142.—(1) Subject to this section and to F844[sections F845[142A, 144] and 146,] the rate (in this Chapter referred to as “the scheduled rate”) of F846[jobseeker’s allowance] shall be—

[1995 s16]

(a) in the case of a person who—

(i) in any continuous period of unemployment, as read in accordance with section 141(3), has been in receipt of F847[jobseeker’s benefit, jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s pay-related benefit] in respect of not less than 390 days of unemployment, or

(ii) immediately before the week of unemployment for which F846[jobseeker’s allowance] is claimed, was in receipt of—

(I) one-parent family payment, but has ceased to be entitled to that allowance by virtue of no longer being regarded as a qualified parent within the meaning of section 172(1), or

F848[(IA) widow’s (non-contributory) pension, widower’s (non-contributory) pension or surviving civil partner’s (non-contributory) pension, but has ceased to be entitled to that pension by virtue of no longer being regarded as a widow, widower or surviving civil partner within the meaning of section 162(1), or]

(II) carer's allowance, but has ceased to be entitled to that allowance by virtue of no longer being regarded as a carer within the meaning of section 179(1),

the weekly rate set out in column (2) at reference 1(a) in Part 1 of Schedule 4, F849[increased by the amount set out in column (3) of that Part opposite that reference for any period during which the claimant or beneficiary has a qualified adult, subject to the restriction that the claimant or beneficiary shall not be entitled for the same period to an increase of allowance under this paragraph in respect of more than one person, and increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (4) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child F850[who has not attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary, or as the case may be, increased by the appropriate amount set out in column (5) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child who has attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary, or]]

(b) in any other case, the weekly rate set out in column (2) at reference 1(b) in Part 1 of Schedule 4, increased by—

(i) the amount set out in column (3) of that Part opposite that reference for any period during which the claimant or beneficiary has a qualified adult, subject to the restriction that the claimant or beneficiary shall not be entitled for the same period to an increase of F851[allowance] under this subparagraph in respect of more than one person, and

F852[(ii) the appropriate amount set out—

(I) in column (4) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child who has not attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary, and

(II) in column (5) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child who has attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary.]

F853[(1A) Subject to this Act and notwithstanding subsection (1), in the case of a person to whom F854[subsection (2) or (6) of section 141A or subsection (1) or (4) of section 141B] refers, the scheduled rate of jobseeker’s allowance shall be reduced and accordingly shall be the weekly rate as set out in column (2) at reference 1(b) of Part 1 of Schedule 4 which shall be reduced in each week by F855[€90], increased by—

(a) the amount set out in column (3) of that Part opposite that reference for any period during which the claimant or beneficiary has a qualified adult, subject to the restriction that the claimant or beneficiary shall not be entitled for the same period to an increase of allowance under this paragraph in respect of more than one person, and

F856[(b) the appropriate amount set out—

(i) in column (4) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child who has not attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary, and

(ii) in column (5) of that Part opposite that reference in respect of each qualified child who has attained the age of 12 years who normally resides with the claimant or beneficiary.]]

[1993 s121(2); 2001 s37(3)(a)]

(2) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), F846[jobseeker’s allowance] shall be payable where the weekly means of the claimant or beneficiary—

(i) are less than €1, at the scheduled rate,

(ii) are equal to €1, at the scheduled rate reduced by €1, and

(iii) exceed €1, at the scheduled rate, reduced by €1 for each amount (if any) of €1 by which those weekly means exceed €1.

(b) Where the weekly means of the claimant or beneficiary are equal to or exceed the scheduled rate, no F846[jobseeker’s allowance] shall be payable.

[1993 s121(3); 2005 (SW&P) s25 & Sch 3]

(3) Notwithstanding F857[subsection (2)(a)(iii) and section 142A(a)(iii),] where the sole means of a claimant for F846[jobseeker’s allowance], who is not one of a couple, are assessed under Rule 1(10) of Part 2 of Schedule 3 and where the rate of F851[allowance] payable to or in respect of the claimant, as calculated in accordance with subsection (2)(a)(iii), F858[section 142A(2)(a)(iii) or section 142B(2)(a)(iii)] would be a weekly amount which is 10 cent or more, but less than €40, the claimant shall be entitled to payment of F846[jobseeker’s allowance] at the weekly rate of €40.

[1993 s121(4)]

F859[(4) In subsection (3), ‘couple’ means—

(a) a married couple who are living together,

(b) both civil partners of a civil partnership who are living together, or

(c) both cohabitants.]

[1993 s121(4); 2005 (SW&P) s25 & Sch 3]

[1993 s121(5); 2001 s37 & Sch F]

(5) F860[…]

[1993 s121(6); 2001 s37 & Sch F]

(6) F860[…]

[1993 s121(7)]

(7) F860[…]