DFSW is driving my family apart!!!

darragh o meara

Hi,

I was as Im sure a lot of others made redundant from my job 12 months ago. I signed on as per the ting to do. Since last october I have worked one to two nights a week in a local bar which I signed off for this has now ceased. I decided on the birth of my daughter to spend some time with her and stay unemployed for a few months so to save on childminder/creche fees.

Today I called to the local office to have my claim updated to jobseekers alowance with all the details they asked for, Partners payslip,bank statements,tenancy agreement etc. Had the meeting with a very helpful lady who at the end told me that my new rate would be €100 per week. I queried this as I was recieving €180-190 per week. I was told that my Fiance is earning enough to support both of us!!!!! My fiance is working in fairness but only on a four day week and earns 450 before tax and deductions (not a massive amount reality ) I asked her how the means test decided that when I had evidence that she has very little left over when her own loans were paid along with the bills etc but was told that they had no interest in her loans,bills,travel costs, rent paid or tax she paid on her earnings. This will leave us with a total of €2200 total income per month!!!

To make things even better I recently applied for a medical card for myself and my fiance and daughter and only recieved a GP visit card only... When I asked about rent allowance today I was told that if your partner is working your not entitled to it!!!!

When you take into account:

Rent: 650 per month
Fiances car loan: 380 per month
Fiances travel costs 250 per month
Fiances credit union 200 per month
My medication 100 per month
My own travel costs 180 per month

Plus shopping, esb, feeding child, heating etc. This puts us in a serious position whereas the only option I can see is in effect splitting the family and asking my Fiance and child to move back home to her parents house and myself into a smaller house where I can claim rent allowance...

Before people say, sell your car and save the money there, That is not an option as I live 15 miles out in the country side and it really is a necessity.

Can DFSW actaully do this or am I missing something. Most of the allowances are not available to me as my fiance is working and we are classed as a couple even though we are not married!!! Hopefully this wont split our family but it seems like the only option right now.................................................

Any opinions are welcome...

Xiney

They don't take loans/car payments into account. I mean, where would they draw the line? 380 per month is a pretty fancy car, to be fair - could you not sell it, clear the loan, and get something a little more reasonable? Something smaller with fewer travel costs as well.

Also, if you're 15 miles out the country you could probably get something cheaper to rent as well.

GER12

Your partner should also look into claiming Family Income Supplement from the DSFA.

axel rose

I decided on the birth of my daughter to spend some time with her and stay unemployed for a few months so to save on childminder/creche fees.

Were you or were you not A) looking for work
available for work

The dole is not free money Omeara_darragh, I suggest you make a decision to tighten your belt for the sake of your family (as any married couple would do), or ask your partner to move. The choice is yours.

If you are unemployed why are your travel costs so high? Could your fiance reduce her travel costs? Maybe speak to the credit union about extending the terms of the loan. You could make a big saving there. If you have the medical card then you save €100 already!

Mrs OBumble

I wonder if there's some potential around your medication costs: does this indicate some sort of condition that could get you a an extra benefit or suchlike. Especially as this is the only thing I can see that would cause you to spend E40/week on petrol when you don't have anywhere to go!

Why don't you all move together somewhere smaller and closer to town, to reduce your rent and travel costs? The rent-allowance limit is a lot higher for couples with children than for single people.

BUT: To be brutally honest, if your relationship is so unimportant to you that you'd rather split up than live on E2200 a month (which is a lot more than some people get, btw!), then your fiance would be better off in the long run if you were honest about it and split up now. It's not the government's benefit rules that are splitting your family up, it's your own decisions about financial priorities.