Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment Benefits
The Department of Social Protection operates a system of social welfare for the unemployed. The Department offers weekly unemployment benefits based on insurance contributions, as well as weekly means-tested unemployment assistance. An unemployed person may be entitled to job seekers allowance or job seekers benefit. Job seekers allowance (available to the unemployed who don’t qualify for a job seeker’s benefit or have used all their entitlement to the benefit) is a means tested payment and the maximum weekly amount is €193 for unemployed aged 26 or over (the allowance is €102.70 for workers aged 18-24 without children and €147.80 for workers aged 25 without children). Job seekers benefit is dependent on an employee's PRSI and average weekly earnings. The maximum weekly amount available is €193 while the minimum amount per week is €86.70. Jobseeker's Benefit is not paid for the first 3 days of unemployment. The duration of job seekers’ benefit is reduced by 03 months from April 2013. The workers with 260 PRSI contributions are eligible for 09 months of benefit while workers with less than 260 PRSI contributions are eligible for 06 months of job seeker’s benefit.
Source: www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/
