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Rent Supplement if I move, tho I probably can't afford to move? (long story...!)

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  • 27-06-2011 4:54pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Apologies if a query like this has been posted before, I've looked but can't see anything like it. Any help would be appreciated. This will be a bit longwinded as I'll explain my situation as fully as I can

    I'm unemployed and receiving Jobseekers Allowance, I moved back to my parents' house a few years ago due to ill health when I couldn't work. I later moved into a house belonging to them that was left idle after the death of a family member years ago. I left my old job and have been working on and off since I became well again, I've paid them €50 a week when working and able to do this, in the last year the work situation has been particularly bad and I haven't been paying them this, there has been no formal tenancy agreement of any kind.

    I see little prospect of work in my current location and am feeling more hopeless as time goes on and without making any move towards improving my situation. I've seen a Springboard course I'm interested in, it's part time but located over three hours away from where I live so obviously commuting would be out of the question. I'm wondering what my situation is with regard to Rent Supplement. I know you're supposed to be paying rent for 6 months before you become eligible, what I'm wondering is, if I managed to pay the deposit and rent for these six months would I then be eligible? I have a roof over my head, so would it be arguable that I don't NEED to move? Having looked up the cost of the textbooks for this course and considering the need to pay rent, I'd be concerned about my ability to survive financially. My parents would give me a hand to make rent if things get dire as they have seen me in a rut for long enough to know that things aren't going to get better unless I can make some progress somehow (they've been great since I got ill, before which I was working full time and not depending on them at all, but Im in my 30s, haven't managed to get full time work since I moved into their house and obviously hate depending on them for help at this stage of my life, but am kind of stuck here now and as I said, see little prospect of this changing of its own accord). Also, if they help me out, does this mean I can't show my ability to pay rent, as you are supposed to be able to, before being granted Rent Supplement??

    I'm desperate to improve my situation and feel like the possibility of doing this course might be one of my only courses of action to doing this at present. If anyone can offer any advice I'd be really grateful.

    Thanks for your patience in reading!
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Techno_Toaster
    Registered Users Posts: 325 ✭✭Techno_Toaster


    Hello. Ok so the rent allowance work is there is limitations the amount of rent you pay depending on the area. Most of the information can be found here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html .

    When looking for a place you should bear in mind the cut off points for the rent allowance. You then have to pay your own rent for 6 months and then yes you can apply for rent allowance. Provided your income is low and your rent is within the guidelines you should have no problem getting it but you may have to wait a few weeks to sort it out.

    If you could find out where the CWO is located in the area you hope to move to it would be no harm to arrange a meeting and talk to them just to make sure the course wouldn't affect it. I know if your in full time education you may not receive it but as your course is part time it should be ok. Just check it out anyway:)


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    #3
    Lugh Ildanach
    Registered Users Posts: 522 ✭✭✭Lugh Ildanach


    Techno_Toaster wrote: »
    Hello. Ok so the rent allowance work is there is limitations the amount of rent you pay depending on the area. Most of the information can be found here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html .

    When looking for a place you should bear in mind the cut off points for the rent allowance. You then have to pay your own rent for 6 months and then yes you can apply for rent allowance. Provided your income is low and your rent is within the guidelines you should have no problem getting it but you may have to wait a few weeks to sort it out.

    If you could find out where the CWO is located in the area you hope to move to it would be no harm to arrange a meeting and talk to them just to make sure the course wouldn't affect it. I know if your in full time education you may not receive it but as your course is part time it should be ok. Just check it out anyway:)

    It is not just a matter of paying rent for 6 months, you have to be deemed to be able to afford the rent from the start of the tenancy, otherwise you need to be assessed by your local authority as in need of housing.


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    #4
    Lugh Ildanach
    Registered Users Posts: 522 ✭✭✭Lugh Ildanach


    There is also the issue of renting from your parents. You can only get rent supplement while renting from close relatives if you can show that there is bona fides tenancy there. It does not sound from the OP's description that there is, if rent is not being paid on a regular basis, and there isn't a history of renting the property in the recent past.

    The course itself should not preclude you from getting rent supplement unless it is full-time, although you would have to clear it with your local office for Jobseekers Allowance purposes. See here http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/pteo.aspx


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