Living apart from wife from next month...

LegacyUser

Wonder if anyone can help me on this one.
My wife is Japanese. Married 12 years, have 4 kids. The company I worked in for 15 years closed down last December. My wife had been dying to go home to Japan for some time as she missed her homeland and wanted to give the kids a chance to experience their Japanese culture and improve their language ability a bit. Since I was out of work and was going to have to start job hunting anyway, it seemed like a good time to take a break from Ireland and go and live in Japan - with her parents - for a while. Which we did. Always with the intention of moving back at the end of August, as our youngest is due to start school and we dont want him to miss out on a place in the same school as his elder siblings.
The problem is, my wife has basically turned around and refused point blank to go back to Ireland. She really, really hates it there now, the way its gone the last few years. Also, any friends she had there have all left to return to Japan as well, so she has no Japanese friends there anymore. She wants us to stay here but my kids want to go home and I cant get a job here as my Japanese isnt good enough. Also, as stated, I want to go back at least to get my son started in school. So I am taking the kids back and my wife is staying here. Can't be persuaded to come back no matter what. We aren't officially separating or anything, but for the time being the plan seems to be that we will be living apart.
She is working in Japan but not earning a huge amount. she will be sending some money over to support us but probably not a lot - not enough to live off, certainly.
So my question is, what am I entitled to from the state when I Get back.

I qualified for JB after being made redundant and only used up 3 months of my 12 month allowance, so I can sign back on when I get back at least. I can claim for myself and the four kids - but can I claim for my wife if she is not living with us? It does say on the website that in cases of increases for adult dependants, the adult dependant does not have to meet the habitual residency requirements - but would my wife be classed a dependant?

The thing is, if I tell them my wife isn't living with us, will I be entitled to the JB, as I have 4 kids to mind? Would they make out I am not available for work in that case? And if so, what would I be entitled to instead? The OPF says you have to be 'separated' for at least 3 months before you can start receiving a payment. But if I am not officially separated....how would that work?? Does that disqualify me from that? So do I just tell them I am separated?

The thing about it is, I really do want to work, hate drawing the dole. With the 4 kids though its going to be hard finding something, as childcare for 4 of them would be astronomical and any job I might get wouldn't cover it. As 3 of them are going to be in school, leaving on the bus at 8.10 in the morning and returning home at 3pm in the afternoon, I am thinking that I could try and find a part-time job working 9-3, organising childcare just for the youngest and asking the neighbours to look after my other 3 kids for a half hour or so in the afternoon, until I get home. Whether that would be remotely likely of happening or not I have no idea but otherwise I can't work.

Am I just basically screwed here? Anybody got any advice?
Thanks
Martin

wmpdd3

I think you should get jsb, you cant claim for dependant who is not resident in ireland. Maybe retraining would suit you, you could look in to this as well as being available for full time work. Retrainging might be shorter hours.

Moonbeam

You might qualify for lone parent allowance you will need to talk to your local social welfare office.
Good luck.