Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
The new Jobseekers Pay Related Benefit (JPRB)
We provide an overview of the payment, our initial reactions, and highlight an opportunity for you to participate in training around the payment.
Introduced on March 31st, 2025, the new Jobseekers Pay Related Benefit is a payment targeted to support people who become newly unemployed. The duration of this payment is similar to Jobseeker’s Benefit: up to 9 months for people who have made PRSI for at least 5 years and up to 6 months for people who have made contributions between two and five years.
The re-introduction of a Jobseeker’s Pay Related benefit is very welcome. Many people who lose their jobs will now be financially better off on the new payment than they would have been on Jobseeker’s Benefit.
Once satisfying the PRSI contributions of at least 5 years of contributions from employment, the payment rates are:
- First 13 weeks: 60% of previous earnings up to €450 per week
- Next 13 weeks: 55% of previous earnings up to €375 per week
- Last 13 weeks: 50% of previous earnings up to €300 per week
For people who have between 2 and 5 years paid PRSI contributions, the rate is set at 50% of previous earnings subject to a maximum of €300 per week and 26 weeks duration. A weekly minimum rate of €125 will apply to this payment.
The INOU had long sought the re-introduction of a pay related Jobseeker’s Benefit payment. The benefit is a significant improvement for people who become newly unemployed and reduces the risk of falling into debt and arrears to meet existing living costs. However, some concerns we have raised in submissions have not been addressed in this new benefit.
Like the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, the new Jobseekers Pay Related Benefit (JPRB) will only be made to the claimant. There will be no Qualified Adult or Child Support Payment paid on this payment, which sets families at a significant disadvantage. This issue is amongst the concerns raised with the INOU; others include:
- There is no provision to receive JPRB and to take up part-time employment. If a person is receipt of this payment wishes to take up part-time employment, they must transfer to a different Jobseeker’s payment: Benefit or Allowance. Yet, part-time work provides a key pathway to return to the labour market and could be valuable in supporting someone to switch to a new sector or industry.
- As with Jobseekers Benefit, the duration on this payment may not facilitate people to avail of the full range of supports within the Public Employment Service. There is a risk of people unable to reskill and avail of emerging opportunities at a time when the world of work is changing.
We look forward to working with the Department of Social Protection to bring about additional flexibilities in this benefit to maximise the support it can provide for people managing the impact of unemployment on their lives and who are seeking to re-enter the labour market.
We will be providing a training session on this benefit to staff who work with people navigating the social welfare system on the 10th June. Keep an eye on our training page for more information.