Refused supplemnetary welfare allowance

ditchdigger

I am awating JSA and in the meantime I applied for supplemnetary welfare allowance to see me through the 10-12 week for the JSA payments.

I've been told that because my gf I live with earns above the treshold (she earns 448pw net). We have to pay rent 196pw both have loans of 52.85pw and 55.15pw. that leaves us with 144 per week to pay utilities and food. Is this right or even fair?

Plus I don't see why I should have to live off my gf when I've paid my taxes for years.

Xiney

The social welfare don't take loans into account.

That said, while it'll be tight, 144 pw for food and utilities is doable in the short term while you wait for JA. Make a menu for the week, and only buy the food on the list that you make after figuring out what you need for the menu. Try to eat two vegetarian meals a week, it really cuts down on the expenses. Soups are great budget stretchers, and the way the weather is lately they wouldn't go amiss. Goes without saying that you should shop in Lidl and/or Aldi for most things. Try to avoid their junk food... it's all so cheap and looks so good... but it adds up onto the bill.

Also, try looking for a cheaper place, if there are any and you're not tied to a 12 month lease.

ditchdigger

Cheers Xiney. Doing all that already.

It is just a bit ridiculous that beacause I'm living with my gf they assume that I can lean on her for financial support. I have no doubt that she will help me but it's not like we are married. If only I said we were just sharing an apartment and not going out.

Xiney

well, that would be fraud so it's a good thing you didn't do that

They do assume that if you're living together you're sharing finances in a way, which is true for most couples who live together.

dlambirl

i dunno if this is right or not...

but if you were turned down for the Supplementary Welfare Allowence due to your girlfriends earnings wont you be turned down for JSA??

If your applying for JSB well thats a whole different story..

tommy21

dlambirl wrote: »

i dunno if this is right or not...

but if you were turned down for the Supplementary Welfare Allowence due to your girlfriends earnings wont you be turned down for JSA??

If your applying for JSB well thats a whole different story..

That's what I would think also, as JSA is means tested. Unless SWA is for worst off maybe? Did they tell you JSA or JSB(i.e. based on credits you earned through working)?

Xiney

SWA is for emergency payments.

You can still qualify for JSA if you don't qualify for SWA.

myk

ditchdigger wrote: »

Plus I don't see why I should have to live off my gf when I've paid my taxes for years.

If you have paid your taxes for years, then you should be eligible for Job Seekers' Benefit. You should apply for that!

miec

Hi Op

I am in the same boat as you, I think fair enough but it is tough. It sounds like though you may get a part payment for JSA, when I rang the information section regarding applying they said I would get a part payment based on the figures I gave but it has to be verified etc, I am waiting a long, long time (over three months) with no sign of receiving anything soon. It is tough so hang in there and get budgeting.

nukinfuts

Damn it, I was planning on applying for this but my OH is earning about the same as that a week. I don't see what the huge deal is though, if you're eventually going to be in receipt of SW payments you just pay them back?!

I would always have thought that it would be pretty easy to just say she's a room mate. Although this of course would be hard to prove in a one bedroom place.

GER12

Persons who are "cohabiting" with girlfriends/boyfriends and fail to notify the department of this as part of their means assessment - are committing fraud.... so I wouldnt recommend this.

For public record - SWA is paid out of the overall social welfare budget - which means that SWA is administered by the HSE on behalf of the DSFA - it is however a DSFA payment!

cee_jay

SWA means assessment may be different to the means assessment for JSA.
I know for sure One Parent Family payment means are calculated differently - whereas with SWA, the total amount of maintenance/earnings is taken as means, but with OFP there are allowances for rent/PRSI etc and then the amounts are more or less halved.
I am not sure what the differences with the means assessments are for SWA/JSA though - just because you qualify or do not qualify for one does not automatically mean you qualify or do not qualify for the other one.
See Xiney's post here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61508425&postcount=8 on a rough calculation on how much you may receive on JSA - it is your partners gross pay (minus PRSI/Pension/union fees etc) that is taken into consideration.

ditchdigger

Woo! Got myself a job so need for the SWA for me. back of the net! cheers for the advice though.

Xiney

Congrats

Digging ditches eh? Or have you changed sectors?

ditchdigger

Rojomcdojo wrote: »

Digging ditches eh? Or have you changed sectors?

Never dug a ditch in my life..... there's money in muck though!

IT Loser

Xiney wrote: »

SWA is for emergency payments.

You can still qualify for JSA if you don't qualify for SWA.

Could you define emergency? Would emergency be if you went in and said...hey...I am down to my last €10? Or would emergency involve being down to your last €1000 with no prospect of further income?

cee_jay

IT Loser wrote: »

Could you define emergency? Would emergency be if you went in and said...hey...I am down to my last €10? Or would emergency involve being down to your last €1000 with no prospect of further income?

Its a means assessment payment - information on it can be found here.
Its basically a payment to help people out when they have no income at all.

IT Loser

cAr0l wrote: »

Its a means assessment payment - information on it can be found here.
Its basically a payment to help people out when they have no income at all.

As ever, thank you!

EDIT: I meant to ask, why would/could you fail the SWA test, yet still qualify for the JSA?? How does that make any sense, i.e. how could that possibly be??

The only thing I can think of is that while you can claim JSA when working, and pay the difference back, the fact that you had SOME income would be enough to disqualify you from SWA.

Even at that, it still does not make sense, as it is called SUPPLEMENTARY Welfare Allowance, ......so...what is it supposed to supplement???