2nd year student & disability allowance/benefit

decodivas

I am helping my niece with this.
She is attending college but only able to go to 1 or 2 classes a week since she had an episode ,for which she was hospitalised in phyciatric for 10 days in january.She has got extensions on most of her essays.

She is on heavy duty meds that cause her to be lethargic and unfocused,but help with the severe paranoia..

She has made a claim for disability benefit but is now out of money and has no means to pay her rent ,food etc.the family have helped out since jan but we are all stretched ourselves.
Her GP has said she is profundly in need of this benefit and has said so on application to hse.


As this college year is nearly over and she is hanging on by her finger nails (she Really loves her Studies) and would ideally love to finish this year..straight A s or B+ in every exam to date..but im not sure what to advise her..
She is in dire need and cannot trawl her way thru this alone so i am trying to find right path for her..
Spoke with a woman for social welfare who says my niece is not entitled to and supplementary payment as she is in college.But if she leaves college she will not qualify for Jobseekers as no way is she able to be available for full time work!!

any help or suggestions would be very much appreciated..
Sorry bout spelling!!
Thanks

decodivas

Thankfully HSE have finally given her Disability Payment,June 2011.She is back in hosp, tho .she has managed to hand in final essays and will (fingers Crossed)sit repeats next month.She really loves her college .

mrsbyrne

decodivas wrote: »

Thankfully HSE have finally given her Disability Payment,June 2011.She is back in hosp, tho .she has managed to hand in final essays and will (fingers Crossed)sit repeats next month.She really loves her college .

Please God she will find medication that gets her back on track. She should have got free travel as well. depending on her living arrangements when she gets out of hospital, she may also be entitled to some free electricity units, a free TV licence and some free mobile phone credit. Are you going to be looking after her when she gets home? You might be awarded carers Allowance.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/carers/carers_allowance.html

Chris Hansen

Glad to hear she was eligible, there's faith in the system yet! And hope all is well.


Without meaning to hijack the thread, may I inquire as to the circumstance of her education (was it 3rd level etc.) and did it have any impact on the DA claim? As i am in a similar situation, many thanks and best of luck for the exams to your niece!

nothing

@decodivas, that's great to hear.

@Chris Hansen, you can get disability allowance while in education, it won't effect your payment (if you get it)