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Backdating rent allowance and a few other problems.

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  • 08-08-2007 3:48pm
    #1
    sunnyside
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭


    Hoping I can get some advice on here.

    I'm 28, single and have been getting jobseekers allowance for just over a year. I have a degree and was working as a substitute teacher until I stopped work. The irregularity of the work as well as a period suffering from depression has caused me to fall into a bit of a welfare trap.

    For that time I've been living off the €185.80 jobseekers allowance, I pay €76 a week rent out of that and the rest goes on food, living expenses,etc. Obviously that's not always enough so I've also ended up with an overdraft, credit card and personal loan totalling €3,500. I've had no problem getting credit as my credit rating is good and I never miss repayments. I also did some private grinds for cash. I never applied for rent allowance but I do have a medical card.

    I want to improve my situation and get back to working full time. I've signed up for a FAS course which started this week. It's a similar course to my degree but the main reason I signed up is to get myself back into the routine of getting up for work every morning. I assumed I would be getting the rent supplement from FAS but I've just found out I'm not entitled because the address I gave on the application is the rented house I live in and that's near the training centre. FAS are writing me a letter for the Community Welfare Officer and they said claiming the allowance that way will be fine as it's what's other people on their courses have done. Does anyone know if the rent allowance could be backdated a bit? I know I should have applied ages ago but I feel really embarassed about asking for handouts. I did manage to meet all rent payments by myself but as as result I have the pesonal debt problem so I wasn't really able to manage that well without help.

    Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated. I really hate approaching Community Welfare Officer about this but I'm so desperate and very motivated to improve my situation I need any help I can get.


Comments

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    #2
    Mrs. MacGyver
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,294 ✭✭✭Mrs. MacGyver


    Unfortunately, the Comunity Welfare Officer is the only person who can advise you as regards rent allowance and whether not it can be backdated.


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    #3
    Lazarus2.0
    Registered Users Posts: 2,772 ✭✭✭Lazarus2.0


    Don't be so reluctant to see your CWO , for starters ! It's their job to help out those who are entitled to help and in my limited experience ( like yourself , OP , i only go when necessary ) I get the impression they quite enjoy dealing with someone they know are genuinely asking for help as opposed to the weekly visit from Mr or Mrs Joe Soap who knows all the rules and entitlements and will (rightly) claim them ...


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    #4
    sunnyside
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭sunnyside


    nessyguin wrote:
    Don't be so reluctant to see your CWO , I get the impression they quite enjoy dealing with someone they know are genuinely asking for help as opposed to the weekly visit from Mr or Mrs Joe Soap who knows all the rules and entitlements and will (rightly) claim them ...

    Really? I'm going tomorrow morning but I feel so embarassed about asking for handouts. Thanks for your repy.


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