Jobseekers Transition (JST)
Table of Contents
Introduction
Some people will no longer qualify for One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) because their youngest child has reached the relevant age limit. They may qualify for the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) instead.
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme that aims to support parents who are parenting alone and not co-habiting into the workforce while they have young children. If you are no longer entitled to OFP, and your youngest child is aged between 7 and 13 years inclusive, you can apply for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment if you;
- are not cohabiting
- are habitually resident in Ireland,
- are capable of work, and
- satisfy the means test.
The means test is closely aligned with the OFP means test with an earnings disregard of €165 per week with the balance of any income assessed at 50% and the maximum weekly rate of payment is the same.
Genuinely Seeking Work
- If you are unemployed and claiming JST you do not have to be available for full-time work or genuinely seeking work.
- You must participate in employment activation measures and you must participate in any recommended course of education, training or employment programme. If you do not participate you may be paid a lower amount of JST (a penalty rate).
- The 4-in-7 rule does not apply (you do not have to be fully unemployed for 4 out of 7 days). This means that you could work part-time for 5 days, for example.
- Working Family Payment and Back to Work Family Dividend are not payable with Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.
Other Conditions
- You cannot receive JST if you are cohabiting with another person and must continue to be a lone parent.
- To get JST you must sign a quarterly declaration to confirm that you are still entitled to JST.
- You must always declare any change in your circumstances including a change in living arrangements or means which might affect your entitlement to JST.
Youngest Child reaches 14
You will only qualify for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment until your qualified child reaches 14. When the JST stops, standard Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) conditions will apply to you – see Jobseekers Allowance.
This will mean that:
- If you are unemployed on Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be available for full-time work and genuinely seeking full-time work.
- You cannot work more than 3 days per week, including Sunday
- The 4-in-7 rule does apply (you must be fully unemployed for 4 out of 7 days).
If you are unfit for work you can apply for Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension. If providing full-time care you can apply for Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit.
Taking up Employment
You can work part-time or full-time and continue to receive a JST payment. While there is no limit on the number of days or hours you can work, the amount of JST payment you get depends on your weekly means from employment.
If you take up employment, the first €165 of your gross weekly earnings is not taken into account (or is disregarded). This means that you can earn up to €165 per week and qualify for the full Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. After subtracting the allowable deductions and applicable disregard the value of the remaining balance is assessed at 50% and taken as the weekly means from insurable employment.
| Example: Part-time work Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) | |
| Mary is in receipt of the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) for herself and 2 children (both aged 12-14). She would normally be entitled to a payment of €208.00 (personal rate) and €48 per child = total of €304. She finds two days full-time (8 hrs. per day) work at €90 per day. Her new rate of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is calculated as follows: | |
| Earnings for two days (€90 per day x 2 days) | €180.00 |
| Earnings disregard | €165.00 |
| Assessable income from employment (earnings €180 – disregard €165) | €15.00 |
| Income assessed at 50% (€15 @ 50%) | €7.50 |
| Mary’s weekly means is | €7.50 |
| Mary’s new rate of JST (€304 – €7.50 means) | €296.50 |
Working Family Payment
You cannot get the Working Family Payment if you are in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. If you have been in receipt of the One-Parent Family Payment and have been claiming the Working Family Payment, the WFP payment will stop when you are transferred to the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.
JobsPlus
JobsPlus provides a simple, easily understood and attractive scheme to encourage employers to recruit long-term unemployed people. Persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment qualify to participate in JobsPlus and no qualifying period applies.
JobsPlus provides cash payments to employers – €7,500 for recruits unemployed for more than 12 but less than 24 months and €10,000 for recruits unemployed for more than 24 months. For more information see JobsPlus.
Contact Us
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You can speak, in complete confidence, to an Information Officer in the Information and Advocacy section directly at 01 - 856 0088 , Monday - Thursday 9.30 am to 5.00 pm and Friday 9.30am to 4.00pm.
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Use the online Contact Us forms on the INOU website
Updated: 11/07/2023
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