She struggled to pay her rent for three months while she waited for her jobseeker's benefits to be reinstated.

Each week's payment earns the employee a "credit" or "contribution", which credits are used to establish entitlements to non-means-tested welfare payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit and the State Pension (contributory).

Tesco confirmed it does participate in the Department of Work and Pensions Work Experience scheme in which people claiming jobseeker's benefit can be asked to work in charities and major profitable high street chains for up to eight weeks at 30 hours a week.

People aged 18 and over and who are unemployed in Ireland can apply for either the Jobseeker's Allowance (Liúntas do Lucht Cuardaigh Fostaíochta) or the Jobseeker's Benefit (Sochar do Lucht Cuardaigh Fostaíochta).