Publication
Operational Guidelines: Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Jobseeker's Transitional Payment is a provision under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme that is available to lone parents (both former OFP recipients and new lone parents), who are not co-habiting and have a youngest child aged 7 to 13 years inclusive. The payment is known as JST.
JST customers must initially satisfy the qualifying condition for OFP of being a ‘qualified parent'. A ‘qualified parent’ must be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a relevant child. ‘Relevant child’ means a child who
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It is not a qualifying condition for Guardian’s Payment that a person must be the legal guardian of the child. However, it is a qualifying condition for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment, as a person must initially satisfy this One-Parent Family Payment condition (as above). If a person is not the parent, step-parent or adoptive parent of at least one relevant child, they must be the legal guardian of that child. Simply being in receipt of Guardian’s Payment for a relevant child, does not necessarily mean that they are the legal guardian of that child.
JST recipients are exempt from the JA conditions that require them to be available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work. They are also exempt from the 4 in 7 rule and can work any work pattern and still receive a payment subject to a means test. They can also move into education and/or employment, including into part-time employment, and still receive payment, subject to a means test.
All JST recipients must engage with the department’s Intreo service.
JST customers who are married and have recently separated, must be separated for 3 months before they can qualify for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment. Unmarried persons may apply for JST from the first day they become a lone parent.
The holiday entitlement for JST customers is 3 weeks in any calendar year.
A customer who satisfies the conditions for JST cannot claim Jobseeker’s Allowance instead.
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) can be summarised as follows:
Half-rate Adoptive Benefit, half-rate Carer’s Benefit, half-rate Health and Safety Benefit and half-rate Maternity Benefit are not payable with JST.
A new statutory rental disregard of up to €269.23 per week (€14,000 per year) has been introduced and applies from the 12 July 2022 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 Operational Guidelines: Means Assessment for more details.
An increase for a qualified child is only payable once in respect of a child and is not payable to a person's spouse or civil partner on another social welfare payment. There is no half rate increase for a qualified child on One-Parent Family Payment.
An Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) is not payable on any social welfare payment, in respect of a child for whom Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) or (Non-Contributory) is in payment. Where a customer in receipt of Guardians Payment has an additional child or children in respect of whom they are not in receipt of Guardians Payment, an IQC may be payable in respect of that child or children so long as the IQC conditions are satisfied.