Rent allowance to be stopped for all long term unemployed?!!!!

marti8

Has anyone heard this? Supposedly it was said by a minister today. I can't confirm it however so I don't want to panic people.

Has anyone also heard that dole is to be reduced the longer you are on it? A sliding scale?

Thanks.

cee_jay

Not a State Benefits issue. Moving to Irish Economy. Sorry mods if its not the correct forum.

marti8

cAr0l wrote: »

Not a State Benefits issue. Moving to Irish Economy. Sorry mods if its not the correct forum.

A question about rent allowance (swa) and social welfare isn't a state benefits issue? Can you explain that please, lol. Both are state benefits?

wylo

If you are single with no one depending on you you don't need rent allowance. I know because Im one and I dont receive it.

The_Honeybadger

A sliding scale makes sense in many way, perhaps not when there are no jobs though, the long term unemployed in this country now face a massive challenge re-integrating into the workforce given the amount of newly unemployed and graduates who will all be after the very same jobs. At the same time nobody should be allowed make a career out of drawing the dole, anybody who is on it for over two years without making an attempt to upskill and get back working should be gradually cut off IMO, or offered work in a work for dole type scheme.

Haven't heard anything about RA being touched, but it should be cut dramatically across the board, it is keeping rents high when wages are falling, another disincentive to work in low paid employment, as if one were needed.

bradlente

marti8 wrote: »

I can't confirm it however so I don't want to panic people.

Not the greatest title for a thread then...

Any links to were you heard this today?

bradlente

wylo wrote: »

If you are single with no one depending on you you don't need rent allowance. I know because Im one and I dont receive it.

I do recieve it as my rent is a bit ridiculous tbh.After this budget I'm either getting a decrease and getting off the yoke or cutting my losses befunked.

I think a sliding scale's a great idea,even the idea of getting ordinary people out of the house to do any kind of work around their area sounds great,in fairness people should be doing this now anyway without government schemes forcing them to.

Mr Benevolent

At last, a sensible idea. Courtesy of the IMF, no doubt.

themadchef

It's speculation. Even tomorrow when they announce details of the 4 year plan they will only give the macro figures for the SW part of the budget.

Expect cuts, but not complete wipe outs. No point in getting hysterical.

marti8

wylo wrote: »

If you are single with no one depending on you you don't need rent allowance. I know because Im one and I dont receive it.

Lol. lol, lol, lol :pac: You pay your rent out of your social welfare do you? Or if you are under 21 out of your €100 pw? ...lol

wylo

marti8 wrote: »

Lol. lol, lol, lol :pac: You pay your rent out of your social welfare do you? Or if you are under 21 out of your €100 pw? ...lol

yes but admittedly I get the full dole, but yes I pay it all off my social welfare.

marti8

themadchef wrote: »

It's speculation. Even tomorrow when they announce details of the 4 year plan they will only give the macro figures for the SW part of the budget.

Expect cuts, but not complete wipe outs. No point in getting hysterical.

While there will be some cuts, there shouldn't be but there will most likely be, they can't wipe out entitlements - not unless they want tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets around the Dail.

marti8

wylo wrote: »

yes but admittedly I get the full dole, but yes I pay it all off my social welfare.

Your rent and other living expenses must be very low in that case.

mikemac

marti8 wrote: »

I don't want to panic people.

Well your title got my attention

Hope you get or someone has a link for this

wylo

marti8 wrote: »

Your rent and other living expenses must be very low in that case.

3 of us living in a house, 750/month (not dublin rates I know), as for other expenses, take broadband, heating, chorus , bins, esb and divide it by 3 and its doable. I just cant go out much , or buy any small luxuries including new clothes. Im always trying to remind people on this forum that we are still living in dreamland if we think that we will be able enjoy luxuries of any kind in the near future.

marti8

Confab wrote: »

At last, a sensible idea. Courtesy of the IMF, no doubt.

Easy to say if you don't depend on social welfare. Sensible? If you believe in social breakdown, riots, hugely increased crime and a more violent society in general, yes then very sensible........

Maybe they'll be sensible too when it comes to our personal tax rates and increase them to the levels of our dear European "partners"...........

wolfpawnat

mickeyk wrote: »

Haven't heard anything about RA being touched, but it should be cut dramatically across the board, it is keeping rents high when wages are falling, another disincentive to work in low paid employment, as if one were needed.

What about those of us who have recently renewed one year contracts. With the cuts coming to all sorts of pay, we are legally obliged to continue the agreed amount until the contract is up for renewal again. After RA I pay €50 a week, I cannot do anymore!

PCPhoto

mickeyk wrote: »

A sliding scale makes sense in many way, perhaps not when there are no jobs though, the long term unemployed in this country now face a massive challenge re-integrating into the workforce given the amount of newly unemployed and graduates who will all be after the very same jobs. At the same time nobody should be allowed make a career out of drawing the dole, anybody who is on it for over two years without making an attempt to upskill and get back working should be gradually cut off IMO, or offered work in a work for dole type scheme.

