Supplementary Welfare Allowance

m.j.w

Does anyone here get this or know much about it. Im currently a first year apprentice and im earning 170 euro a week. My rent and all my bills come to 200 euro a week, I have money saved up to get me thru my first year but I will be living off pratically nothing. I rang up the Citizens Advice enquiring about rent supplement but they told me Im not eligible for it as I am in full time employment. They did say I might qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but I checked on the internet and it says you cannot get that if you are in full time enployment. Does anyone have any info on this allowance, is it down to the discretion of the welfare officer who gets it or is there no chance I will get it as im in full time employment. Im not looking for my rent to be paid or anything, even 20 quid a week would be a bit of a help.

snubbleste

Well OP, SWA is designed to ensure people have a minimum amount to live on
It is totally down to the discretion of the officer when following guidelines. You could apply and be means-tested, but odds are you'll be told to find a place that has lower rent or similar. If you're really stuck, apply.

m.j.w

Yea I was thinking that would be said but even if I found somewhere at 100 euro a week to rent which would be the very lowest you would get id still be living of 70 quid a week and have to pay gas and esb out of that so surely im entitled to something. What sort of stuff do they look at when you get means tested? Do you need bank statments because I throw mine out

m.j.w

anyone else know anything about it?

snubbleste

Did you read the link, it explains the means test.

sunnyside

Doesn't make sense, it says the rate of payment is €204.30. Is that not the same thing as jobseekers allowance but with a different name