This chapter tells you what you need to know in order to claim unemployment benefits in Ireland.

Here we cover:

• Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Benefit (self-employed)
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Redundancy Payment

If you have lived, worked and/or paid insurance in another EU country, your time living in another EU country, the period you have worked or the contributions you have paid may be taken into account when your benefits are calculated in Ireland.

When can I claim?

If you are unemployed you may be eligible for Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit (self-employed) Jobseeker’s Allowance or if you were made redundant you may have an entitlement to a Redundancy Payment.

If you lose your job because you were fired for misconduct or if you refuse another job offer, you can be disqualified from claiming for a certain time.

If you lose your job because your employer went out of business or is changing the type of skills they need from their workforce, then you have been made redundant. Depending on your age and how long you worked for your employer, you may be entitled to a redundancy payment from your employer. If your employer is unable or unwilling to pay employees their statutory redundancy payments, then an application can be made to the Department of Social Protection.

What conditions do I need to meet?

To claim Jobseeker’s Benefit you will need to have paid ‘contributions’ into your Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). Most employees, self-employed people and apprentices over 16 are insured through the payment of contributions. There are 3 waiting days before the benefit starts.

You must be:

• Capable of and available for work
• Genuinely seeking work and age between 18 and 66

To claim Jobseeker’s Benefit for the self-employed you will need to have paid ‘contributions’ into your Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). Most employees, self-employed people and apprentices over 16 are insured through the payment of contributions. There are 3 waiting days before the benefit starts.

You must be:

• Capable of and available for work
• Genuinely seeking work
• Over 18 and under 66

There can be special rules for people commuting across borders, living and working in different countries, but social insurance contributions paid in an EU country or other countries covered by EU Regulations will be added to your Irish contributions.

Jobseeker’s Allowance is not based on contributions but is means tested. You will need to be habitually resident.

To get Jobseeker's Allowance you must:

• Be unemployed (you must be fully unemployed or unemployed for at least 4 days out of 7);
• Be over 18 and under 66 years of age;
• Be capable of work;
• Be available for and genuinely seeking work;
• Satisfy the means test

Meet the  Habitual Residence Condition You can be refused a jobseeker’s payment if you do not meet all the conditions that apply to the payment. You can be disqualified from a payment for a period of time in certain circumstances. You can also have your payment reduced (and subsequently stopped altogether for a period of time) if you do not attend meetings or participate in appropriate employment schemes, training or work experience. Further details on this can be found here.

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is paid to people whose youngest child is aged between 7 and 13 years inclusive and who are not cohabiting.  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, training or employment scheme and get Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. When you start getting a Jobseeker’s Transitional payment you will be scheduled to attend a meeting with one of the Department of  Social Protection’s case officers. The purpose of this meeting is to identify and access supports (such as education, training and employment schemes) that will prepare you for full-time employment.

If you get a one-off Redundancy Payment that is over €50,000 you may not be able to claim Jobseeker’s Benefit for a maximum of nine weeks. If you are over 55 this restriction does not apply.

To be eligible you must:

• Be 16 or over;
• Be in insurable employment;
• Have worked continuously for your employer for 104 weeks. This period counts only if you were working while over the age of 16.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Claiming the following benefits will require that you have all the necessary paperwork sorted out. Claiming can require paperwork from your side. Make use of the Citizens Information Ireland checklistto see if you have all you need.

Jobseeker’s Benefit

Payment of Jobseeker’s Benefit is usually made from the fourth day of unemployment, but in some cases it starts immediately.

This is how long you can claim Jobseeker’s Benefit:

• For people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid, it will be 9 months;
• For people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid, it will be 6 months.

Jobseekers Benefit (Self-Employed)

Payment of Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) is made from the first day of unemployment.

This is how long you can claim Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed):

• For people with 260 or more self-employment  PRSI contributions paid, it will be 9 months;

• For people with fewer than 260 PRSI self-employment contributions paid, it will be 6 months

You should claim the benefit on the first day you are not working and will need to go to your Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare Branch Office.