Haven't heard anything about RA being touched, but it should be cut dramatically across the board, it is keeping rents high when wages are falling, another disincentive to work in low paid employment, as if one were needed.

Any chance they will close the loophole ...... in the past (when stamps run out) people were told they were not entitled to the dole anymore - this opened a loophole for these people to goto the doc claiming "due to stress they are unable to find a job" ..... so they are moved to disability.

maybe the government will wake up - now that we are officially being run by the IMF/EU, "some" of the inadequecies of our system are beginning to show.

oh and if anyone cares - I emailed details of this loophole to the department as far back as 2005, knowing the government - it was probably lost in the post !!!!

EDIT: I dont know if this loophole still exists but I have heard that "stress" is a great way to get disability, I was unemployed in 2005 for a couple of months - at which point I went and became self employed - taking control of my life and finances.

marti8

mickeyk wrote: »

A sliding scale makes sense in many way, perhaps not when there are no jobs though, the long term unemployed in this country now face a massive challenge re-integrating into the workforce given the amount of newly unemployed and graduates who will all be after the very same jobs. At the same time nobody should be allowed make a career out of drawing the dole, anybody who is on it for over two years without making an attempt to upskill and get back working should be gradually cut off IMO, or offered work in a work for dole type scheme.

Haven't heard anything about RA being touched, but it should be cut dramatically across the board, it is keeping rents high when wages are falling, another disincentive to work in low paid employment, as if one were needed.

Not sure what you mean? Everyone who is on the dole has to be registered with FAS, great state agency that it is :rolleyes: When courses become available FAS invite applicnts to interview. Also evidence has to provided, as far as I am aware, to Social Welfare to prove someone is looking for employment. These processes are already in place.

People can upskill all they want however after the FAS course most will be straight back on the dole - we have 400,000+ unemployed, we don't have 400,000+ jobs (or course places for that matter) You mention 2 years? This crisi started over 2 years ago - do we have 400,000 jobs? Nope.

Even when all benefits are taken into consideration a low paid worker still earns more than a socil welfare recipient. Don't see how RA can be cut too much as folks may simply be unable to find suitable accommodation.

marti8

PCPhoto wrote: »

Any chance they will close the loophole ...... in the past (when stamps run out) people were told they were not entitled to the dole anymore - this opened a loophole for these people to goto the doc claiming "due to stress they are unable to find a job" ..... so they are moved to disability.

maybe the government will wake up - now that we are officially being run by the IMF/EU, "some" of the inadequecies of our system are beginning to show.

oh and if anyone cares - I emailed details of this loophole to the department as far back as 2005, knowing the government - it was probably lost in the post !!!!

EDIT: I dont know if this loophole still exists but I have heard that "stress" is a great way to get disability, I was unemployed in 2005 for a couple of months - at which point I went and became self employed - taking control of my life and finances.

Lol, do you even know how the system works? People cannot simply say "stress" and they get a disability payment, lol. All peolpe who get approved for a disability payment are approved by a doctor - not Joe Bloggs sitting behind a counter in the local SWO.

If peoples stamps run out to move from JB to JA not to DB or DA.

marti8

wolfpawnat wrote: »

What about those of us who have recently renewed one year contracts. With the cuts coming to all sorts of pay, we are legally obliged to continue the agreed amount until the contract is up for renewal again. After RA I pay €50 a week, I cannot do anymore!

€50? That seems a bit high? I think a couple should pay €25 and a single person about €15? Of course very often folks can't find suitable accommodation and have to "top up" above what should be paid.

mikemac

PCPhoto wrote: »

Any chance they will close the loophole ...... in the past (when stamps run out) people were told they were not entitled to the dole anymore - this opened a loophole for these people to goto the doc claiming "due to stress they are unable to find a job" ..... so they are moved to disability.

Stress is serious business, hence my username

It's not as simple as going on disability.
You are examined by a doctor and have a high chance of being rejected and then you have to appeal.

Plus there are checks after certain times to see if your claim is still valid

Nobody pays stamps anymore but I suppose everyones still understands the old term. I use it myself
When your stamps run out you go on Job seekers allowance

wolfpawnat

marti8 wrote: »

€50? That seems a bit high? I think a couple should pay €25 and a single person about €15? Of course very oftern folks can't find suitable accommodation and have to "top up" above what should be paid.

I swear €50 a week. I have to live on the Southside of Dublin (way down near the Wicklow Border). I could get nothing for the amount allowed so I had to get somewhere more expensive It is hard to get a place clean and child friendly in Dublin for under a grand:(

marti8

bradlente wrote: »

Not the greatest title for a thread then...

Any links to were you heard this today?

