The social welfare payment
most identified with pregnancy is Maternity Benefit. However, if you are
are pregnant and getting a different social welfare payment, you can continue
to get your payment as long as you satisfy the conditions. You may also be
entitled to half-rate Maternity Benefit if you are getting certain
social welfare payments (for example, One-Parent Family Payment) and are in
employment.
You cannot qualify for
Maternity Benefit if you are unemployed and pregnant, unless your contract of
employment ends within 16 weeks of the week in which your baby is due and you
satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions. In this case, Maternity Benefit is
paid from the day after the date on your P45.
If you do not qualify for
Maternity Benefit you may qualify for another social welfare payment.
This document explains how
pregnancy is treated if you are getting Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s
Allowance, Illness Benefit or One-Parent Family Payment.
Pregnancy and Jobseeker’s Benefit
If you are pregnant you may
continue to get Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB). You are considered capable of work
unless, you have complications during your pregnancy or you are ill. You must
be available for and genuinely seeking work to get Jobseeker's Benefit; this
means that you must continue to look for work throughout your pregnancy.
However, 4 weeks before your
baby is due to be born and for 8 weeks after the birth, you do not have
to sign-on at your local social welfare office and you donot have to prove
that you are seeking work. You must inform your local social welfare
office of your pregnancy.
Your Jobseeker’s Benefit
will only be paid for the number of weeks remaining on your claim. If you no
longer qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit you can apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance
(see below). The rules for Jobseeker's Allowance are similar to Jobseeker's
Benefit but you will have to pass a means test.
When your baby is born you
may qualify for an increase in your Jobseeker’s Benefit for your child. You
should contact the Jobseeker’s Benefit section to find out if you qualify.
Pregnancy and Jobseeker’s Allowance
If you are pregnant you may
continue to get Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA). You are considered capable of work,
unless, you have complications during your pregnancy or you have an illness.
You must be available for and genuinely seeking work to get Jobseeker's
Allowance; this means that you must continue to look for work throughout your
pregnancy.
However, 4 weeks before your
baby is due to be born and for 8 weeks after the birth, you do not have
to sign-on at your local social welfare office and you donot have to prove
that you are seeking work. You must inform your local social welfare
office of your pregnancy.
When your baby is born you
may qualify for an increase in your Jobseeker’s Allowance for your child. You
should contact the Jobseeker’s Allowance section to find out if you qualify.
What if I can't get Jobseeker's Allowance/Benefit because
of illness during pregnancy?
If you are sick or ill
during your pregnancy you are not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance or
Jobseeker's Benefit. You may get Illness Benefit if you have worked and have
enough social insurance contributions (see below). If you are not entitled to
Illness Benefit and your illness is expected to last for more than 12 months
you may be entitled to Disability Allowance.
If you are pregnant and
either not getting a social welfare payment or not entitled to any of the above
social welfare payments, you may get some financial support under the
Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme..
Pregnancy and Illness Benefit
If you are pregnant,
unemployed and claiming Illness Benefit you will continue to be paid Illness
Benefit provided you have a condition other than pregnancy to warrant your
being on Illness Benefit. You must continue to send in medical certificates to
qualify for Illness Benefit.
You cannot use pregnancy
itself as a medical reason to claim Illness Benefit. However, medical
complications arising from your pregnancy can satisfy the medical criteria for
Illness Benefit.
When your baby is born you
may qualify for an increase in your Illness Benefit for a child dependent. You
should contact the Illness Benefit section to find out if you qualify.
Pregnant and on sick leave from work
If you are on sick leave
from work and getting Illness Benefit immediately before you are due to start
your maternity leave, you will be paid Maternity Benefit in the normal way if
you satisfy the social insurance contributions.
The social insurance
contributions for Maternity Benefit and Illness Benefit are not the same.
Therefore, if you are in employment but on sick leave and not getting Illness
Benefit you may still qualify for Maternity Benefit. However, you must satisfy
the social insurance contributions.
Pregnancy and One-Parent Family Payment
If you are pregnant and
getting a One-Parent Family Payment, you will continue to get the payment as
long as you satisfy the conditions. When your baby is born you will qualify for
an increase in your payment for a child dependent.
If you are pregnantand do not have
other children, you are not entitled to One-Parent Family Payment
until your baby is born.
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