Need Advice with Social Welfare

cloudbang

Hi forum,

I've just turned 24 and i have no job, im enrolled with FAS but ive had no success as of yet.

my father told me i have until the end of the month to get out of the house because he cant afford to keep supporting me. im wondering if i go to the welfare will they give me jobseekers benefit? allowance? (the one where im means tested)

i went before and i wasn't entitled to anything after a means test but still my dad cant afford to support me at all. will they help me or do i have to become homeless before they give me a penny? and will they turn around and ask for my families bank account statements, mortgage stuff etc? because he's not going to give any of them to me again - its pointless!

i'd rather sort this prior to being kicked out so ill have some cash in my pocket to get myself a room or somewhere to stay

any advice on what i can do/say to help my case would really help

cheers

cloudbang

Condatis

Having being turned down you can appeal that decision. Check out the Department website for information on the process.

Contact the INOU (Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed) for advice.

cloudbang

i dont want to appeal it because im going to be gone from the house in a few weeks and out by myself. im wondering will they accept that and start the process of giving me welfare while im still living at home? or do i need to go homeless first?

problem with going homeless first is the general 4-6 week waiting period to get your money once they agree which means ill be begging on the streets for 4-6 weeks!

kev1.3s

As far as I know at 24 you are no longer considered a dependent on you're parents! And as posted above you can appeal the decision and get you're payment straight away from you're community welfare officer, they just try anything to either deny or slow down your claim. After a brief spell unemployed I've recently got a part time job and went on the casual system and the result is that I've received no welfare payment for over 3 weeks now.

Condatis

You need to 25 before your parents means are not taken in account. This regulation does not apply if you are living with them.

In your case it would appear that if you are not living at home you should qualify. It is not required that you be homeless. If you are living in rented accommodation you can qualify regardless of your age.

Balagan

To get Jobseekers Allowance you have to have an address, even if it is a shelter for the homeless. To get into a homeless shelter, you will first need to be approved by the Local Authority as being in need of housing or for them to accept your homelessness. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/losing_your_home/homelessness.html

As you are past 24, you just have until you are 25 before parents income is not considered in your means test for those living at home. Would advise finding a way to talk this through with your father. If he is not willing to disclose his financial situation to enable your means testing, he should understand that you will not get JA. If you are in an abusive/violent situation and in danger, then go to the Community Welfare Officer http://www.welfare.ie/EN/ContactUs/Pages/cwo_contact.aspx and explain your situation.
Otherwise, try to find a way to live as amicably as possible at home. Perhaps, in exchange for food and a roof over your head, try to pitch in more with housework/repairs/cooking etc., and, if you can't find any work, try to volunteer in a position that would interest you, add to your CV and keep you out of the house. There are many in similar situation to yours. Going to try to survive on the streets should not be an option. Lives get destroyed very quickly and to work something out with your Dad is likely to only take a fraction of the energy and effort than would be required to not be permanently marked by the experience of homelessness.

cloudbang

But i dont understand how can a welfare officer take my fathers income into account when he no longer wants/can support me?

I cant afford private accommodation in the first place until i get some money from the welfare. Can the welfare officer just accept that instead of having to be 25 i'm 24 and i require social welfare because i'm not being supported from anyone else?