Can You Get Maternity Benefit When You’re Unemployed?

You’re generally not eligible for Maternity Benefit if you’re pregnant and unemployed.

The exception?

If your contract ends within 16 weeks of your baby’s due date and you meet the conditions regarding Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions.

We’ll tell you everything you need to know below.

How to Qualify for Maternity Benefit If You’re Unemployed

You must meet the following conditions to qualify for Maternity Benefit while unemployed:

Your employment contract ended within 16 weeks of the week of your child’s birth.

You meet any of the conditions for PRSI contributions for Maternity Benefit.

You don’t qualify?

Don’t worry. Let’s look at four alternative social welfare payments you could receive instead of Maternity Benefit.

Pregnant While Unemployed: 4 Alternative Benefits You Could Potentially Get

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for any of these four social welfare entitlements:

1. Jobseeker’s Payments

If you’re pregnant and already receive a Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance, you can continue receiving those benefit payments.

If not, you can apply for a Jobseeker's payment if you want temporary financial support while unemployed or seeking work.

Don’t qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit?

You may be eligible to receive a Jobseeker’s Allowance, subject to a means test and certain other conditions. Let’s check these out.

A. Eligibility Conditions

1. For Jobseeker’s Benefit:

• You must be over 18 and under 66 years of age.

• You must be unemployed or working less than 4 days per week.

• You must be available for and actively seeking work.

• You must have enough social insurance contributions.

2. For Jobseeker’s Allowance:

• You must be over 18 and under 66 years of age.

• You must be unemployed or working less than 3 days per week.

• You must be available for and actively seeking work.

• You must satisfy a means test determining whether you or your family are eligible for certain social welfare payments or services based on income and assets.

• You must demonstrate that you have a right to reside in Ireland and intend to remain in Ireland for the foreseeable future.

B. Application

You can apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance in two ways:

• Apply online at www.mywelfare.ie — you must have a basic MyGovID account.

• Apply in person at your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

C. Payment rate as of 2024

1. For Jobseeker’s Benefit:

• If your average weekly earnings are below €150:

  • Maximum rate: €104.10

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €99.70

  • Increase for a child under 12: €42 (full rate), €21 (half-rate)

  • Increase for a child over 12: €50 (full rate), €25 (half-rate)

• If your average weekly earnings are €150 - €219.99:

  • Maximum rate: €149.60

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €99.70

• If your average weekly earnings are €20 - €299.99:

  • Maximum rate: €181.70

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €99.70

• If your average weekly earnings are €300+:

  • Maximum rate: €232

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €154

    • Increase for Child Dependents:

      • Those receiving the Jobseeker’s benefit (all tiers) will get an increase of:

        • €46 (full rate), €23 (half-rate) for child dependents under 12 years of age.

        • €54 (full rate), €27 (half-rate) for child dependents above 12 years of age.

2. For Jobseeker’s Allowance:

• If you’re 25 years or older:

  • Maximum rate: €232

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €154

  • Increase for a child under 12: €46 (full rate), €23 (half-rate)

  • Increase for a child over 12: €54 (full rate), €27 (half-rate)

• If you’re 18-24 years old & living independently:

  • Maximum rate: €232

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €154

  • Increase for a child under 12: €46 (full rate), €23 (half-rate)

  • Increase for a child over 12: €54 (full rate), €27 (half-rate)

• If you’re 18-24years old & not living independently:

  • Maximum rate: €141.70

  • Increase for an adult dependant: €141.70

  • If you have children, you qualify for the maximum personal rate of €232.

2. Illness Benefit

If you are unemployed and unable to work due to illness or injury, you will continue to receive Illness Benefit as long as you are certified by a general practitioner (GP).

You may also get an IQC (Increase for a Qualified Child) once your baby is born, meaning the amount of Illness Benefit you receive will increase.

But look:

You can’t use pregnancy as the medical reason to apply for Illness Benefit — unless you experience complications that meet the medical criteria.

A. Eligibility Conditions

• You must be under the age of 66.

• You must be medically certified as unfit to work by a GP.

• You must apply within 6 weeks of becoming ill.

• You must have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

B. Application

Send a completed claim form (IB1) and medical certificate by Freepost to:

Social Welfare Services, P.O. Box 1650, Dublin 1.

C. Payment rate as of 2024

• If your average weekly earnings are €300+:

  • Personal rate: €232

  • Increase for an adult-dependent: €154

• If your average weekly earnings are €220 - €299.99:

  • Personal rate: €181.70

  • Increase for an adult-dependent: €99.70

• If your average weekly earnings are €150 - €219.99:

  • Personal rate: €149.60

  • Increase for an adult-dependent: €99.70

• If your average weekly earnings are below €150:

  • Personal rate: €104.10

  • Increase for an adult-dependent: €99.70

3. Disability Allowance

To qualify for disability benefits, you must have a long-term illness or disability affecting your workability.

Like Illness Benefit, you may receive an IQC once your baby is born.

A. Eligibility Conditions

• You must be aged between 16 and 66 years.

• You must have a disability or a long-term illness that has lasted for at least one year or is expected to last at least one year.

• You must have a disability that restricts you from work suitable for your age, experience, and qualifications.

• You must live in Ireland and satisfy a means test and habitual residence conditions.

B. Application

Obtain the Disability Allowance application form from your Social Welfare Branch Office or Intreo Centre, fill it out, and send it to the following address:

Department of Social Protection,

Social Welfare Services Office,

Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road,

Longford, Ireland

C. Payment rate as of 2024

• Personal rate (claimant): €232

• Increase for an adult-dependant: €154

• Increase for a child-dependant under 12: €46 (full rate), €23 (half-rate)

• Increase for a child-dependant over 12: €54 (full rate), €27 (half-rate)

4. One-Parent Family Payment

Are you a single parent in Ireland?

You may be entitled to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) after your baby is born. It helps with living and childcare costs.

A. Eligibility Conditions

You must be under the age of 66.

• You must be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian of at least one child under 7 years of age.

• You must be the main carer of one or more children under the age limit. The child/children must live with you, and you must have sole custody.

• You must pass the means test and habitual residence condition.

• You must not be cohabiting or living with a spouse or civil partner. Cohabitants are couples that live together but who aren’t married or in a civil partnership.

If you are separated or divorced, you must:

• Have been living separately from your spouse or civil partner for at least 3 months. This condition does not apply to cohabitants.

• Lack of adequate maintenance by your spouse or civil partner if they are the child's parent.

If your civil partner or spouse is imprisoned, they must have spent at least 6 months in prison or custody.

B. Application

Mail your One-Parent Family Payment application form to your local Social Welfare Branch Office or Intreo Centre.

C. Payment rate as of 2024

• Maximum personal weekly rate: €232

• Increase for child-dependant under 12: €46

• Increase for child-dependant over 12: €54

Access Ireland’s Safety Net for Unemployed Pregnant Women

In Ireland, you can qualify for Maternity Benefit while unemployed — provided your employment contract ends within 16 weeks of the week your baby is due.

But you must also satisfy the PRSI conditions for Maternity Benefit.

Alternatively, you could be eligible for Jobseeker’s Allowance, Illness Benefit, Disability Allowance, and One-Parent Family Payment — depending on your situation or medical condition.

Contact your Social Welfare Branch Office or Intreo Centre for further information regarding these benefits.