Signing on

If you lose your job, are made redundant, laid off, or if your working hours are reduced you may qualify for a jobseeker’s payment.

When you apply for a jobseeker’s payment you declare that you are available for work, fit for work, and looking for work, but can't find work. This is also known as signing on.

There are 4 jobseeker’s payments:

• Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed)
• Jobseeker’s Allowance

Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit

To qualify for Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit (JPRB), you must:

• Become fully unemployed on or after 31 March 2025
• Have enough paid social insurance contributions

Your JPRB rate of payment is linked to your earning from work before you became unemployed.

You should check if you would be better off on the means-tested Optional Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) if:

• You get a reduced rate of JPRB
• You have an adult or child dependants

JPRB and work

You cannot work and get JPRB. If you get part-time work, you should check if you qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance for the days you are not working.

Jobseeker’s Benefit

You may get Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) if you have enough social insurance contributions, but you don’t qualify for JPRB because you became unemployed before 28 March 2025 or you are not fully unemployed.

To get JB you must be:

• A part-time, casual or seasonal worker
• A short-time worker
• A retained fire fighter
• Temporarily laid-off work continuously at specific times during the year, for example, your employment is based around the school or academic year.

JB rate of payment is linked to your previous earnings. If you don’t qualify for the maximum rate of JB, you should check if you would be better off on the means tested Optional Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) - see JA below.

JB and work

To get Jobseeker's Benefit, you must be unemployed for at least 4 out of 7 consecutive days. Find out more about Jobseeker’s Benefit and work.

Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed)

To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) (JBSE), you must:

• Have enough paid social insurance contributions.
• Have stopped all self-employment activity

If you don't qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed), you should check if you qualify for the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) - see JA below.

JBSE and work

To get JBSE you must stop all self-employment activity. However, similar to JB, you can work as an employee for up to 3 days each week and continue to get Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed).

Jobseeker’s Allowance

To get Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) you must pass a means test. A means test is when your income is assessed to see whether it falls below a certain level to qualify. Find out more about the means test for Jobseeker’s Allowance.

JA and work

You do not have to be fully unemployed to get JA. To get JA you must be unemployed for at least 4 days out of 7 consecutive days. Find out more about Jobseeker’s Allowance and work.

Applying for a jobseeker’s payment is also known as signing on.

Online applications

If you have a verified MyGovID account, you can apply for Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit, Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance online at MyWelfare.ie

When you log in, you will be asked for some personal and financial information, as well as details of your employment, training or education history. You will also be asked to upload or post any supporting documents that are needed.

Paper applications

You can request a paper application form for a jobseeker’s payment by emailing Jobseekersforms@welfare.ie. Alternatively, forms are also available from your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

If you are making a repeat claim (less than 6 months since your last claim), you fill in form UP6.

You will also need certain documents when you apply for a jobseeker’s payment. If you do not have these documents to hand, you should apply anyway and supply them later. A delay in applying for a jobseeker’s payment may mean that you lose out on your full entitlements.

You can get help to fill in your application form at your local Intreo Centre, Social Welfare Branch Office or Citizens Information Centre.

Public Services Card

All jobseekers have to register for a Public Services Card if you have not been issued with one already.

Personal Progression Plan

Depending on your personal profile, you may be given an appointment for a further meeting with a DSP Employment Personal Advisor. At this meeting your case officer will discuss your options with you and agree your Personal Progression Plan to prepare you to find employment. You will get ongoing advice and support to help you meet the goals in your Personal Progression Plan.

Your jobseeker’s payment is paid weekly by the Department of Social Protection.

You must bring your Public Services Card or Social Services Card (SSC) with you if you collect your payment at the post office.

If you are using an SSC, you will also require photo ID. Any of the following forms of photo ID can be used with your SCC

• Driving Licence
• Passport
• Irish Residence Permit

If you have lost your PSC or SSC or your card has expired, contact your nearest Intreo Centre for assistance.

Your jobseeker's payment can be paid into your bank account or another financial institution if you are also working part-time or short-time or on a casual basis.

If you are over 62, you can collect your payment at your local Post Office or it can be paid into your bank account or another financial institution.

When you get your jobseeker’s payment, you will have to sign a declaration, usually every month, that you are still unemployed and qualify for a jobseeker’s payment. You may be asked to sign on more or less frequently.

Your Intreo Centre will let you know how often you must sign on. You will be given a place, date and time to sign on.

If you don’t sign on the set day or by the end of the following day, your payment is suspended. If you don’t sign on, your payment may be stopped.

If you do not keep to the conditions of your jobseeker’s payment, your payment can be reduced and eventually stopped altogether.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance provides a basic weekly allowance to eligible people who have little or no income. If your weekly income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family size, a payment may be made to bring your income up to the appropriate Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate.

If you have claimed any social welfare payment, but it has not been paid and you have no other income, you may qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance while you are waiting for your payment.

If you get a jobseeker's payment or Supplementary Welfare Allowance you may be entitled to other social welfare and health benefits.

If your income is below a certain amount you may get a medical card or a GP visit card.

You may get help with paying your rent. If you are in local authority housing you should contact your local authority and ask for a review of your rent.

You may get help with the cost of uniforms and footwear for your children. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme operates from 1 June to 30 September each year.

If you have an exceptional or urgent need, for example, you need help with a funeral bill, you can apply for a range of discretionary payments from the DSP's Community Welfare Officer).

Intreo provides a one-stop shop for employment services and income supports with a range of personalised supports for jobseekers including:

• Information on all the income supports provided by the Department of Social Protection, for example, jobseeker’s payments, back to work and back to education payments, one-parent family payments and pensions
• Help and advice on employment, training and personal development opportunities
• Personalised support to help you enter the workforce
• Self-service facilities with information and guidance on employment and training opportunities
• Information on job vacancies through jobsireland.ie

Details of Intreo Centre locations are published on gov.ie.