Jobseeker's Transitional payment

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a social welfare payment for people who are parenting alone, whose youngest child is aged between 7 and 14.

JST is €244 per week, with an extra amount per child. You may get less than this based on a means test.

You can get One Parent Family Payment until your youngest child turns 7. After this, you can apply for JST, but you should check if other payments are more suited to your situation. JST is paid until your youngest child turns 14.

You don’t need to have been getting One Parent Family Payment to qualify for JST.

The rules for getting JST are similar to One Parent Family Payment. Although it is a jobseeker’s payment, many of the usual rules for Jobseeker’s Allowance do not apply. However, you must engage with your local Intreo office when asked to do so.

To qualify for JST, you must:

1. Be the main carer of a child that is at least 7 and under 14 (the payment ends when the youngest child reaches 14)
2. Not live with a spouse, partner or civil partner
3. Satisfy a means test
4. Engage with your local Intreo office and sign a quarterly declaration
5. Be habitually resident in Ireland

Main carer for a child

The child must normally live with you. If they live with the other parent of the child (or some other person) for part of the week, you can still qualify for JST. The child must live with you for the greater part of the week.

You cannot get JST if you have joint equal custody of the child. Joint custody means that the child lives equally between you and their other parent.

Not cohabiting

You cannot get JST if you are living with your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant. This applies to opposite sex and same sex relationships. It also applies if the person is not the parent of the child.

If you are married and have separated, you cannot get JST until you have been separated for 3 months.

The Department of Social Protection has detailed guidance on what cohabitation means for social welfare payments.

Pass a means test

Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a means-tested payment. This means your income, savings and capital are assessed to see if you qualify for the full payment, a reduced payment, or nothing.

Capital includes:

• Property (that you don’t live in)
• Land
• Company shares
• Other types of investment

You can rent out a room in the home that you live in and earn up to €14,000 a year without it affecting your JST.

Income from work

If you are working, the first €165 of your gross weekly earnings is disregarded (or not taken into account). Half (50%) of the balance is assessed as means.

If you are self-employed, your net profit (your gross income minus expenses) is assessed in full. The €165 disregard does not apply, and 100% of your income is assessed as means.

You should check if you would be better off claiming Working Family Payment if you work at least 38 hours per fortnight.

Maintenance

If you get maintenance for yourself, this is calculated as part of your means. However, from 4 June 2024, child maintenance payments are not assessed in the means test.

Up to €95.23 per week can be disregarded if you use it for housing costs. Half of the remaining maintenance is then assessed as your means.

Engage with local Intreo and sign a quarterly declaration

You must sign a declaration every quarter of a year to say that you still qualify for the payment. You also must attend appointments at your local Intreo when asked, and your rate of payment could be reduced if you refuse to take part in recommended courses, employment, and schemes.

Habitually resident

You must live in Ireland and satisfy the habitual residence condition.

This table shows the differences between Jobseeker’s Allowance and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.

You can get Child Benefit for your children until their 19th birthday.

You may also qualify for extra payments (depending on your situation) like:

• Fuel Allowance
• Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
• Rent Supplement

You cannot get the Working Family Payment in addition to Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment.

You can also check if you would qualify for:

• A medical card or GP visit card
• A student grant if you are in full-time study
• Local authority housing
• Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)

You apply for the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment using the JST1 form. You can also get an application form from your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You can get help with filling in your application form at your Intreo Centre, Social Welfare Branch Office or nearest Citizens Information Centre.

If you think you have been wrongly refused Jobseeker's Transitional payment you can appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

If you wish to talk to someone about your entitlements, you can contact your local:

• Citizens Information Centre
• Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office

Treoir and One Family can also provide support and information when you are parenting alone.