Can I apply for One Parent Family before my hours are cut?

Izzie11

My work hours are being reduced this September and I will be applying for the one parent family payment. I was on it years ago but when I went back to work I wasnt entitled to it any longer.

Can the Social Welfare Office start processing my claim now if I go in with a letter from work stating that in September my work hours will be reduced. I remember the first time I applied it took almost 6 months to come through and I cant afford to wait that long again.

I was hoping I would be able to get a bit of a head start!

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

eastbono

Izzie11 wrote: »

My work hours are being reduced this September and I will be applying for the one parent family payment. I was on it years ago but when I went back to work I wasnt entitled to it any longer.

Can the Social Welfare Office start processing my claim now if I go in with a letter from work stating that in September my work hours will be reduced. I remember the first time I applied it took almost 6 months to come through and I cant afford to wait that long again.

I was hoping I would be able to get a bit of a head start!

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it.

If your days are being reduced you can apply for casual jobseekers benefit. There is new criteria for applying for OFP depending on the age of your children. I am posting a link but this is a 2011 link. http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW82/Pages/3Whoisaqualifiedchild.aspx
cant find the updated version.
You can make an opf claim anytime but if it is processed quickly from what you say you will not get anything.

Izzie11

eastbono wrote: »

If your days are being reduced you can apply for casual jobseekers benefit. There is new criteria for applying for OFP depending on the age of your children. I am posting a link but this is a 2011 link. http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW82/Pages/3Whoisaqualifiedchild.aspx
cant find the updated version.
You can make an opf claim anytime but if it is processed quickly from what you say you will not get anything.

Why would I not get anything? I would qualify according to their website and I was on the payment in the past. I know that there has been changes to the payment but my child is under 14 so I assume that this wouldnt effect me.

Is there something else that I'm missing? Bloody confusing paperwork

eastbono

Izzie11 wrote: »

Why would I not get anything? I would qualify according to their website and I was on the payment in the past. I know that there has been changes to the payment but my child is under 14 so I assume that this wouldnt effect me.

Is there something else that I'm missing? Bloody confusing paperwork

What I was trying to tell you is if you apply now and opf is processed quickly and is done on your current earnings and you were cut off before because of your earnings then you would not qualify now. But when your earnings are reduced in Sept... you may qualify for opf.

MariMel

Izzie11 wrote: »

Why would I not get anything? I would qualify according to their website and I was on the payment in the past. I know that there has been changes to the payment but my child is under 14 so I assume that this wouldnt effect me.

Is there something else that I'm missing? Bloody confusing paperwork

I was on opf before and looked into going back onto it again come september.....but since my son is 10, I will now under the new criteria only be able to get opf til end of the year, then its back to jobseekers. I was told that the fact I was on OPF before was irrelevant in respects to claiming for it in sept. I dont know what ages your children are, but just note that you will only get it until your youngest child is 10 since the age limits changed on 27th april.

MariMel

ALso if your hours are being reduced have you looked into claiming for FIS?
I know it takes a long time to come through but once you meet the criteria of the minimum hrs it could work out better for you.

Izzie11

I know if i go on my current wage i would be rejected but what I mean is can I go into my local office and tell them that in September my circumstances will be changing and ask them to start processing my application now. It would take months for them to sort it out anyway. I could then start getting the payment from the date my hours are cut.

Rather than waiting until September when i already have had the paperwork done for weeks and waiting a further six months to get anywhere.

LegacyUser

The answer to your question is no.

The department would take one look at your payslip and the claim would be disallowed.

You need to wait until you have an entitlement to apply, you cannot apply in advance.

PammyD

You can apply for FIS (Family income supplement) even now!
Come Sept when your hours are cut you can work up to 19 hours and claim OPF, yes it may take some time to come through unfortunately, mine took 6 months to come through when i applied after maternity leave but was back dated..