The accompanying table shows the number of disallowances of jobseekers allowance in each of the years from 2006 to date:
|
Total Decisions
|
Total Disallowances
|
2006
|
80,313
|
10,024
|
2007
|
82,072
|
10,711
|
2008
|
110,967
|
12,996
|
2009
|
194,932
|
21,375
|
16/5/2010
|
80,640
|
10,484
|
There are a number of reasons why a claim may be disallowed. The most common grounds for refusal are:
Means in Excess
The customer does not satisfy the means test. Their income is greater than the appropriate rate for the jobseekers allowance scheme, taken into account their family composition.
Not Habitually Resident in this country
This is where a customer's centre of interest is deemed not to be in Ireland. There are a number of other factors involved in determining if a customer is Habitually Resident in the State.
Other grounds for refusal relate to the conditions of being available for work or being genuinely seeking work.
All decisions relating to the claim are made by deciding officers and where a person is dissatisfied with a deciding officer's decision, they have a right to appeal to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.