Note that the payment of qualified adult and child increases depends on the income your spouse or partner may have.

If you have worked in countries covered by EU Regulations, ask the authorities in the country/ies where you have worked for a U1 document (former E 301 form). You should then give the form to the benefits authority dealing with your claim - the authority where you live - so they can take account of periods of insurance or employment in other countries.

Without the form, the authority dealing with your claim can still obtain the necessary information from other countries directly. But a completed U1 will probably speed up your claim.

Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds

Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds is a payment for people aged 65 who have ceased employment or self-employment and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds may be paid from the date of your 65th birthday until the date of your 66th birthday as long as you continue to satisfy the conditions for this payment.

To qualify for Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, you must:

• be 65 years of age
• have ceased employment/self-employment
• be resident in the Republic of Ireland
• satisfy the (PRSI) contribution conditions

Rates of payment

The full weekly personal rate is €220.00

Increase for a Qualified Adult: €146.00

Increase for a Qualified Child (under 12): €42 (full-rate) €21 (half-rate)

Increase for a Qualified Child (over 12): €50 (full-rate) €25 (half-rate)

Jobseeker’s Allowance

This is also usually paid from the fourth day of unemployment, for an unlimited period, up to the age of 66.

Jobseeker’s Allowance rates in 2023 - Maximum rate for people aged 25 or over

There are some exceptions to age-related Jobseeker's Allowance payments for people aged 24 and under, including for claimants with dependent children.

Redundancy Payment

There is a time limit of one year from the date of termination to apply to your employer for a redundancy payment

It is the employer’s responsibility to make statutory redundancy payments to all eligible employees.

In the first instance you should contact your employer or in the case of a liquidation the appointed liquidator. It is recommended that you do this in writing so there is a record of the communication.

If your employer is unable to make statutory payments themselves, then they or the liquidator should make an application to the Department of Social Protection for a redundancy payment under the Redundancy Payments Scheme on your behalf.

If your employer refuses to pay or make an application to the Department of Social Protection on your behalf, then you will need to submit a claim to the Workplace Relations Commission and seek adjudication. Once you have an award in your favour, the employer has 56 days to pay you your award.

If after 56 days your employer has still not paid you your statutory redundancy, then you can make an application to the Department of Social Protection

Useful links

• Workplace Relations Commission
• Guide on how to calculate a redundancy payment on gov.ie
• Department of Social Protection Redundancy Payments Scheme

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Jargon busters

• PRSI stands for Pay Related Social Insurance - the money your employer deducts directly from your wages;
• Means-testing - Your means under the various headings (for example, cash income, earnings from employment and capital) are added together to find your total means. For most means-tested payments, the rate of social welfare payment you can get, if any, is reduced on a sliding scale according to your means;
• A qualified adult is your adult dependant for whom you may get an extra amount;
• Habitual resident - The term ‘habitual resident’ is defined in EU law - see: EU Regulation on the coordination of social security systems.  In practice it means the place where you have your centre of interests;

Forms you may need to fill in

•  Online claim form for Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit application forms can be requested by emailing forms@welfare.ie
• Online claim form for Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds
• Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds application forms can be requested from forms@welfare.ie
• Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) application form
• Claim for repayment of income tax during unemployment
• Request for your social insurance records

Know your rights

The links below set out your rights in law, they are not European Commission sites and do not represent the view of the Commission:

• Checklist  guide to redundancy procedures
• Services and entitlements when losing work
• Citizens Information Centre (locate the nearest to you).
• If your application for a benefit is refused you can appeal to Social Welfare Appeals

Commission publication and website:

• http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/unemployment-and-benefits/index_en.htm

Who do you need to contact?

• Intreo - the integrated employment and support service
• Department of Social Protection Redundancy Payments Scheme
• Citizens Information – General Redundancy Payments