Rent Supplement

Sully

Hi,
My partner applied for rent supplement a few months ago and got a reply recently stating because she never paid tax in 2011, she isn't entitled to it. She was working late 2011 and while she was working in 2011 (she came from 3rd level education into work in 2011) she wasn't paying tax until 2012 (just USC and PRSI, something to do with not being taxed when you first start a job?).

Anyway, I thought the idea of the supplement was to help those who couldn't pay for their accommodation and wasn't to do with how little you worked but instead how much you worked? She is now coming towards the end of her contract, in two weeks, and will be even more stuck if an alternative job isn't found.

Thanks in advance

Slydice

Hi Sully

I think she doesn't even need to have worked at all to get it. Shelter is a basic need.

She probably can't get it right now cos she's still employed (Depending on how much she earns).

Here's the citizens info page on it:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

From what I gather from other threads on this board, that regardless of which angle she'd be taking in her application that it's a good idea to "Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months".

Sully

Slydice wrote: »

Hi Sully

I think she doesn't even need to have worked at all to get it. Shelter is a basic need.

She probably can't get it right now cos she's still employed (Depending on how much she earns).

Here's the citizens info page on it:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

From what I gather from other threads on this board, that regardless of which angle she'd be taking in her application that it's a good idea to "Have been assessed by a local authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing in the last 12 months".

They told her in an email she wasn't eligable because she didn't pay any tax in 2011. Yet the Citizens Information website only talks about, basically, paying to much tax (ie working to much).

I assume things will change now that she is unemployed?

vmasullo

if you pay 850 eur rent per month, are you entitled to get the rent supplement?

thanks

vincent

Balagan

Maximum rents allowed for Rent Supplement in each area of the country are listed here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

Balagan

Sully wrote: »

Hi,
My partner applied for rent supplement a few months ago and got a reply recently stating because she never paid tax in 2011, she isn't entitled to it. She was working late 2011 and while she was working in 2011 (she came from 3rd level education into work in 2011) she wasn't paying tax until 2012 (just USC and PRSI, something to do with not being taxed when you first start a job?).

Anyway, I thought the idea of the supplement was to help those who couldn't pay for their accommodation and wasn't to do with how little you worked but instead how much you worked? She is now coming towards the end of her contract, in two weeks, and will be even more stuck if an alternative job isn't found.

Thanks in advance

You say your partner began work after finishing her education at the end of 2011 and did not commence paying tax till this year and that is given as the reason the Community Welfare Officer refused her application for Rent Supplement?

There seems to be some confusion here as that could not possibly be a reason for the refusal of Rent Supplement.

With regard to current employment and qualifying for Rent Supplement, a claimant will not qualify if they are in full-time employment (30 hours or more a week).

There are, of course, plenty of other qualifying criteria for Rent Supplement, but having to have paid a certain amount of tax in a certain year figures nowhere in these.

Here are the guidelines on Rent Supplement from the Citizens Information site
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html and from the Department of Social Protection site http://www.welfare.ie/en/schemes/supplementarywelfareallowance/pages/rentsupplement.aspx

Sully

I don't live with her, she just lives with one other girl at the moment and they split the bills between them and pay their rent to the landlord. The refusal reason was that not enough tax was paid in 2011, which didn't make sense as I didn't see it as part of any criteria.