before reaching 18 years of age will also be assessed using the JA rate for people aged 25 or over.
If you qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance you get an amount for yourself, which is called the 'personal rate of payment'. You may also get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant and any child dependants you may have.
Child dependants
A 'child dependant' is usually a child up to 18 years of age who lives with you.
If you are getting a Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 156 days and your child is in full-time education, an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22.
You will only get a half-rate Increase for a Qualified Child if you and your spouse or partner are each getting a social welfare payment. You will each get half the Increase for a Qualified Child.
Adult dependants
You may get an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) for an adult dependant (this is usually your spouse or partner). If you are unmarried, widowed or separated and living with a person aged 16 or over you can claim an increase for them but only if he or she is caring for a child dependant of yours.
You will not get an increase for a qualified adult but you will get a half-rate increase for each qualified child if your spouse or partner is:
You can collect your Jobseeker’s Allowance payment weekly from your nearest Post Office.
You must bring valid photographic identification with you to collect your payment. The following is considered as valid photographic identification (photo ID):
Staff working in the Post Office may ask to see your photo ID before giving you your payment.
You may be entitled to other benefits with Jobseeker's Allowance.
You should apply for Jobseeker's Allowance the first day you become unemployed.
It is important to apply on the first day you become unemployed because you will not get paid for the first three days of your claim.
Jobseeker's Allowance application forms are now available online. You can also get an application form at your Social Welfare Local Office. You will need to bring certain documents to prove your claim. You may find this list of documents you need when you apply for Jobseeker's Allowance useful.
You can get help to fill in your application form at your Social Welfare Local Office or nearest Citizens Information Centre.
More information about applying for Jobseeker's Allowance is available in our document about signing on for the first time.
You can be regarded as not being available for work and not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) or Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) if you put unreasonable restrictions on the following:
In any case where a Deciding Officer is of the opinion that you have placed unreasonable restrictions, you will be interviewed and given the opportunity to respond.
For example, you are considered unavailable for work in the following circumstances:
If you are ill and not capable of work you may be entitled to Disability Allowance. If you are getting Jobseeker's Benefit and become ill you may be entitled to Illness Benefit. If you are looking after a sick or elderly person you may be entitled to Carer's Allowance.
There are legislative provisions specifying the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to be available for work or is exempted from the requirement to be available for work:
Night workers: When you are employed to work continuously from one day through to another, the general rule is that the day on which the shorter number of hours is worked is treated as a day of unemployment. You are also deemed to be available for work on that day.
Rehabilitation training: You are considered to be available for work on any day you are participating in a course of rehabilitation training provided by an organisation approved by the Minister for Health and Children for that purpose.
Courses of education, training or development: You are deemed to be available for work while participating in a course of education, training or development approved by the Minister of Social Protection provided that you are at least 21 years of age, you are getting JA or JB for at least 6 months (156 days) and you have given notice of your intention to participate in the course. The course chosen must enhance your employment prospects. Courses may be approved by the Department's Job Facilitators or by Back to Education Schemes Section.
If you are getting Jobseeker's Allowance, you may be entitled to:
Rent Supplement - a payment from the Community Welfare Officer at your local health centre that helps with the cost of your rent.
Mortgage Interest Supplement - a payment from the Community Welfare Officer at your local health centre that helps with the cost of your mortgage interest.
Fuel Allowance - a weekly payment between October and April to help with fuel costs (payable with Jobseeker's Allowance after 15 months)
Smokeless Fuel Allowance - to help low-income households meet the extra cost of using smokeless or low smoke fuels in designated urban areas (payable with Jobseeker's Allowance after 3 months)
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance - a payment designed to help towards the cost of uniforms and footwear for children who are attending school. The scheme is payable between June and September each year - contact your local health centre.
Medical card - if your income is below certain level, you may get a medical card. It covers you for free doctor's care, prescriptions, etc. - contact your local health office.
School Books Grant Scheme - each year, the Department of Education and Skills provides grants to primary, secondary and comprehensive schools towards the cost of schoolbooks for students in financial need. You should contact the school principal for more information. The school principal will also advise you whether the school runs a book loan scheme, whereby your children's books are provided for a nominal rental charge each year.