Desperately need help understanding rent allowance

LaLucy

I am due my baby in may and neither me or my boyfriend are currently employed. My boyfriend went and talked with the community officer who told him we were to fill out housing form. Also he gave a number where we order the rent allowance pack so that is on the way. He said we would should get 780 and we have found a place for 700. I'm just wondering how long would the rent allowance take to come through because we can't afford to pay this much from our jobseekers allowance if it is going to take months for rent allowance to come through. I'm really worrying wondering what we are supposed to do as there seems to be no straight forward info. Does the have to be renting for 6 months still apply to us or is that waived as we have our name on housing list?
Also when we move in together and we tell the social welfare office i heard one of payments get cut in half so I don't know how we can possibly pay the 700 per month while waiting on rent allowance. Can anyone please help me? I really need to save every penny towards the baby.

crazzzzy

Try talking to citizens information.

I don't know bout the 6 months. When you move in with your partner (you don't need to be married) you are jointly assessed but since you are both on the dole I don't think you would be cut half.

You could speak to your landlord & see if it ok to give them back pay when you get it.

Have you actually been assessed by your local authority and formally accepted onto the waiting list for local authority housing? If you have, you can apply for Rent Allowance straight away. You will have to pay a minimum of €24 per week towards your rent yourselves.

The six months renting privately rule applies to those who have not yet been accepted onto the housing list.

If you are both on Jobseekers Allowance, once you move in together, you will be assessed as a couple, which means one of you will have to claim for the other as an adult dependant.

The rates are €196 + €130.10 per week for an adult dependant, so you will get €326.10 per week as a couple with no children.

You will also get an additional €29.80 per week Child Dependant Allowance for your baby, once s/he is born.

miami365

if you're getting €326.10 per week as a couple, do you really need rent allowance?

foundry

miami365 wrote: »

if you're getting €326.10 per week as a couple, do you really need rent allowance?

R u for real Miami?

That leaves €151 per wk for two adults and a baby.
Do u know how much nappies cost let alone food, bills etc..

OP easiest thing to do is go to CWO and tell them your worries.

miami365

foundry wrote: »

R u for real Miami?

That leaves €151 per wk for two adults and a baby.
Do u know how much nappies cost let alone food, bills etc..

OP easiest thing to do is go to CWO and tell them your worries.

Actually €165 per week and the baby's not due till May unless they're planning on stockpiling nappies till then.
It's not an ideal situation but Social Welfare is there to assist not act as an alternative to work.
Sure it means they'll be shopping in Lidl and social expenses are non existent but these are the sacrafices that need to be made till employment is found.

Elliee

It would be impossible for a partner and expectant mother to survive on 165 as you put it Miami, a week.

Bills - ESB, GAS, T.V, Phone, Food, Petrol, Car Tax, Insurance.

Let alone preparing for a newborn. Cot, buggy, clothes.

Once you have forms filled out and everything required to apply the process only takes max five to ten working days. The CWO does it all from their office.
We were awarded R/A last OCtober, took us 2 months to get everything required and we were given wrong information(told we didnt need to be on the social housing list!) :rolleyes: But once we had everything we needed and the time from handing in application to recieving first payment was 1 week.
Not always backdated either so wouldnt depend on that.

Go to your local CWO OP and you will get information and all the help you need and deserve.

Balagan

miami365 wrote: »

Actually €165 per week and the baby's not due till May unless they're planning on stockpiling nappies till then.
It's not an ideal situation but Social Welfare is there to assist not act as an alternative to work.
Sure it means they'll be shopping in Lidl and social expenses are non existent but these are the sacrafices that need to be made till employment is found.[/QUOTE


Who are you to decide what 'sacrifices' other people should make?

You would do well go check out the Charter for this forum, especially the part where it states "There is Zero Tolerance for posters being critical of those on benefits either individual posters or benefit claimants as a group."

foundry

Miami have a look at this site and just think about how long it would save to buy a the minimum equipment a child needs; decent buggy, car seat and a cot.

mothercare

The OP asked for help on rent allowance, not a cheap supermarket.

miami365

Balagan wrote: »

Who are you to decide what 'sacrifices' other people should make?

You would do well go check out the Charter for this forum, especially the part where it states "There is Zero Tolerance for posters being critical of those on benefits either individual posters or benefit claimants as a group."

Sorry I seem to have hit a nerve there but I'm not deciding anything. The OP poster is fully entitled to rent allowance and my problems with that fall on the government side and certain people's attitude (eg how am I supposed to pay a mortgage while on social welfare? well you're not it's an assistance till you find work not an alternative to it.)

I was asked how to survive on a certain amont per week and merely suggested that it can be done by living within your means. it's trying times and people shouldn't expect to live the same lives as when they're earning a wage.

Zero tolerance? I don't think I've been overly critical of anyone and as I'm still posting, Boards.ie obviously feel like I haven't crossed that line either.

miami365

foundry wrote: »

Miami have a look at this site and just think about how long it would save to buy a the minimum equipment a child needs; decent buggy, car seat and a cot.

mothercare

The OP asked for help on rent allowance, not a cheap supermarket.

Sure we'd all like to buy the best new products out there but given their situation there are alternatives.
A quick look on Gumtree may throw up a few bargains.

I responded to the OP as it sounded like she was in dire straits and I just wanted to point out that there was no need to push the panic button just yet. With hindsight I could have probably worded things a bit better.

Johnnnybravo

miami365 wrote: »

Sure we'd all like to buy the best new products out there but given their situation there are alternatives.
A quick look on Gumtree may throw up a few bargains.

I responded to the OP as it sounded like she was in dire straits and I just wanted to point out that there was no need to push the panic button just yet. With hindsight I could have probably worded things a bit better.

Yea your dead right, the only bill people have is rent so deduct that from jobseekers and the rest is drink money,

ESB, Heating and food are luxuries and people on JA should not expect such luxuries.

Also any bills such as a mortgage, car loan, CC all die when your job dies so dont worry about not making those repayments and fckuing up your credit rating for when times pick up.

OP, Claim absolutely anything you are entitled to and dont be made feel belittled by people here for doing it either. Its very tough to live on the dole but it is doable, some people forget things such as we dont all live right next to the dole office and need either petrol or a bus to get there and that people still have to eat, put credit on a phone to sort out stuff like rent aloowance, pay for esb, pay for heating oil, pay a tv license etc.

The very best of luck to you and I hope your claim is sorted rapidly!

Johnnnybravo

miami365 wrote: »

Sure we'd all like to buy the best new products out there but given their situation there are alternatives.
A quick look on Gumtree may throw up a few bargains.

I responded to the OP as it sounded like she was in dire straits and I just wanted to point out that there was no need to push the panic button just yet. With hindsight I could have probably worded things a bit better.

No need to push the panic button???

Shes pregnant and worrying about being able to afford rent, whens a good time to push it? When shes on the street?