Working for Work : Chapter 1 : Social Welfare Payments

The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP)

All unemployed people who reach the three-month threshold of unemployment should be referred from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to FÁS to undertake an interview to assist them to identify a personal path to help them re-enter the labour market.

Through the interview process, the referral can be offered one of four options:

• A job
• A place on a training/education scheme
• A place on an employment scheme, work experience programme, high supports process etc.
• Referral to the Local Employment Service for more intensive guidance or counselling.

People who are registered with the Local Employment Service (LES) have the option of staying with LES.

If you are called for interview and have any questions or concerns about the process please contact the INOU on (01) 856 0088 for information.

The Interview Process under the NEAP:

• DSP will write to each person under the age of 65 on the live register advising them of a date and time for a scheduled interview with FÁS.
• If you don't turn up for interview, FÁS will inform the DSP. The DSP can respond by calling the unemployed person for interview at the Social Welfare office. If you cannot give a reasonable explanation for not turning up for the FÁS interview, your Social Welfare payment may be affected.
• If you go to the interview but do not take up the option proposed and drop out of the process, FÁS will inform the DSP through regular tracking reports and you may be recalled for an interview.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) should never terminate your welfare payment simply as a result of your failure to attend a FÁS interview or your failure to take up one of the four options. The DSP must interview you themselves to establish your reasons.

Local Employment Service (LES)

• If you are having difficulty in finding work, you may be referred to the Local Employment Service for jobseeking advice and assistance.
• If you do not register with the LES, or drop out of LES mediation, the DSP will be informed. The DSP may call you for interview about your claim and your efforts to seek work.

As part of the increased activation role of the Department of Social Protection and a re-invigoration of the NEAP process a new community work placement scheme, Tús (see Chapter 4) will be rolled out with a maximum of 5,000 places. Unemployed people who are eligible for the scheme will be identified and contacted by their local social welfare office and offered a place. If the unemployed person takes the place their name will then be referred to their local development company who in turn will try and match up the person with a suitable job registered with them by local community and voluntary organisations.

If you experience any problems during the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process, please contact the INOU on (01) 856 0088 for assistance.

Breaking Your Claim

Holidays

Everyone in receipt of a jobseeker's payment is entitled to two weeks holidays per calendar year. You must inform the local exchange of when you plan to take holidays at least two weeks in advance. You will not receive your two weeks payment until after you return. -

Training Courses and Education

If you are in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit and you take up an approved course of training or education, your 'claim' will be frozen at the point you enter the course. You will be able to claim the remaining period of entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit, subject to satisfying the qualifying criteria, after the course is over. There are conditions/qualifications on this if the course is longer than one year.

For example, if you were in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit for 6 months and qualified for an approved course of training or education your claim for Jobseekers Benefit would stop when you start the course. When you finish the course, you can continue your claim for Jobseeker's Benefit for the remaining 6 months of the maximum 12.

Collecting Your Payment

All new applications for Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance are paid through the Post Office. The payment is made using your Social Services 'swipe' card. You will be required to sign a receipt acknowledging you have received the payment and that you still meet the terms and conditions of that payment.

You must bring valid photographic identification with you to collect your payment. Staff working in the Post Office may ask to see your photo ID before giving you your payment.

The following is considered as valid photographic identification (photo ID): Driving licence, Passport, GNIB card (Garda National Immigration Bureau). EU/EEA nationals may use a National Identity Card.

As a general rule, the option of having your JA/JB payment paid into your bank account after 6 months is no longer available. However, a payment can only be changed from a post office payment to a bank account if there are particular circumstances preventing you from collecting your payment in the post office. This change is at the discretion of your local Social Welfare office.

What to do if your payment is stopped

On occasion Jobseeker's payments, or other Social Welfare payments, may be stopped at the point of payment in the post office, without receipt of prior notice or reason. If this happens you should:

• Confirm with the person in the post office that the payment has been officially stopped. Please note, the post office staff will not be able to make any other payment to you or provide any additional information about why your claim was stopped.
• Contact the relevant section in the Department of Social Protection (telephone: (01) 704 3000) to enquire why your payment has been stopped, ask if any letters informing you of the stoppage of payment were sent out to you and, if you did not receive such letter/notice, ask for a decision or reason in writing to be sent to you immediately. Depending on the reason given, you may need to seek to have a decision reviewed or to lodge an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office - see Social Welfare Appeals at the end of this chapter.
• Apply to the Community Welfare Officer in the local Health Centre for an Exceptional or Urgent Needs payment (these are means tested) while you are attempting to resolve the issue. If it appears that the matter may take more than a week to resolve you may need to apply for a regular weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment from the Community Welfare Officer.
• Contact the INOU for information and assistance if your payment has been stopped or if you are having difficulties accessing a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment from the Community Welfare Officer - telephone: (01) 856 0088 or through our website on www.inou.ie

Last Updated: 31/08/2011 ^ back to top