Change of address / Dole claim suspended

LegacyUser

Hey guys, I've just moved to Dublin to secure work so have informed them of my new address and taken a letter from my landlord stating that I live there.

They say this isn't enough and that they need a utility bill. I'm trying to get a bill from the guy who sorts them but haven't got one yet and am desperate for cash now.

Do you think there is a possibility of getting a payment from the community welfare officer to tide me over until this is sorted?

Lunaarli

Yes, the same thing happened to me and they told me I could go and get emergency cash.

Pop into them tomorrow!

sligoface

OP, just getting a bill from 'the guy who sorts them' might not be enough, if it doesn't have your name on it. Though I don't know why the lease isn't enough that's a joke. i'm on the dole and I just changed address and all I needed was the lease but I didnt change counties so maybe that's why. Have you changed your address at your bank? Because they may take a bank statement with your new address on it as proof, though this will take a few days as well. Also be aware that it will take three working days from when they lift the suspension for the payment to be available in the post office. (I had a claim suspended recently.)

That's so unfair, you've taken the risk of moving to a very expensive city to get yourself off the dole and into a job and they are making things even harder for you. You'd think they would realize with the economy the way it is and rent so high in Dublin, many people live in shared accomodation and won't have bills in their name. And if you've just moved you woudn't have any bills yet even if you were on your own. Tbh, I have been wanting to do just what you did as there is no work here in Sligo. But i know it would be impossible without a lot of money saved. and apparently, a bill for electricity that I haven't even used yet. Ridiculous.

Get to the community welfare officer. The one here is only there two days a week for a few hours, though I assume in Dublin they are staffed more properly but you might want to check. Go early, even here the wait can be quite long. Make sure to bring your photo ID and your lease to him/her as well. You might need to go in every week till they sort your change of address. Good luck!

LegacyUser

Cheers for the replies guys. I have been assured by the dole office that any utility bill will suffice as long as it has this address on it. That caused me to question them a lot and again more arguing ensued.

The CWO is there tomorrow (it seems these guys are part timers all over the country) so hopefully they will be a little more understanding as it's squeaky bum time as to whether I'll last over the weekend without having to go back home or go busking!

I'll update this with any news/busking reviews.

Cheers

Granger13

You dont necessary have to have a bill in your own name when you change address. A letter is usually sufficent if signed by the landlord. And it would of course help if you might get your address changed on your bank account.

However It again comes down to the local office, which should not be the case,as below in their guidelines it states a leasing agreement is a form of proof of address and when I changed address myself not to long ago, that is all the Office required as I too did not yet have a utility bill in my name.

Below is taken from the Departments own website:

Change of address

When a person notifies the Social Welfare Local Office of a change of address, s/he must provide proof of the new address and the address verified by recourse to directories Department's Central Records system


In any case where it is necessary to seek evidence of a customer's address, acceptable documents include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Local Authority Rent book, Mortgage or leasing agreement

• Recent bills from utility companies e.g. Electricity, Telephone (Landline or Mobile), Gas, Cable Television, Waste Charges, etc.
• any other form of evidence considered by the Deciding Officer to be appropriate in the particular circumstances.

You should go your CWO as soon as you can and apply for a Supplementary Payment until your local office re instates your payment. And for future ref if the local office refuses to except what you have provided, its always best to ask for it in writing. As above, they could of excepted the letter from the landlord as proof of address and requested something else from you and given you a certain date to obtain it before cutting your payment.

LegacyUser

So when I took the Eircom bill in with my address and the other fellas name on it it was accepted and all has been processed to be paid next week. I got to see the original woman I had seen and she was much more helpful.

Went to see the CWO at Rathfarnham Health Centre, waited for over an hour and was then told that I was at the wrong health centre (local office told me to go to there). He kindly made me an appointment to see the correct CWO on an emergency basis tomorrow as I really wont be able to last until Wed (17 days past my payment due date).

I'm hoping I'll be able to get something, however small, just to get some grub in and cover my rent until I can get everything in order.

Cheers for all and any advice guys, should be fine tomorrow/next week.