THOUSANDS have been warned over five major conditions of a €1,200 social welfare payment.
The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is for those parenting alone with a youngest child between the ages of seven and 14.
The payment is usually €244 per week but it may be less based on your means test.
There is also an additional amount per additional child.
The five main conditions of the payment include satisfying a means test and a quarterly declaration.
First, you must be the main carer of a child over seven but under 14.
Parents are reminded that the payment will end when the child turns fourteen.
You must not be living with a spouse, partner or civil partner while claiming the payment.
You must also be ordinarily resident in Ireland.
To qualify you must also engage with your local Intreo office and sign a quarterly declaration.
This is to ensure that you still qualify for the payment at the end of each quarter.
If you are receiving the payment you must attend appointments, take part in recommended courses, employment, and schemes when request or face having your payment reduced.
The final criteria you must meet to qualify for the payment is to satisfy a means test.
If you are working the first €165 of your gross weekly earnings is not taken into account.
Half of the balance of your income from work is assessed as means.
However, if you are self-employed the disregard does not apply and 100 per cent of your income is assesed.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM JOBSEEKER’S ALLOWANCE?
Although the payment is technically a jobseeker’s payment it does not follow the rules of the traditional Jobseeker’s Allowance.
To qualify for the Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be available to work full-time whereas with the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment you are not required to be available full-time.
You do not need to be seeking full-time employment to qualify for the Transitional Jobseeker’s Payment.
You can also be studying full-time and be eligible for a maintenance grant while on the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.
Unlike the Jobseeker’s Allowance where you must be unemployed four out of seven days of the week, with the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment you can work any days as long as you still satisfy the means test.
Child maintenance payments are not included in the means test but any maintenance the parent receives for themselves is.
Up to €95.23 per week can be disregarded if it is used for housing costs.
Half of the remaining maintenance will then be assessed as means.
If you have joint equally custody of a child you will not qualify for the payment.
The child must live with you ordinarily and for the greater part of the week.
OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS
Applying for the Working Family Payment may suit those who work over 38 hours per fortnight better.
There are some other payments you can apply for as well as the Working Family Payment if you do not qualify for the Transitional Jobseeker’s Payment.
Until your youngest child turns seven you can apply for the One Parent Family Payment.
However, you do not have to have been getting this payment to qualify for the Transitional Jobseeker’s Payment.
Some parents may also qualify for the Back to Work Family Dividend.
