Rules
Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
Most people who no longer qualify for a One-Parent Family Payment because
their youngest child is aged 7 will transfer to the Jobseeker’s Transitional
payment (called JST).
JST is paid to people who are not cohabiting and whose youngest child is
aged between 7 and 13. It aims to support you into the workforce while also
acknowledging that you are caring for young children. You can take part in a
course of education and get JST. You can get more information in our document
on the Jobseeker’s
Transitional payment.
OFP and Working Family Payment
If you are working and getting Working Family Payment (WFP) in
addition to OFP, your WFP will be automatically reviewed when your OFP ends. In
most cases this will lead to an increase in your WFP.
You may also qualify for the Back to Work Family Dividend
(BTWFD). This payment allows parents getting One-Parent Family Payment or a
jobseeker’s payment to keep the full Increase
for a Qualified Child for the first year of
employment or self-employment and half that amount in the second year. BTWFD
can be paid as well as WFP and it will have no impact on your entitlement to
WFP.
If you have a general question about Working Family Payment, you can call
the WFP section at (043) 334 0053 or e-mail WFPSupport@welfare.ie.
OFP and Carer’s Allowance
People parenting alone, who meet the qualifying criteria for Carer's
Allowance, may qualify for both One-Parent Family Payment and half-rate Carer's Allowance
(CA). If your youngest child is aged between 7 and 15, you must qualify for
Carer's Allowance to continue to get OFP. You will also get an Increase for a
Qualified Child (IQC) for any other children in the family until they reach 18
(or 22 if in full-time education) while CA and OFP is in payment. (See our
document on One-Parent Family
Payment for more information on other exceptions to the age limits.)
This means that you can claim OFP and a half-rate Carer’s Allowance until
your youngest child turns 16 provided you continue to meet the conditions for
both schemes.
OFP and Domiciliary Care Allowance
If you are getting Domiciliary
Care Allowance (DCA) for one of your children, the age limit of 7 for the
youngest child does not apply, and you can retain your OFP payment. This means
that you can continue to qualify for OFP until that child is aged 16 or your
DCA stops. You will also get an IQC for any other children in the family until
they reach 18 (or 22 if in full-time education) while DCA and OFP is in
payment. If your youngest child is under 7 years of age when your DCA stops you
may also continue to qualify for OFP.
OFP and Blind Pension
Blind
Pension is payable with OFP. This means that a person who qualifies for OFP
and Blind Pension can get both payments at the full rate. People who qualify
for Blind Pension will be exempted from the age conditions for OFP. This means
that you can claim both Blind Pension and OFP (and any IQCs payable with both
Blind Pension and OFP) together until your youngest child is 16 years of age.
OFP and return to education
If you are taking part in a recognised education course when your
entitlement to OFP ends you can finish your course and get a payment. The
payment you qualify for depends on your circumstances.
If you are in education and your OFP ends because your youngest child has
reached the age limit you can move to the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
(JST) and continue your course. You can claim JST and a student grant at the
same time and the grant will not be assessed as means for JST. However, you
should note that you cannot claim Rent
Supplement if you are getting a student grant or if you are in full-time
education. (Entitlement to HAP is not affected by this rule.)
It is important to remember that your entitlement to JST will end when your
youngest child reaches the age of 14. If you have not finished your course when
your youngest child reaches the age of 14 you will have to either transfer to
the Back to
Education Allowance to complete your course or opt to remain in receipt of
your student grant.
OFP and employment schemes
If you are on an employment
scheme (such as Community Employment) when your entitlement to OFP ends,
you can continue on the scheme until it finishes and get a payment. Department
of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) staff will arrange this for
you.
OFP and housing support
Most sources of income (including OFP) are taken into account in the means
test for social housing support and the calculation of differential rents.
If you are applying
for social housing, you should notify the local authority of any change in
your income so that your means can be reassessed.
If you are already renting from a local
authority or a housing
association, you should notify them of any change in your income so that
your rent can be recalculated. If you are renting under the Housing
Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, you should notify the local authority of
any change in your income so that your rent contribution can be
recalculated.
If you are on Rent Supplement, any change in your circumstances may affect
your entitlement and you should notify the Department of Social Protection
office that pays your Rent Supplement. In particular, as noted above, you
cannot claim Rent Supplement if you are getting a student grant or if you are
in full-time education. There is also a limit to the number of hours you can
work per week and continue to get Rent Supplement. (Note, if you transfer to
HAP instead, you can work full-time and keep your entitlement to HAP.)