BTEA 188 finished bak on JSA 100 is Rent supplement A possibility.

canttellyou

Hi,
I'm currently in receipt of BTEA which is 188p/w. The course I am currently attending is almost finished and in a few weeks l will be back on JSA 100p/w as I'm only 19.

I'm have been living in my 1 bed apartment (with my partner who is in receipt of JSA 188p/w he is unemployed due to downturn in the construction industry) paying 125 p/w for 1 year now since February just gone.

We applied for rent supplement at the beginning of our tenancy and were refused because apparently I had no reason for laving my family home.

Sine then My family(Parents) have moved from Cork to Dublin and I'm still in
Cork attending my course.

My question is am I entitled to claim rent supplement now, and if not will I become eligible to do so when i have a change in my financial circumstance(when my claim goes back to JSA 100p/w) I'm in arrears with my rent also.

Do i meet the requirements listed???( I Think I do)

"You may get Rent Supplement if you have been living for 6 months (183 days) out of the last 12 months in Private rented accommodation

You must be able to show that you could afford the rent at the beginning of your tenancy and that you could have continued to pay rent but are unable to do so because of a change in your circumstances which occurred after you started renting.

You must also:

Pass a habitual residence test
Pass a means test
........................................................................................................If I meet all the requirements does that mean I have to be granted rent allowance 100%?

because from my personal experiences with people I know and rent supplement it's like luck of the draw who manages to get rent supplement and circumstances don't really matter.People who are always at the cwo seem to get everthing:mad::mad:

P.S I am currently looking for work for when my Business Studies course is over. I dont want to even apply for rent supplement but i have no choice.

thanks guys for any help in advance

snubbleste

You best bet is to put yourself on the Council's housing list for the area you live in. The CWO will likely insist on this anyway.

canttellyou

Thanks for the reply:D

..I taught you didnt have to register with local authority (town council in my case) if you were renting for over 6 months. The form is huge and i need loads of documents and its just going to make it take longer..why does it say OR if you have to do Both:mad:

Getting Rent Supplement
Rent Supplement will only be provided if the accommodation is suitable for your needs and the rent is below the maximum rent limit set for your county.

You may get Rent Supplement if you have been living for 6 months (183 days) out of the last 12 months in one, or a combination, of the following:

Accommodation for homeless people.
Private rented accommodation. You can combine time living in more than one rented accommodation to satisfy the 6 months (183 days). You must be able to show that you could afford the rent at the beginning of your tenancy and that you could have continued to pay rent but are unable to do so because of a change in your circumstances which occurred after you started renting.
An institution, for example, a hospital, care home or place of detention.

Or

Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months. If you don't have a housing need assessment, you must go to the local authority to have your housing need assessed. The local authority must be in the area that you intend to live and claim Rent Supplement. Only when you are assessed as eligible for and in need of housing can you apply for Rent Supplement. Rent Supplement is not payable while the local authority is carrying out a housing needs assessment.

canttellyou

If you match the requirements listed will you definitely get the rent supplement or is it more complicated than that? Please explain

snubbleste

Yes I'm aware of that, in practice though you will be told to go on the housing list.

canttellyou

Should I do this before I go to cwo as to speed things up?
What steps come first I have forms for rent supplement also I have forms for town council housing application.
Should i apply before my payment claim is reduced
I am appreciative of any help and advice,

snubbleste

I'd go and see the CWO this week and seek advice about applying for rent supplement first.

canttellyou

thanks i wanted to go and see cwo but as he's only there mornings it means taking a day off the course, so i just wanted to make sure it wasnt going to just be a waste of time that's why i wanted to have the forms filled out before i go as i cant be going back every week. My plan was fill in council form and 2 forms for cwo and hand them in with everything.surely if i go with forms filled in and all required documents he can take my rent supplement application. i have applied before and been refused.
Do I really need advice off him before making application,

or should I just go with everything filled in and get advice on he same day..
will he be able to give me an answer as to whether i am entitled or not

MariMel

Taking the morning off college to go to see your CWO is about the only way to go about it. Ive heard people complain about having to do it...but my way of looking at it is that if it helps sort things out and/or its the only way....then there is no point in being frustrated by having to do it.
Have you spoken to your landlord about whether they will accept rent allowance? Does your partner applied for rent supplement? Does he get it as a single person or is he assessed a being in a couple? I would possibly go together to see your CWO since you are co-habiting and not 2 random people sharing a house together.
Anytime I go to see my cwo i like to go prepared. In your case I would bring with you proof that your parents have moved to dublin from cork. Since it was one of the conditions you were refused last time.

ShaShaBear

You will more than likely need to go on the council housing list, even though it's an either/or situation on the forms. My CWO said she insists because people who are serious about it will register for any form of housing available, and will fill out all the forms necessary. That's just her, I know, but it shows commitment and that you need help. Go with your partner to the CWO when applying for Rent Supplement, as he/she will be doing a random spot check of your place and they will notice if there's a load of men's things there.
You should meet the conditions now that your parents have moved, and once your monthly rent is under the limit for your area. You also need to check that your landlord will accept rent allowance, as he/she will have to fill out forms for you also

canttellyou

My partner and I will be applying to claim Rent Supplement together as we have been co-habiting for the past year.

Will I still be able to have my own JSA claim.
Does anybody have an opinion or just from experience does anybody have an idea as to whether we can get it or not?

Thanks

MariMel

my experience of going into see my CWO is that she needed me to have dealt with the social welfare first. Like in your case, I think the CWO will want to see that you are on the correct sw payment so that the information on your application for rent supplement is true. My advice is that since you are going to try and claim rent supplement as a couple that you go into see your social welfare officer first.

Lugh Ildanach

Its not just that you have to be paying rent for 6 months, you also have to be considered to have been able to pay the rent at the start of the tenancy.

If you were on a social welfare payment when you moved into the accommodation, you will won't satisfy this criteria, and you will require a local authority assessment before being able to apply for rent supplement.