Are benefits Exaggerated ?

jonski

Hi ,

Brief history : Both my wife and I are on benefit , she is on long term invalidity , I am on disability and probably headed for the same as herself . Unless there is some new development in medicine it is unlikely that either of us will work again . Both of us are around the 40 mark ( jeeese ok! I'm 41 , gimme a break ! ) we have 3 kids all of school going age and we have a mortgage ( luckily we bought the house back in the 90's so it is quiet small ) .

We both receive the std benefit of €218 + she gets extra for the kids + I get the €3.90 fuel allowance . This is what we get and I am not complaining about this . We also get the back to school allowance .

My question is this , I keep hearing people saying , " oh you get this and this and that , and you are entitled to this aswell " . Now , I have asked my local welfare officer if I would be entitled to anything else and she has said no .

So , are all these people over-exaggerating the welfare benefits ?

John.

undecided

try the citizens advice they will tell you what you are entitled to.

Mrs. MacGyver

You caould also get the booklet SW 4 Guide to social Welfare Services to see your entitlements or as above contact your local citizens advice.

Goldenquick

One or either of you may qualify for a community employment scheme, you keep your SW payment for one year by getting an exemption certificate from SW & also get paid from the community employment. It would be worth looking into and the CE payment would not affect your incomes.

The FAS site will have details as would your local office.

P.S. I would advocate as the previous posters wrote, contacting your citizens advice as there are things like travel allowance available on certain benefits.

Tony H

hi John if your wife has an invalidity pension she would be entitled to the household benefit package ,free phone rental free esb or gas allowance free tv licence , as for the local community welfare officer have a look at this link
http://www.welfare.ie/publications/sw54.html
the community welfare officer is there to help you , if you have an exceptional need put in a claim and do not be put off with the attitude that a lot of them give out ,that you are not entitled to anything

bagels

tread very carefully;
if you make a mistake with the welfare people its very difficult to rectify and you could wait ages for an appeal hearing to recoup lost benefits;
re citizens advice, some of those offices are staffed by well-meaning volunteers who know very little about benefits;
i suggest you make an appointment to speak to a professional advisor at a main citizens advice office, eg in a city or county town;
they really know their stuff and are very helpful and sympathetic;
always appeal against any decision the welfare make against you;
keep a photocopy of every document you submit to the welfare;
apply for medical cards;
check out your fuel allowance, it should be €12 i think;
you also qualify for a tiny allowance for mortgage interest;
your children will not have to pay to sit junior and leaving cert exams if you get medical cards;
the school should also be able to help them out with free books;
you may also be eligible to perform a up to 20 hours paid work without effecting your primary benefits but watch out as you might then possibly lose secondary benefits, eg household benefits package, medical card;
you should consider taking a college course as you could qualify for as much as €8000 in grant assistance;
you don't have to be a genius to go to college, just be prepared to make the effort;
college authorities will go out of their way to help you;
also apply for free travel for both of you;
thats all i can think of for now;
remember, go to a proper adviser in a main citizen advice bureau, keep copies of everything you submit, always carefully study (and retain) the relevant explanatory booklet for everything you apply for (these books are updated regularly so its very important you retain the ones you initially used), and finally, don't rush into anything until you've checked it out dozens of times for hidden pitfalls;
best of luck

jonski

Thanks a lot for the replies and advice . I had never heard of the household benefits package before so I am looking into that now .

I hate going into the welfare office as I always feel like I am in there begging , and I know the whole arguement about working for 25 years and paying my taxes but that doesn't change the way I feel . I can't understand how with all our details on computer these days they can't just give people what they are entitled to .

Demonique

How did you get €218 each for disability? Disability Allowance is €197 as of the last budget

IT Loser

Demonique wrote: »

How did you get €218 each for disability? Disability Allowance is €197 as of the last budget

How much is the dole as of Mr Cowans last budget.??? ta

Mrs. MacGyver

Tis E197.80

IT Loser

Mrs. MacGyver wrote: »

Tis E197.80

Oooo eee!!!:D:D

jonski

Just to drag this up again and let the people here that advised me know the final out come .

It turned out that we were entitled to the family benefits package and as of last week we now have a phone allowance , esb allowance and free tv licence .

Thanks for your help .