pregnancy and dole

a little lost

My friend just found out she's pregnant.She's pretty freaked out seen as she's not in the ideal situation and keeps asking me advice but I haven't a clue what to tell her so can anyone help?
Her situation is this,she's on jobseekers benefit but not recieving any other payments.The guy can't help her out as he doesn't have the money and she lives with her best mate,also a guy.....She's asking me
1.Should she tell social welfare she doesn't even know the father?Then would they come out and hassle her mate that she lives with (been sharing accom for something like 4 years!!)
2.What happens when her jobseekers benefit runs out?Will she be able to get jobseekers Assistance

She's not a bum,she did actually hurt her back last year and lost her job after being on illness benefit for 3 months,noone seems to want to hire her.I feel sorry for her and she's my mate so can I get some advice to go back and give her??

a little lost

shall i tell her to look for rent allowance as well?

biko

If she decides to keep the baby there is information here

Pregnancy and social welfare payments
The social welfare payment most identified with pregnancy is Maternity Benefit. However, if you are are pregnant and getting a different social welfare payment, you will continue get your payment as long as you satisfy its conditions. You may also be entitled to half-rate Maternity Benefit if you are getting a certain social welfare payment (for example, One-Parent Family Payment) and in employment.

You cannot qualify for Maternity Benefit if you are unemployed and pregnant, unless your contract of employment ends within 16 weeks of the week in which your baby is due and you satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions. In this case, Maternity Benefit is paid from the day after the date on your P45.

If you do not qualify for Maternity Benefit you may qualify for another social welfare payment.

Xiney

She should tell social welfare that she knows who the father is but that he is refusing to help.

Does her roommate have a girlfriend? It may be easier for her to prove that she isn't living with her friend "as married" if he has pictures of him and his girlfriend in his room.

Otherwise her claim may be complicated when she goes to apply for Jobseeker's Allowance.

It may be a moot point, however, since the friend may not want to be living with her at the stage that she has a baby.

a little lost

Xiney wrote: »

She should tell social welfare that she knows who the father is but that he is refusing to help.

Does her roommate have a girlfriend? It may be easier for her to prove that she isn't living with her friend "as married" if he has pictures of him and his girlfriend in his room.

Otherwise her claim may be complicated when she goes to apply for Jobseeker's Allowance.

It may be a moot point, however, since the friend may not want to be living with her at the stage that she has a baby.

I think what she's actually worried about is if they ask to give the name of the father.I'm not sure on the EXACT details but it seems to me that he is not to be involved atall?
The guy she is sharing the house with has been a friend of hers for years,as in childhood friends and seems to be more than happy to have her live there with the baby.He's in his 30's so i suppose it's not like they have mad parties in the house although he has flings with girls but doesn't seem to have a girlfriend no...If all they check is her room and communal areas maybe it wouldn't matter about photo evidence in his room?Or maybe he has a photo of him and his sister that she can pretend is his partner?

Xiney

I wouldn't lie to them at all. She has no reason to, she just needs to have them believe the truth.

If she doesn't tell them the father's name, they may well assume her roommate is the father.

a little lost

Yeah,that's pretty much what I said.
I'll let her know this and more than likely be back here asking more questions for her

cee_jay

If the child's father is not involved, she can claim One Parent Family once the baby is born. She can then continue to receive half rate Jobseeker's Benefit, as long as she satisfies the conditions for this.
Normally she doesn't have to sign on one month either side of her due date.
Once her stamps run out, if she is claiming One Parent Family, she does not have an entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance.
If she goes to the CWO she can apply for Rent Allowance and a medical card.
And she is best to be upfront about the father - lies always get discovered in the end, and is technically fraud. If he really isn't living with her, she has nothing to lose by saying who he is. They would probably be a lot less suspicious if she told the truth and not some fabrication story.

dresden8

Only liars gain from lying.

If she is in the clear, tell the truth.