Support the Crosscare Campaign on Jobseeker’s Allowance

Crosscare seeks to reverse 2014 Budget cuts to Jobseeker’s Allowance

Written by Rebekah Connolly

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Crosscare is the Social Support Agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin which provides a range of social care, community and youth work services across Dublin and Wicklow.

Crosscare works with young people who are among the most vulnerable in Irish society.

Many of these young people can feel as though they cannot participate in education or training and are reliant on Government allowances as a means of financial support.

Crosscare Campaign

Crosscare is currently running a campaign to restore full adult-rate Jobseeker's Allowance payment to any young person under-25 who is:

  • Accessing homeless services or assessed as homeless by Community Welfare Service
  • Exiting homelessness, State care or Direct Provision into independent living
  • Living independently and has exited homelessness, State care or Direct Provision

Jobseeker's Allowance Payment Cuts

In the Budget of 2014 Jobseeker’s allowance rates were reduced for those aged between 22-25 years old.

Before these cuts, Jobseeker’s aged 18-21 years received €100 per week, Jobseeker’s aged 22-24 received of €144 and Jobseeker’s aged 25 and above received a payment of €188 per week.

From the 14th of January 2014 these payment rates changed. New Jobseeker’s aged 18-24 then received €100 per week and only those aged 25 and above received €144 per week.

The impact of cuts

Crosscare believes that the current reduced rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance stop young people from being able to live independently if they do not have family or financial supports.

The Budget cuts of 2014 have put young people in a disadvantaged position and Crosscare are calling on the Government to reverse these changes in order to give young people the opportunity to have independent and sustainable lives.

Giving young people the ability to save can have the long term effects of stopping them from being homeless, entering State care and Direct Provision.

Crosscare Action

Crosscare has tried using pre-budget submission and requesting meeting with the relevant politicians to reverse the budget cuts, but haven’t been successful.

Crosscare are now looking for public support on the issue to help their cause influence Government policy.

If you are interested in supporting the Crosscare campaign you can visit their website here for more information.

Our work is supported by

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Community-foundation
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