Social Welfare benefits in the UK

Z

Zapatista

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Hello All,

I am moving to the UK on Friday but I don't, as yet, have a job lined up. I have been working full-time in Ireland (I am Irish) for the past two years. Will I qualify for the dole in the UK when I make my move? If so does anyone know what kind of assistance I can expect or what criteria will determine this?

Thanks in advance,

Zapa.
 
I don't think that you would necessarily be automatically entitled to dole (or Jobseeker's Allowance as they call it in the UK these days) when you arrive and suspect that you may need to fund yourself until you find work. Might be worth checking out , the [broken link removed] and the Irish DSFA site. Note that if you gave up work voluntarily and were staying in Ireland then you would not qualify for Unemployment Benefit/Assistance for up to nine weeks from the date on which you gave up work.
 
It might be useful for you to get an appointment with your local Social Security office in Ireland to explore what are your options. The EEA (European Economic Area) has arrangements to facilitate movement of labour BUT as you are voluntarily giving up a job in RoI you don't qualify for Job-Seekers Allowance (the old 'dole'). It might speed things up if your Social Security office in Ireland prepare an E303 form and advise you on ALL the documents/identity numbers you will require to register into the UK system. Next week go to the nearest Job Centre and register as a job-seeker (this is very important).

As the song says, "Fings aint wot they used to be" here and there is a big difference to the benefits available for unemployed or job-seekers in Ireland. However on the plus side you will find the cost of living refreshingly affordable!
 
You need to be careful here. I am not sure if you can go straight onto UB in another country. You can however transfer your claim once you have been unemployed here for 4 weeks.

This is from the SW website

PART 9: EU REGULATIONS

"c) Transfer of Benefit - Article 69
Under this Article a person who has been in receipt of UB in one of the European countries for at least 4 weeks, may transfer this benefit to one of the other European countries for a maximum of 13 weeks (78 days), provided the person is seeking employment in that country. The person registers as unemployed in the country to which s/he travels, and the local social services office pays the benefit, subsequently recouping it from the home country.

(d) Outgoing cases from Ireland
A person in receipt of Irish UB may transfer the UB claim to one of the European countries for up to 13 weeks (78 days). If s/he has claimed less than 4 weeks UB before the date of their departure, s/he may still be permitted to transfer on production of a letter from FÁS confirming that s/he is unlikely to secure full-time employment in this country in the foreseeable future. The form E303 must be completed by the local office with details of rates of payment etc. The claimant takes this form to the social services office of the country to which they are travelling.

EU Records section should be contacted for further details of the procedures to be followed in such cases."

http://www.welfare.ie/foi/ub_unempben.html


The bottom line is to contact EU Records on the matter as I would be afraid that your local SW office wouldn't have the expertise to advise you correctly and that's not much use when you are already in the UK


Murt
 
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