Moving in with GF; impact on her JA

CGorman

Hi can anyone tell me what sort of impact the following situation would have:

Currently both 22 & living at home. Moving in together. The girlfriend is on €188 JA (will fall to 144 soon) and the boyfriend is working but has just been put on a 3 day week. His gross income will be just 195 when on 3 day week. Combined assets are negliable. Neither party has sufficent stamps (GF's used up / BF has not enough).

Am I right to say that the income of 195 will have 3 x 20 deducted = 125 & then be multiplied by 60% = 75. And the this 75 will be taken from the 188.

So would the net effect be a payment of just €113 to the GF? Or should I have included the qualified adult rate? Will the BF get anything in this case?

Im very confused trying to work out what the couple will get in the end of the day.

Any information would be greatly appreciated - I have tried to understand the Cit. Info / Welfare websites as best I can.

Lugh Ildanach

Firstly I don't understand why the girlfriend's rate would decrease from 188 to 144. The new lower rates do not apply to those making the transition from JB to JA.

The boyfriend could either opt to go on to the girlfriend's claim, or make his own separate claim. If he makes his own separate claim, then the claim will be calculated as the family rate (personal rate plus qualified adult) with the assessment calculation as you have identified above, and then the total amount is split evenly between the two claimants. If the boyfriend goes on to her claim, she gets the full amount. Regardless of whichever they do, the total amount to them will be the same.

Its generally better to make separate claims, you have access to more schemes, and if the boyfriend was on the girl's claim, then they'd be advised to sign for credits anyway, so there's no real advantage to sticking it all on the one claim.

snubbleste

Lugh Ildanach wrote: »

Its generally better to make separate claims, you have access to more schemes, and if the boyfriend was on the girl's claim, then they'd be advised to sign for credits anyway, so there's no real advantage to sticking it all on the one claim.

Well the advantage is they would not be committing fraud. If they are moving in together and are a couple then they need to say so to the SWO.

Balagan

snubbleste wrote: »

Well the advantage is they would not be committing fraud. If they are moving in together and are a couple then they need to say so to the SWO.

Noone is advocating fraud - just outlining that a couple who are unemployed and living together have the option of separate claims or being processed as claimant and dependant. Agree that there are definite advantages to having separate claims.

Kristopherus

And you can have seperate claims only if you are living apart. Anything else is a fraudulent claim.

Jagle

id rather just omit that information, the fact that just cos you are in a relationship its nonsense, just cos we are a couple doesnt mean that whats mine is hers and vice versa i wouldnt want to be living off my gf and wouldnt want her living off me

cee_jay

Kristopherus wrote: »

And you can have seperate claims only if you are living apart. Anything else is a fraudulent claim.

No there's a family rate for 2 people on means tested payments. So between them, they can get 188 Personal Rate, the Qualified adult rate, and child dependent rate. Each can opt to receive payment, so they have separate claims, but between them they can only receive the maximum for the family unit.

OP I don't know why her rate is dropping to 144 either?

cee_jay

Jagle wrote: »

id rather just omit that information, the fact that just cos you are in a relationship its nonsense, just cos we are a couple doesnt mean that whats mine is hers and vice versa i wouldnt want to be living off my gf and wouldnt want her living off me

OP "omitting" that information is fraud and not a wise move to take - you WILL be found out and will be assessed with an overpayment, and have to pay it all back, and possibly prosecuted.

Jagle banned for one week for breach of forum charter.

CGorman

Thank you kindly for your responses. I appreciate the serious distinction being made and appreciate there is only one real option (being upfront).

Can I take it that effectively this is what happens where weekly earnings are €200:

€188 + €125 (QA) - (200 x 60% - 3 x 20) = €253

Or is the QA figure reduced to €62 (based on this link giving a net result of €190.

And therfore when eventually he is restored to full time earnings (circa €300), the net result would be even smaller (just €68?)