Going from JB to illness Benefit

My husband has been unemployed for past 9 months and claiming JB after working in construction for over 20 years. He is now ill and unable to seek new employment. Does he have enough PRSI to go on sickness benefit and for how long can he claim it. I am also currently unemployed. Thanks in advance

If your husband is medically unfit for work he should be claiming an illness, rather than a jobseeker’s entitlement.

If he satisfies the PRSI conditions (http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/Il...g/Illness/IllnessBenefit/Pages/ib.aspx#Rules2) he can claim Illness Benefit for a maximum of two years (again depending on PRSI contributions) without having to re-qualify.

He can get an application form from his GP, who will also have to fill in certain medical details on the application, & your husband will have to submit medical certs signed by his GP every week for the duration of his illness.

Just bear in mind that apart from the initial decision on his claim, it will be automatically reviewed after a certain length of time depending what the specified illness is, & he may be called for a medical review/assessment (http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/medreview.aspx).