FIS, MIS & Benefits advice please

charlie2505

Have just spent more than 4 hrs trawling sites incl welfare.ie and citizens information but still haven't got all the info I need and am looking for some help please.

Circumstances-hubbie out of work on and off for last 3 years and he is now on JSA(job seekers allowance) at full rate.
I was working 21 hrs a week, having previously been full time but hours cut and my job seekers benefit has now run out.
My husband was claiming JSA plus Qualified Adult (for me) less means for my wages plus 1 Qualified Child.
I went on maternity leave in June to have our 2nd child and when leave started we got a massive shock as we discovered that as I was now on a social welfare payment.
I was no longer eligible as a QA (qualified adult) under his payment and went from full rate to half rate for our QC (qualified child). Were down almost €100 a week
So we were down a huge amount of money and had no idea to expect it. It has made the last 6 months incredibly stressful and harder than ever before.
I have just returned to work and asked the social welfare office to include our second child under hubbies JSA payment and to reinstate me and our first child at full rate, as before.
Q. Have been told have to reapply for QA & QC under husbands JSA payment? Is this correct?
Have done alot of research and seems we would be better off with the FIS payment. What I couldn't tell was whether husbands JSA payment would change alot or a little. I know I would definately not be included as a qualified adult.
Q. Can someone tell me if under JSA payment-the qualified child rate halves or is no longer allowed if entitled to FIS payment?
Either way we'd still be between €20 and €50 better off a week with FIS depending on the answer to that query if my calculations are correct.
Q. Can I apply for FIS and look to be included as QA and 2 QC under JSA payment at same time?
I applied for FIS before and waited 5 months for someone to come to my home & make me feel like dirt to be later told no, not entitled to it. I still dont have any idea why I wasn;t. No explanation was supplied and was suffering post natal depression, mainly caused due to our dire financial situation & simply did not have the energy to appeal or make a fuss.
Sorry back on track-So even if FIS payment means we would be better off on it, I cant afford to wait that long again, need something coming in to pay some of the bills.
Mortgage Interest Supplement
Q. Does anyone have any idea what income threshold is for MIS, even roughly?
I spoke with a CWO about a year or so ago and she did rough calculation on her notepad and said we'd be above the threshold, just. Income would be the same I think more or less as then but not sure if income threshold changed in the budget or not?
Our bank has concluded we cant even afford to pay interest only at the moment-are paying about half what the interest amount is.
They also stipulate that we must apply for mortgage interest supplement before term of reduced payments ends (1st March).
Need to go back to mortgage company in few weeks to see about possibility of a 3rd restructuring of mortgage. Not sure if they will agree or not but hope that they do.
What they have done to date is reduce the payments for 6 months and this time 9 months and then increase overall mortgage payment to include arrears and interest. On the basis that they agree to a similar restructuring arrangement, the problem is I dont know if we will be able to afford it once it finishes, even if we were both to get full time work. When we were both working a few months before I went on maternity leave, we were barely getting by paying back full mortgage payment including arrears.
Q. What other options are there re paying back arrears/capital on a mortgage, if any?
Read something about adding arrears to capital-is that what they are already doing with us or is that something different? Any advice re any of the questions gratefully received.
Before anyone suggests I contact MABS-I have. Waited almost 2 months to see them and then was told I had done all I could such as a household budget, negotiating with lenders etc and they could not really help me any further.
Just wish I could enjoy my 2 babies instead of worrying about our house being repossesed or being cut off from ESB every 10 mins of the day Feels as if because we have a mortgage, we are being punished. If we had no mortgage, we'd have most of our rent paid for. Makes no sense. We want to pay our way again, would give anything to do that. Just see no way out of this mess.

upinthesky

well first of all for fis you cannot be a qualified adult on his payment

he will keep his payment but will get half rate for each child as you will be getting fis and is counted as a social welfare payment

his income from his social welfare payment will be added to your income when assessed for fis

not sure on mis

so your income+ partners jsa total - that from 602 then divide by 100 and multiply by 60 gives you your fis amount

its a big question when applying for fis can by partner keep there jsa and the answer is yes