Jobseeker's Benefit is a payment for people between 18 and 66 years of age who become fully or partly unemployed and have paid enough pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
If you are temporarily placed on a shorter working week, for example your working week has been reduced from a 5 day work pattern to a 3 day work pattern, you can receive support under Short Time Work Support under the Jobseeker’s Benefit scheme for the other 2 days. Short-Time work must be systematic and must show a clear repetitive pattern of employment and you must work at least 1 day in each week.
Jobseeker's Benefit is paid for 6 months or 9 months depending on the number of social insurance contributions you have paid.
From January 30 2023, we have returned to the requirement that all people applying for a Jobseeker's Benefit payment have authenticated their identity to SAFE Level 2 before their claim can be paid.
This means that we must have established and verified your identity to a satisfactory level.
This applies to both online and paper Jobseeker’s Benefit applications.
If you are already verified at SAFE Level 2, you will be able to access online services through your verified MyGovID account.
To get to SAFE Level 2, you must attend your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office to complete your registration. Once you have completed the SAFE Level 2 registration process, you may get your account verified. This will give you access to all online services through your MyGovID account which includes applying for a jobseeker’s payment.
To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit, you must:
You can work for up to 3 days a week and still get Jobseeker’s Benefit for the other days if you are available for full-time work.
To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit, you must satisfy two main PRSI contribution conditions.
You must have paid at least 104 PRSI insurable employment contributions at Class A, H or P,
or
You must have paid at least 156 PRSI self-employment contributions at Class S.
You must have either:
39 PRSI contributions paid from employment or credited in the governing contribution year. At least 13 of these contributions must be paid from employment in the governing contribution year, the two years before this, the last year or the current tax year.
The governing contribution year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which the claim is made. For example, for claims made in 2024, the governing contribution year is 2022.
or
26 PRSI contributions paid in the governing contribution year and 26 paid in the year immediately before this.
New flexible pension arrangements are in place from January 2024. Flexible pension arrangements are for people who turn 66 on or after 1 January 2024.
If you are aged 66 in 2024 or later, you will have the choice to claim your State Pension (Contributory) on any date between the age of 66 and 70.
If you decide not to draw down your State Pension (Contributory) at age 66 and meet the conditions of Jobseeker’s Benefit, you may receive/apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit up until the age of 70. You will not receive credited contributions while on Jobseeker’s Benefit after the age of 66. This may have an impact on your State Pension (Contributory) entitlements. After the age of 66, you must apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit using a paper application (UP1) which can be obtained from your local Intreo Office or Social Welfare Branch Office.
If you are already getting Jobseeker’s Benefit, born after 1 January 1958 and are approaching the age of 66, you will receive a letter from the Department of Social Protection advising you of your options.
Your rate of payment will depend on your average weekly earnings in the governing contribution year.
The current rates are as follows:
| Jobseeker's Benefit Rates | Rate |
| Full weekly payment | €232.00 |
| Extra payment for qualified adult | €154.00 |
| Extra payment for qualified child under 12 | €46.00 (full-rate), €23.00 (half-rate) |
| Extra payment for qualified child 12 and over | €54.00 (full rate), €27.00 (half rate) |
If you were working part-time during the governing contribution year and your average earnings were less than €300 a week, you will not qualify for the full rate of payment.
Please see the tables below for details on the reduced rates of payment.
| Average weekly earnings | Personal rate of payment |
| Less than €150 | €104.10 |
| €150 or above but less than €220 | €149.60 |
| €220 or above but less than €300 | €181.70 |
| €300 or more | €232.00 |
You may get an increased rate of payment for a qualified adult and qualified children.
The maximum rate of payment of Jobseekers Benefit is payable to all customers aged between 65 and 66 years of age. Graduated rates do not apply. Similarly, if you are entitled to an increase for a qualified adult, the maximum Increase for a Qualified Adult is payable. Tapered IQA rates continue to apply where the qualified adult has income from employment, self-employment, capital, investments, and so on.
However, if you take up some part-time employment between 65 and 66 years of age, you are paid for the days of unemployment using the maximum rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit.
Jobseeker’s Benefit is paid weekly in arrears. All jobseekers are paid weekly to their local post office except if you are working part-time or short-time or if you are over 62.
If you work on a casual basis, your payment will be made into a financial institution or by cheque for administrative reasons.
From the week starting 4 June 2024, if you are getting an Increase for Qualified Adult, any child maintenance they receive is no longer included in the income test. However, if they receive maintenance that is not child maintenance, this will continue to be income-tested.
A new statutory rental disregard of up to €269.23 per week (€14,000 per year) has been introduced and came into effect from the 12 July 2022. It applies where an increase for a qualified adult is paid, in respect of rental income from renting out a room(s) in your home to someone who is not an employee or an immediate family member. See Increase for a Qualified Adult Operational Guidelines for more details.