New €450 weekly social welfare cash WON'T be paid to key workers group after scheme axe as ‘patterns' decision confirmed

The Irish Sun

28-05-2025

A NEW €450 weekly social welfare cash scheme WON'T be paid out to a key workers group, it's been confirmed.
The government earlier this year axed the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme in favour of a
1
Minister Dara Calleary confirmed the cash won't be available to certain employees out of work
Credit: JOHN MCELROY
The
contribution history who becomes unemployed.
The "landmark" scheme
Those
- which is available in three different rates - qualify based on the number of personal
they have made.
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A total of 60 per cent of your prior income will be available for people who have made at least five years worth of PRSI contributions, which amounts to a maximum of €450.
This will be paid for the first three months that a person is
The third rate will be a maximum of €300 and is based on 50 per cent of the prior income, being paid over the final three months.
The minimum payment rate available is €125 but those over 25 may qualify for more if they have children.
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And
In a Dail parliamentary question, Sinn Fein TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn queried if "post-primary teachers will be entitled to pay-related jobseeker's benefit when they become unemployed at the end of this academic year in May 2025 and where they have been unable to secure an employment contract for September 2025 ".
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary said: "Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support which has replaced the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people who are fully unemployed, who have become unemployed since 31 March 2025 and who meet the statutory conditions of the scheme.
"The legislation provides that those whose employment involves a recurring pattern of employment and unemployment reflecting the academic year are not eligible for the scheme.
"Factors taken into account include the pattern of the employment or previous employment of the person and the typical employment patterns in the sector in which the person is normally employed or was previously employed.
"Teachers who are out of contract and are seeking to return to employment can claim the PRSI-based insurance Jobseeker's Benefit or the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance.
"There is no change to the income supports to which such persons are entitled."
People may get Jobseeker's Benefit if they don't qualify for the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit if they are a part-time, casual or seasonal worker, a short-time worker, a retained fire fighter or temporarily laid-off work continuously at specific times during the year, for example, their employment is based around the school or academic year.
AM I ELIGIBLE FOR NEW PAY-RELATED BENEFIT SCHEME?
THERE are a number of different criteria that those seeking the new Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme must meet.
You must have paid at least 104 PRSI insurable employment contributions at Class A, H or P.
You also need to have paid at least four PRSI insurable employment contributions at Class A or H in the 10 weeks before applying.
Applicants must also have paid at least 26 PRSI insurable employment contributions at Class A or H in the 52 weeks before your first day of unemployment.
You could be disqualified from getting Jobseeker's Allowance for up to nine weeks if you:
Left work voluntarily and without just cause
Lost your job through misconduct
Refused an offer of suitable employment or training and you have been on a penalty rate of JA for at least 21 days
You should apply for Jobseeker's Allowance the first day you become unemployed as it is not paid out for the first three days.
For Jobseeker's Benefit, you must pay Class A, H or P PRSI contributions. Class A is the one paid by most employees. Class H is paid by soldiers, reservists and temporary army nurses.
To qualify, you need at least 104 weeks of Class A, H or P PRSI paid contributions or at least 156 Class S PRSI contributions since you first started work.
Meanwhile, Jobseeker's Allowance is a means-tested payment, so your income must be below a certain amount to get it.
And to qualify, you must be looking for full-time work – and you must be able to show proof of this to the Department.
The maximum personal weekly rate for Jobseeker's Allowance is €244.
But core social welfare payments like the Jobseeker's Allowance
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Social Justice Ireland's Susanne Rogers said payments needed to be increased to ensure those relying on social welfare are not "falling behind" others in society.
She told the Irish Sun: "According to our calculations, if core social welfare rates were bench marked at 27.5 per cent of average earnings, the payment would currently be €266 a week, not €244 a week.
"This level would mean that those relying on social welfare for all or part of their income would not be falling further behind the rest of society.
"Every household in the country has seen their bills increase for the essentials - food and energy in particular.
"Low income households however, have stark choices to make between those essentials when costs rise and income doesn't...the heat or eat response."
She added that the
She said: "Government must commit to bench marking payments so that those households are afforded an income level that provides for a basic but decent standard of living.
"Government has anti-poverty commitments in both the Roadmap for Social Inclusion and the Sustainable Development Goals and cannot hope to meet them unless core welfare rates are addressed."