Sure: http://www.politics.ie/economy/143739-rent-supplement-stopped-long-term-users.html#post3202687

And did you notice tonight on Primetime Batt O'Keffee told people: the deposits are safe in Irish banks

What were we told last week? Oh yeah, we don't need a bailout :rolleyes:

Lol, we may now owe the IMF/EU over 200 Billion.........we need to default. We can never pay this, this is crazy. This will KILL us all. Default - economists are telling us its the best thing to do. DEFAULT.

mikemac

My savings are in Rabobank, guaranteed by the Dutch Central Bank

Once they have the best interest rate around, now it's laughably low.
Here's me hoping for interest rate increases!

marti8

Folks, we're f*cked. This isn't a time for playing games. Have any of ye watched VB? We have to DEFAULT. That's it, we have to now - nothing else can be done, we MUST default. If we default and have an election I'd readily accept cutbacks, no problems. We can stand on our feet as a country or we can live on our knees. The EU is out to screw us now with 6.5% or 7% interest rates - game over. We must default. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence is saying we must.

jmayo

marti8 wrote: »

While there will be some cuts, there shouldn't be but there will most likely be, they can't wipe out entitlements - not unless they want tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets around the Dail.

Entitlement, there is that word again. :rolleyes:
Everything will have to be cut, everything.

wylo wrote: »

3 of us living in a house, 750/month (not dublin rates I know), as for other expenses, take broadband, heating, chorus , bins, esb and divide it by 3 and its doable. I just cant go out much , or buy any small luxuries including new clothes. Im always trying to remind people on this forum that we are still living in dreamland if we think that we will be able enjoy luxuries of any kind in the near future.

I would suggest that in future chorus, ntl, sky, broadband, etc will be considered luxuries.

marti8 wrote: »

Folks, we're f*cked. This isn't a time for playing games. Have any of ye watched VB? We have to DEFAULT. That's it, we have to now - nothing else can be done, we MUST default. If we default and have an election I'd readily accept cutbacks, no problems. We can stand on our feet as a country or we can live on our knees. The EU is out to screw us now with 6.5% or 7% interest rates - game over. We must default. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence is saying we must.

There is no way we could afford 6 or 7 %.
As I have said on other threads it is time for the threat of good old MAD.
We need them, but they damm well need us or it is bye bye Euro and even sterling will take a hammering.

What scares the sh** out of me is the morons that are still in charge.
Thye are likely to do anything. :eek:

If only we had an army that would stage a coup. :rolleyes:

mikemac

jmayo wrote: »

I would suggest that in future chorus, ntl, etc will be considered luxuries.

These days you can pay UPC and get both

bradlente

marti8 wrote: »

While there will be some cuts, there shouldn't be but there will most likely be, they can't wipe out entitlements - not unless they want tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people sleeping rough on the streets around the Dail.

Theres loads of empty houses now to go and squat in.Get a few unemployed friends to come in fix up the place electricians plumbers etc.graand:cool:

Timistry

wylo wrote: »

3 of us living in a house, 750/month (not dublin rates I know), as for other expenses, take broadband, heating, chorus , bins, esb and divide it by 3 and its doable. I just cant go out much , or buy any small luxuries including new clothes. Im always trying to remind people on this forum that we are still living in dreamland if we think that we will be able enjoy luxuries of any kind in the near future.

:rolleyes:

Dannyboy83

marti8 wrote: »

Not sure what you mean? Everyone who is on the dole has to be registered with FAS, great state agency that it is :rolleyes: When courses become available FAS invite applicnts to interview. Also evidence has to provided, as far as I am aware, to Social Welfare to prove someone is looking for employment. These processes are already in place.

People can upskill all they want however after the FAS course most will be straight back on the dole - we have 400,000+ unemployed, we don't have 400,000+ jobs (or course places for that matter) You mention 2 years? This crisi started over 2 years ago - do we have 400,000 jobs? Nope.

Even when all benefits are taken into consideration a low paid worker still earns more than a socil welfare recipient. Don't see how RA can be cut too much as folks may simply be unable to find suitable accommodation.

My girlfriend is doing a Fas course, not entitled to any money, 2.5 year unemployed.
We live from my wage, but must also pay health insurance from this, so we live from net 10k each. (dole is 9.6k per year)
We still manage to pay our rent from this, we get no state assistance of any form.
Have made plenty of sacrifices, gave up smoking, haven't seen inside of a pub for over 2.5 years (not that I ever drank much anyway) and I certainly wouldn't recommend the lifestyle to anyone, but it's doable!
If I didn't have to spend money on petrol getting to work and preparing lunches, things would probably be much easier.

At the moment, if I gave up work we'd be at least 1k per year better off due to medical card/not paying HI/other allowances.
It'll will probably make more sense for me to give up my job when the new tax increases come in, so I'll think more seriously about it then.

Mr Benevolent

marti8 wrote: »

Easy to say if you don't depend on social welfare. Sensible? If you believe in social breakdown, riots, hugely increased crime and a more violent society in general, yes then very sensible........

Maybe they'll be sensible too when it comes to our personal tax rates and increase them to the levels of our dear European "partners"...........

Don't make too many assumptions. I do depend on social welfare.

wicorthered

The tax relief for private rented accommodation has been scraped. Maybe you've just picked it up wrong heard nothing about SW rent relief.