Jobseeker's Benefit and going abroad

ma-durga

ma-durga

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I've read that it's only possible to be away from the state 2 weeks in a calendar year while you're receiving Jobseeker's Benefit. What happens to my entitlements if I need to leave the country for longer? My husband may need to go away 2 months for work and I would like to go with him. Can I stop the weekly payments and resume them when I am back? Do I need to un-register and register again as a jobseeker?

Kind regards
 
If you are leaving the country (not on holiday), you should sign off - close your claim.
You can make a new claim on your return.
 
europa.eu

Jobseekers abroad in the EU: residence rights - Your Europe

Rights and requirements for lawful residence of EU nationals looking for work in another EU country: documents needed, report your presence, register with employment services.
europa.eu europa.eu



Take a look at this to see if it applies to your situation. Is it possible your husband's stay would be extended and you could seek work in the new location?
 
Sign off before you depart and then sign back on when you return. Provided that the gap between sign on and sign off is less than 26 weeks, your Jobseekers benefit will continue on after you return with no loss of benefits.

​

Linking claims​

If you claim Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) for a period, sign off and then claim JB again within 26 weeks, your claim may be linked to the earlier claim. This means that your claim is not treated as a new claim and:

  • You do not have to wait for 3 days before getting your payment
  • The cumulative total of days from the previous claim is continued (so, for example, if you have used up 100 days of your total JB entitlement of 234 days you have 134 days remaining on your claim)
  • The rate of JB is the same rate payable as on the previous claim, unless there has been a budget increase or change in family circumstances (such as a new child dependant).
 
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Just be careful that prolonged periods abroad do not count against you on the basis of habitual residence.
 
How about if you go on holiday? If you go for 4 weeks, does this mean you lose 2 weeks when you are back with 2 weeks allowed?
 
Yes, the rules are there to stop people living abroad and claiming unemployment benefit here. Apparently rumour has it that Waterford Airport used to have direct Ireland to Poland flights where the Dad would fly in once per month, claims unemployment, visit the wife & kids and fly back to Poland where they had gotten work after being laid off in Ireland.


And you need to inform the welfare of your two week break.
 
That's why it also has to be collected in person at post office not put straight into bank account to rule out all those shenanigans
 
joe sod said:
That's why it also has to be collected in person at post office not put straight into bank account to rule out all those shenanigans
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Without wishing to derail the thread, wouldn't it be better to ask people to sign on , once a week and pay them directly to their bank account?
Putting large numbers of people, in a queue, and handing them cash seems like an unnecessary security risk. It's also a bit 1970's. Even in the UK where they are paranoid about welfare fraud, claimants are paid into a bank account.
 
Allpartied said:
Without wishing to derail the thread, wouldn't it be better to ask people to sign on , once a week and pay them directly to their bank account?
Putting large numbers of people, in a queue, and handing them cash seems like an unnecessary security risk. It's also a bit 1970's. Even in the UK where they are paranoid about welfare fraud, claimants are paid into a bank account.
Click to expand...
There are post offices all over the country but not social welfare offices, for the vast majority of people going to post office to collect your payment every week is alot better than having to travel to major town to sign on. Usually huge queues anyway at welfare offices all the time.
 
joe sod said:
There are post offices all over the country but not social welfare offices, for the vast majority of people going to post office to collect your payment every week is alot better than having to travel to major town to sign on. Usually huge queues anyway at welfare offices all the time.
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Its the cash bit that is outdated. Surely, in 2023, we can transfer these meagre funds to people via bank transfer. If fraud is an issue, it is, probably, much easier, if you don't need a valid Irish bank account.
As for the article you quoted, it doesnt mention any prosecutions. Was there any real, verified evidence of thousands of Polish guys running back and forth to Warsaw, every month?
 
Don't let proof stand in the way of a good story - especially one about Others
 
Money can be directly transferred into an AIB bank account in the Post Office, instead of taking cash.

It is still necessary for anybody under age 62 attend in person at the post Office
 
Allpartied said:
Its the cash bit that is outdated. Surely, in 2023, we can transfer these meagre funds to people via bank transfer. If fraud is an issue, it is, probably, much easier, if you don't need a valid Irish bank account.
As for the article you quoted, it doesnt mention any prosecutions. Was there any real, verified evidence of thousands of Polish guys running back and forth to Warsaw, every month?
Click to expand...
During the Icelandic Ash cloud in 2010 when planes were grounded for weeks it was discovered that loads of people were claiming social welfare but living in Eastern Europe, they were not able to sign on then
 
Allpartied said:
Its the cash bit that is outdated. Surely, in 2023, we can transfer these meagre funds to people via bank transfer. If fraud is an issue, it is, probably, much easier, if you don't need a valid Irish bank account.
As for the article you quoted, it doesnt mention any prosecutions. Was there any real, verified evidence of thousands of Polish guys running back and forth to Warsaw, every month?
Click to expand...
I agree, utterly absurd, requiring people to collect cash payments at PO & more to do with propping up Post Offices than Fraud. It also costs people to then lodge cash into bank their bank accounts plus there's an administrative cost, processing cash payments. Ironically DSP use fraud as a justification, when infact the worse frauds uncovered are pension frauds being collected at post offices.

DSP have a number of ways to counter fraudulent activity, including Tracking IP Address location log in's & now permit claimants to sign on, monthly via Mywelfare
 
joe sod said:
During the Icelandic Ash cloud in 2010 when planes were grounded for weeks it was discovered that loads of people were claiming social welfare but living in Eastern Europe, they were not able to sign on then
Click to expand...
That is simply not true. It is just a bullshit story somebody put in circulation to besmear foreigners. Unfortunately people keep repeating the same lie over and over again.
 
7 of 9 said:
www.independent.ie

Ash cloud crisis exposes 'welfare tourists'

DURING the volcanic-ash crisis that shut the country's airports the number of people who signed on the dole fell by more than 3,500, sparking suspicions that 'welfare tourists' are coming back to Ireland on cheap flights to claim benefits.
www.independent.ie www.independent.ie
Click to expand...
Sigh....QED!

I do not understand why people keep peddling this invented sensationalist rubbish.

Minister for Social Protection at the time of the ash cloud was Eamon O Cuiv. He was questioned about the bull spread by some media and people jumping on the xenophobic bandwagon. Here is what O Cuiv had to say about the myth when he was questioned about it in the Dail:

Social Welfare Fraud – Tuesday, 2 Nov 2010 – Parliamentary Questions (30th Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas

I sincerely hope this clarifies the matter for you as well!
 
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