Jobseeker's Benefit followed by Old Age Pension Bridge Payment

johnkieran

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Is it possible to claim Job Seekers Benefit at age 64 (and 3 months) for the maximum 9 months, then claim the bridge payment for 65 year olds for 12 months until age 66 before going on to claim the State Pension (contributory) thereafter.
Assuming full PRSI contributions over the last 40 years as an employed individual.
 
Yes.

If you are in a position where you won't qualify for BP65 (for example if you have rental or investment income in excess of 7.5k per year) you will actually be able to qualify for extended Jobseekers Benefit up to age 66, provided you are receiving Jobseekers Benefit payments up to your 65th birthday.

Jobseekers Benefit beyond age 65 is identical to BP 65.

 
Would the following qualify? Work 39 weeks in the qualifying year. (Age 63) claim JB for nine months after retirement. There would then be a gap of approx eight months to 65. Then claim 65-66 payment. Assume no rental income. DB pension at 65 as well.
 
That will definitely allow you to qualify for BP65.

To also qualify for JB you will need to meet the Prsi rules for this payment.

Provided you have a minimum of 39 Prsi contributions, at least 13 of which are paid contributions in the governing year (2 years prior to your JB claim) you will qualify.
 
Thanks S class. "workplace stress" seems to be enough to qualify for JB after 60.
So 13 in governing year are enough? (assuming full time employment till then)
 
If you are in full time employment up to 39 weeks into the calendar year of your 63rd birthday you will qualify for both JB and BP65. You could also qualify for both if you work for 13 weeks into the calendar year of your 63rd birthday and then get Jobseekers credits for at least another 26 weeks.
You will get the Jobseekers credits while you are recieving your JB payments.

You also have the option of ceasing your employment at anytime after 13 weeks into the calendar year of your 61st birthday and claiming JB. When the JB ends you should then continue to sign on for Jobseekers credits up to the end of the calendar year of your 63rd birthday.

Yes workplace stess is an acceptable reason for ceasing employment.
 
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Rather than start a new thread could I ask S class how I'd be fixed for BP65 payment if I do as follows
Ill be 60 April 4th and plan to retire end of June and go on jobseekers benefit for the allowed 9 months which will bring me to end of march following year, I then plan to draw down my ARF at 61. Ill have well over the required 2080 prsi contributions by the time I do retire. Do I sign for credits when I finish JS benefit and try for the BP at 65?
Thanks for any help
 
You can get 52 class S contributions from your ARF up to your retirement age. These are Reckonable for the contributory pension. However they will be of no use to you for qualification for BP65.

You will however be able to qualify for BP65 based on Jobseekers credits and 13 paid class A Prsi contributions.

You should sign on for Jobseekers credits when your JB payments end. Continue signing on up to the end of the calendar year of your 63rd birthday.

You are allowed to get Jobseekers credits and class S from your ARF in any particular year.

You then just need to get 13 weeks of class A employment during any one of the following calendar years. The year of your 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th or 65th birthdays.

Make sure to sign on again for Jobseekers credits when you complete the 13 weeks of employment.

You just need to earn a minimum of 38 euro per week, so 3 hours per week at minimum wage will be sufficient.
 
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Thanks S class your knowledge on this subject is invaluable
On the point you make about getting 13 weeks of class A employment in the calender year of 61st or subsequent years, if I was to stay on in the job for 13 weeks after my 60th birthday in April so retiring in July would that cover it?
 
It's the calendar year in which your 61st birthday falls, not your 61st year.

So 13 weeks after your 60th birthday would only bring up to July of the calendar year of your 60th birthday.

This is to early for qualification for BP65.

The earliest time the 13 weeks of employment could start is January of the following year.

If you would have difficulty in getting 13 weeks of employment, you could get a friend or family member to register as an employer and employ you for household work. Check out this post.

Post in thread 'PRSI and planning retirement'
 
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Hi Sorry ,for Jumping in, but S class is very helpful,i am 2 weeks after been made employed,and i am going to sign ontomorrow online,will i get it backdated to two weeks ago,when i was made unemployed ,Jobseekers benefit,i know others say i should have signed on straight away,but i couldnt for various resons .Thanks
 
will i get it backdated to two weeks ago,when i was made unemployed

What if I’m late to apply for a payment?​

If you are late to apply for a payment, you may get it backdated. Depending on the payment you are applying for and the reason for your late claim, you may get your payment backdated to:
  • The time you became entitled to it, or
  • At least 6 months before you applied.
 

​

From Operational guidelines for Pay related Jobseekers Benefit.​

"Late Claims​

A person can be unemployed up to 6 weeks before making their claim for Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit and the claim back-dated to the date of unemployment. However, if a person does not make their claim within the first 6 weeks of becoming unemployed and wishes to have their claim backdated to the date of unemployment, they must show ‘good cause’ for the delay in making their claim."



Your claim can be backdated to your date of unemployment.
This might be done automatically, or you might have to request it.
 
Thank You again Clubman, and S class for your help,For Jobseekers Benefit only ,do you think i will get it backdated after 2 weeks. First time doing this ?TIA.:oops:
 
This is what it states for Jobseekers Benefit.

"Late Claims​

A claim may be back-dated for a maximum of 6 months where the person can prove to the satisfaction of the Deciding Officer or Appeals Officer that they satisfy the qualifying conditions throughout the period and that there was good cause for delay in making the claim."

You should be okay provided you explain that you were available for and seeking employment during the 2 week delay.

If you were in employment for 6 months or more up to your redundancy date you should qualify for Pay related JB.

Don't worry to much about any of this. The Intreo staff are helpful and not there to try and prevent your claim.

In the worse case, if they refuse to backdate your claim, you will still get your 9 months of payments. The Payments will last an extra 2 weeks at the end. Your only loss would be 2 weeks of Jobseekers credits.
 
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And I would like to ask about two things in this thread.
I quote :

"Operational Guidelines: Jobseeker's Pay Related Benefit​

Between 65 and 66 Years of Age​

Persons aged between 65 and 66 years of age may receive Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit if they have not retired from employment. Where their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit has exhausted, they may receive this payment beyond 39 weeks or 26 weeks whichever is applicable up to the date on which they reach pensionable age (66 years) provided they have not less than 156 paid contributions since first entering employment.
If the person has retired, Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds is the appropriate scheme for them"

Do I understand this correctly? If I reach the age of 65 after 13 weeks on JPRB, do I not switch to 65 age benefit but remain on JPRB? Will the payment rates change after the 13th and 26th week? What after the 39th week? Will I remain on the 50% rate (up to 300 euros) until I reach the age of 66?

What do you think? Will it be possible to resign from JPRB at any time and switch to 65 age benefit, e.g. after 25 weeks of JPRB? This would allow me to leave the country for longer than 2 weeks (because that is what the 65 age benefit says) and I will need it between 65 and 66 for medical and family reasons (I am only a resident of Ireland).
 
As usual with the wording of these benefits, it is hard to work out exactly what the rules are.

I think that a person over 65, who has retired and is no longer available for and seeking employment does not meet the rules for Jobseekers pay related benefit. However they would continue to meet the rules for BP65.

So at any time between age 65 and 66, if you inform DSP that you no longer meet the available for and seeking employment pay related rules, they will presumably transfer you over to BP65.
 
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