Means Testing-Social Welfare-co habiting

I was in a similar situation with my own boyfriend, who nets about €520 after tax working night shifts. A nice lady in social welfare advised me that I can all but forget any payments if I'm living with someone who is earning that much. You were informed correctly. I'm pretty sure anything they earn over a certain bracket is deducted from what you are entitled to.

Definitely no offense intended, but Social would ask questions if you were living in a house that expensive - I got asked questions when looking at a place at €125 weekly!
In the end, I had to ask my boyfriend to stay where he is, I'm using this money to put myself through college and I can't afford to be affected by how much he earns.
Social Welfare are simply going to tell you to reduce your family expenditure if he can't support you on that amount.

Not trying to be smart but if I was in a house where I couldnt afford the rent without social welfare stepping in I would move to a cheaper/smaller house.

edellc wrote: »

^^^^^^
STUPID COMMENT


You clearly have no clue about renting in this country and how much it costs, most privately rented houses/apartments etc are overly priced by greedy landlords, if in Dublin most one beds can range from 700-1000pm while two beds from 900-1400 both are equal to or more than an actual mortgage even into today's negative equity economy

It annoys and frustrates me when someone sticks their two pence in when they clearly have no idea what their talking about.....as even in full time employment it is hard to make months rent, factor in the cost of going to work, esb, gas, food bills and "if something goes wrong money" you dont have anything to socialise with....so comments like move to somewhere you can afford with out the social jumping in are just beyond words.....AND what do you do if your unemployed through no fault of your own what then oh yeah by your standards they should live on the streets :rolleyes:

I work, my partner doesnt. I dont earn much more than the OP's boyfriend and yet we survive. Our standard of living is lower but thats fine as SW isnt there to pay for the extras like socialising, we get by.

I am not saying OP has to move but there are cheaper rents in dublin and even saving 300 per month on rent may make things easier, you may sacrifice location and/or size but when you're on a budget what can you do.

OP I can absolutely sympathise, looking for somewhere new to live and moving is horrible but at least you are renting so there's not much holding you down I hope and but in the long run it will make things easier if it looks like the 1k pm isn't possible on basically his wage but if you can get by for a while some employment might come up.
I'm not sure if you're in a 1 or 2 bed but there are cheaper places for couples to live, granted for nicer areas there's not much leeway but I've lived with my partner in town and the suburbs in 1 beds for 600-700 pcm.

I totally sympathise. I am 35 years of age and have been working full-time, paying tax, PRSI since I was 19 as has my partner other than a period of 8 months when he was ill. I have been paying PRSI consistently for 16 years and have just failed a means test for my partner that earns €500 net of tax a week so €24000.

I work in IT and was only able to get a contract role from January 2010 - July 2011 and then I had a baby. For the last 4 months in 2010 and the first 4 months in 2011 my partner was ill and received illness benefit. As we 'cohabit' he was not entitled to seek any further assistance with rent etc during this time. All household outgoings came from my earnings. I am now looking for work post maternity (during which I had no income) and have been told that as a contractor I am not covered for PRSI (although I paid the same rate as everyone else). I just completed the means test for Jobseekers Allowance and we were told that as my partner has a means of €340 per week I am not entitled to anything. The means of calculation of €340 per week is a percentage of gross salary + his sales commission and does not take into account his PAYE, universal social charge, rent, esb, heating, food, health insurance and the overlooked fact that we have a daughter. Rent alone is €275 per week and no we don't live in a palace as some user may have suggested. What a cheek for the government to take so much tax but then exclude that tax when assessing means. The removal of tax is implicit for your wages and yet for the purposes of calculating what you might be entitled to claim a gross figure excluding tax is used although a user can never really earn that money. This calc is most definitely skewed in their favour. What a joke.. I have been paying into this pot consistently for 16 years and have never once asked for assistance. Remind me again why I am in this country??

wmpdd3 wrote: »

If your partner is a PAYE worker they should take their gross pay less tax, USC and PRSI amount as income.

Incorrect please see following link.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/means_test_for_social_welfare_payments/work_and_jobseekers_allowance.html#lee4ad

mp22 wrote: »

If you have less than 602 Euro a week income with 2 children you may be able to claim FIS.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/family_income_supplement.html

Yes i know all about that. We applyed for it 5 mth back and have just got it. 40 euro per wk as at the time i was getting 140 from my stamp money which is about to stop.

Xxsuexxo wrote: »

Thanks so much for the information I don't mind that at all I was worried that I wouldn't get that much but 168 is still a lot really appreciate that .

How'd you fare out in the end?

Hi my partner is moving in with me he earns 350€ after tax and I get 217 job seekers as one baby added on. Do u know how much I will be cut? Thanks

Tillymint1 wrote: »

Hi my partner is moving in with me he earns 350€ after tax and I get 217 job seekers as one baby added on. Do u know how much I will be cut? Thanks

About €50