FAQ about dole payments and collection

• How to sign for dole? Where to sign on for dole? Go to your local social welfare office. To find your local office click here. Read signing on guide here.
  

• What are the current payments for JB/JA? Personal rate at the moment is € 204.30

• Which documents needed for the dole? Your PPS Number, payslips, P60, P45, letter of redundancy, proof of address, proof of identity
  

• How and when to collect dole from post office? You should receive a letter stating your collection day and post office name.

• How many days do I have to collect the dole from post office? Usually it's 3 days. Confirm this with your post office clerk.

• How long is waiting time for dole? The waiting time is different for every office. I heard that it's much quicker than 3-4 months ago. Read my blog post about waiting times in Ireland.

• What to bring to post office to collect dole? What if I don't have a swipe card for dole? You will need to bring your swipe card (social services card) or a temporary signing card (yellow), which you can get in your social welfare centre.

• What do I need to bring when signing for the dole? Your PPS Card (swipe card).If it's your first time bring proof of identity and grab a letter you received in the post.

• What if I missed a weekly dole collection? It might be still in the post office. Go to post office and check.If not immediately go to social welfare centre. It will be reissued to you and might take longer.
  

• What is the phone number for Social Welfare Office? 1890 66 22 44 (Lo Call) (from within the Republic of Ireland) 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday To Friday

• What is the website for Social Welfare? Go straight to www.welfare.ie

• If you have any problem email to info@welfare.ie

Hope you found this information about dole helpful.
Please remember that I'm not representing Social Welfare.

Shopping in Northern Ireland and saving well-earned money

So finally I went to do shopping to Northern Ireland and I'm very happy with that. We saved around staggering 188 Euros. Unbelievable!

1. B&Q garden shed - €357 instead of € 445 from B&Q Ireland/€ 50o from Argos
2. Hoover - € 89 instead of € 112 from Argos Ireland
3. Lawnmower - €57 instead of € 87 from Argos Ireland
4. Food from Asda Kilkeel - €62 euro - I would pay €100 for all this things in Ireland

There were few more things and definitely cheaper. Even paying for petrol we still saved around 188 Euro. Not bad for a day trip plus great savings.

I personally suggest to everyone to do the same thing - shop in Northern Ireland. Is it ethical? There is no answer to that? Should I shop in a rip-off land with terrible customer service???

Our goverment should reduce the VAT and then people will be buying and spending money here...

You will need photo ID when collecting dole and other social welfare bebefits

Long time ago I told my partner, social welfare cards should have a photo or at least have a passport with you to prove that you are the person on the card. This swipe card can be used by anyone without any photo on it. Anyone can defraud! Finally!

As the numbers claiming welfare increases significantly, the Department of Social and Family Affairs is introducing stricter identity checks in Post Offices throughout the country for people collecting Social Welfare payments. Minister Mary Hanafin T.D., today (6^th April 2009) said that tighter security checks were necessary as part of the crackdown on those claiming a jobseeker payment but not resident in the state.

"People legitimately collecting a social welfare payment should be able to produce valid photographic ID, such as a Driving Licence, Passport or National Identity card. Staff working in Post Offices have to be satisfied that they are giving the right payment to the right person" said the Minister.

Notices will be displayed in all post offices throughout the country in the coming weeks advising customers collecting social welfare payments such as Jobseekers, One Parent Family Payment, Back to Work or Child Benefit payments that they must be able to produce a valid ID to collect their payment. An Post staff must be satisfied that they are making the correct payment to the right person. All claimants should be able to produce valid photographic ID when collecting a payment.

To read more go to Social Welfare Press Page.

Update: Till now you don't need to bring photo ID to the post office but I guess it might change in few weeks. I will keep you updated.

How to save money in recession

Do you want to save during recession?
It's possible if you try.
Here are few saving tips...
You are welcome to add more by leaving comment....


Do
-change to fluorescent light bulbs
-rent a room
-eat at home more often and avoid takeaways or eating out less
-when buying petrol check pumps.ie before you go
-switch your gas/electricity provider. Check Bord Gais thebigswitch.ie or Airtricity. Switch and save up to 14%
-go North for shopping
-research before buying. Check few shops before spending your well-earned cash
-sell on Ebay or Buy & Sell unneccessary items
-keep and analyze your spendings. Try Xpenser as online budget diary
-send sms messages from online
-take made at home lunch or at least sandwiches to job
-shop at Lidl or Aldi
-use Dublin Bus Ramblers

Collecting dole from post office...

Everyone signing on the Live Register from now on will have to collect their weekly benefit payment at a post office instead of it being paid automatically to their bank account.
You must collect your payment within three days of your payment day. After signing on, you will receive a letter saying when you can collect your first payment. Be careful not to miss it! If you do not collect it on time the payment will be returned to the department and there will be a delay in getting reissued to you.

What to bring to post office to collect dole? You will need to bring your swipe card (social services card) or a temprorary signing card (yellow), which you can get in your social welfare centre.

If you have any questions, please ask!

Dole: How long to wait for dole?

Dole: How long to wait for dole? I would say it's really depends on your luck and the bunch of people in social welfare center...

Here are few articles from internet which might give us an idea of time (please notice the time of weeks is increasing with every article)!

• Waiting time in Gorey for dole payments is longest in county (2.41 weeks)
• New Cork jobless waiting seven weeks for dole
• Dole cash can take 10 weeks, minister admits
• 3-month delay for dole pay-outs
• Newly unemployed wait 15 weeks for dole
• Kells now has longest wait times for dole payments (16 weeks)

If you are still waitng for your dole cheque call to Social Welfare 1890 20 23 25 or please contact the Information Section info@welfare.ie Give them your PPS number and name.

Plus here is a quick link for Adress and Phone number Finder for Social Welfare and other offices.