Jobseeker's Transitional Payment

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme. It is a means-tested payment.

You may qualify for this payment if you do not live with a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and your youngest child is between 7 and 14 years old.

To qualify for JST you must:

• Be capable of work
• Be under 66 years old
• Be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a relevant child (this means a child under the relevant age limit)
• Be the main carer of at least one relevant child. The child must live with you. You cannot get JST if you have joint equal custody of a child or children
• Satisfy a means test
• Not be cohabiting

If you are separated, divorced or your civil partnership is dissolved, you must have been living apart for at least three months before you apply for JST.

When your youngest child turns 14, the normal Jobseeker’s Allowance conditions will apply to you.

You can take part in a course or education and get JST. (If you are eligible, you may also get a student maintenance grant from SUSI – Student Universal Support Ireland).

You do not have to be available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work, but you must be capable of work.

This is to allow you to meet your caring responsibilities when you have young children. Childcare supports are available if you do find work.

You do not have to be fully unemployed for four out of seven days. This means that you could work part-time for five days and still get JST (subject to the means test). This would allow you to work mornings only while your child or children are in school.

The rate on Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is €244 a week, plus a Child Support Payment for each qualified child.

Any child maintenance that you get is no longer included in the means test. However, if you are getting maintenance that is not child maintenance, this will continue to be means tested.

Rental disregard

A statutory rental disregard of up to €269.23 per week (€14,000 per year) applies 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 Assessmentfor more details.

To apply, fill in the form below and return it with the relevant supporting documents to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You can appeal a decision if you are unhappy with it. You should appeal within 21 days of the decision and you can ask for an oral hearing.

The easiest and quickest way to make your appeal is online on www.MyWelfare.ie. All you need is a verified MyGovID account. You can get a verified MyGovID account if you have a Public Services Card, a verified mobile phone number and an email address.

An appeals officer, whose decision is final, will then decide your case. Some cases can be decided without an oral hearing.

If new information comes to light or your circumstances change, you can apply for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment again.

You can find more information on how to make an appeal here: Item was unpublished or removed

Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.

Operational Guidelines: Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.