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Work Placement Experience Programme
From Department of Social Protection
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The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) is a 6-month, 30 hour per week voluntary work and training experience programme. The programme is for jobseekers that are currently getting a qualifying social welfare payment and who have been unemployed for between 4 months (if under 30 years of age) and 6 months (if over 30 years of age).
The minimum weekly rate of your personal rate is €335. You may also get an extra amount for your adult dependant called an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA). An adult dependant is usually your spouse or civil partner.
See the qualifying list in the next section.
If you would like to re-train and gain experience in another type of employment, this programme can help you build new skills and gain work experience. You cannot take a placement where you already have built up experience in the role.
You can work part-time while you are on the programme, provided the part-time work does not impact your placement. The part-time work cannot be with the WPEP host.
To qualify for the Work Placement Experience Programme, an individual must be:
- aged between 18 and 65 years of age, and
- getting a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period of 156 days (6 months) in previous 12 months before to WPEP application; if the applicant is over 30 years of age
- getting a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period of 104 days (4 months) in previous 12 months before to WPEP application; if the applicant is under 30 years
If you are getting One-Parent Family, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension you will automatically qualify for WPEP without the required 104-156 days qualifying timeframe.
Time spent on Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA), Community Employment (CE) Scheme, Tús and Rural Social Scheme (RSS) will count towards eligibility. However, the person must be eligible for and transfer to a Jobseekers payment before taking up a placement.
Time spent in prison may count towards the qualifying time (104 to 156 days depending on age) once entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment is established. An application for a jobseeker’s payment must be made on-line by selecting Out of Work Payments on MyWelfare . The jobseeker should type WPEP1234 in the reference code box that can be accessed on Education & Training page of their application.
Time spent on Carer’s Allowance can also count towards the eligibility period, but your caring responsibilities must have ceased, and you must currently be in receipt of either JA, JB, JST or OFP.
Time spent in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) can also count towards the 4 month/6 month qualifying period provided the claimant is currently in receipt of one of the above listed payments (i.e. no breaks between payments), eg. 2 months on IB followed immediately by 2 months on JA.
Time spent on Active Labour Market Programmes (ALMPs) will count towards eligibility for the WPEP provided the programme has been completed in full and person is now 18 years or older and in receipt of an eligible payment. This includes Education Training Allowance for VTOS, Back to Education Allowance, Springboard and if you were a learner within Youthreach or a Community Training Centre and are now on a qualifying payment (no waiting time).
Time spent on Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection weekly payment will count towards eligibility for the WPEP programme. Time spent on payments prior to receiving a Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection weekly payment of €38.80 such as JA/JB/One Parent Family payment will also count towards the qualifying time required.
No qualifying period is required for those jobseekers in receipt of a qualifying DSP payment and who are considered by their Employment Personal Advisor to experience barriers to entry into the labour market. These barriers may include:
- people with a disability or experiencing mental health issues
- members of the Travelling or Roma community
- refugees or migrants
- older people who have lost their job later in their career
- people who have spent some time out of the workplace because of caring responsibilities (cannot be on Carer’s Allowance and must be on eligible payment)
- time in prison
The WPEP Guidelines provide information on participant eligibility or you can check with your local Intreo Centre Employment Personal Advisor to see if you are entitled to take part in any scheme or placement.
The weekly rate of payment is €335 plus any additional payments you may be entitled to for a Qualified Adult or a Qualified Child.
If you are entitled to additional benefits such as Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Increase or Telephone Support Allowance, you can get these in addition to the main WPEP payment.
You can apply for WPEP by registering on JobsIreland.ie.
Once registered, you can apply for WPEP vacancies advertised on JobsIreland.
Application Form: Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP1)
Joint Application Form for Jobseeker and Employer Updated: September 2021
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Work Placement Experience Programme: Personal Learning Plan (WPEP2)
Participant’s Personal Learning Plan and Guidelines for the Work Placement Experience Programme Updated: September 2021
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Work Placement Experience Programme: Personal Learning Journal
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