Jobseeker's Benefit
A PRSI-based weekly payment for people who lose their job. Since 31 March 2025 it is the payment for part-time, casual, seasonal and short-time workers. People who become fully unemployed now claim Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit instead.
- Type
- Based on PRSI
- Paid
- Every week
- Taxable
- Yes
- Administered by
- Department of Social Protection
How much is Jobseeker's Benefit?
€254/week
Average weekly earnings €300 or more
| Average weekly earnings €220 – €299.99 | €198.90/week |
|---|---|
| Average weekly earnings €150 – €219.99 | €163.70/week |
| Average weekly earnings under €150 | €114/week |
Increases you may also get
| Increase for an adult dependant (earnings €300+) | €168.60/week |
|---|---|
| Increase for an adult dependant (lower bands) | €109.20/week |
| Child Support Payment: child under 12 (full rate) | €58/week |
| Child Support Payment: child under 12 (half rate) | €29/week |
| Child Support Payment: child 12 or over (full rate) | €78/week |
| Child Support Payment: child 12 or over (half rate) | €39/week |
Budget 2027: from January 2027
Amounts a week. Announced, not yet in force. Until January 2027 you are paid the current rate.
| Rate | Now | From January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Average weekly earnings €300 or more | €254 | €264 |
| Average weekly earnings €220 – €299.99 | €198.90 | Not yet published |
| Average weekly earnings €150 – €219.99 | €163.70 | Not yet published |
| Average weekly earnings under €150 | €114 | Not yet published |
| Increase for an adult dependant (earnings €300+) | €168.60 | €175.20 |
| Increase for an adult dependant (lower bands) | €109.20 | Not yet published |
| Child Support Payment: child under 12 (full rate) | €58 | €64 |
| Child Support Payment: child under 12 (half rate) | €29 | Not yet published |
| Child Support Payment: child 12 or over (full rate) | €78 | €84 |
| Child Support Payment: child 12 or over (half rate) | €39 | Not yet published |
DSP's Budget 2027 tables publish the maximum rates only. It says reduced rates rise proportionately but does not list them; we show them when DSP publishes the full rates.
Read from Department of Social Protection, Budget 2027, checked .
Paid for 234 days (9 months) with 260 or more PRSI contributions, or 156 days (6 months) with fewer.
Who can get Jobseeker's Benefit
- Claim this rather than Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit if you work part-time after a substantial loss of employment, are a casual or seasonal worker, are put on short-time, are temporarily laid off at set times each year, are a retained firefighter, or your work is based around the school or academic year.
- You must be under 66 and have enough PRSI contributions.
- You must be capable of work, available for work and genuinely seeking work.
- You must be fully or partly unemployed, working no more than 3 days a week.
- You must have had a substantial loss of employment.
Is Jobseeker's Benefit means tested?
Not means-tested on your own income. However, a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant's income affects the Increase for a Qualified Adult: full increase up to €100 a week, reduced from €100 to €310, none above €310.
Things people get caught by
- If your last day of employment was on or after Friday 28 March 2025 and you are fully unemployed, Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is the payment to claim, not this one.
- A redundancy payment over €50,000 can disqualify you for 1 to 9 weeks on a sliding scale, with the longest disqualification above €90,000.
- When Jobseeker's Benefit is exhausted, most people move to the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance.
What else you might get
Payments interact. These are the ones that commonly go with Jobseeker's Benefit.
- Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit
The payment for people who become fully unemployed on or after 31 March 2025.
- Jobseeker's Allowance
What you normally move to when Jobseeker's Benefit runs out.
- Working Family Payment
If you move into full-time work with children in the household.