Lone Parent Advice

Albundy30

Hi my sister is separated from her partner for a year now. They have 3 kids under the age of 4 together. He provides very little money...maybe 30 a week if he has it. She has been claiming Lone parents for the past year but now has just got a full time job, 40 hours a week and pays 450euro before tax and stuff.

When she called to inform the social welfare that she was working they said that as long as she earns more then 425 a week she is not entitled to anything. Her problem is that without loan parents payment the play school that the 3 kids go to put the payment back up to full (it was half price as long as she claimed lone parents). Now it is costing her almost her full pay check to get the kids looked after in play school and leaves her maybe 50 euros a week for bills/food/travel/clothes.

She knows the father must pay more money per child but he doesn't work and doesn't claim job-seekers, he is a bum and nothing can be done about it.

She earns maybe 1600 a month before tax and there is child benefit that is 420 so her income is 2000 a month but between rent of 1100 pm, 435 for crèche, food of about 500 pm and then everyday bills and travel and clothes for herself and kids it leaves her short about 400+ per month maybe even more if she wants to bring the kids out for a day or two.

I am just enquiring for her as she works all day and cannot go down to ask about payments or get them on the phone. Is she entitled to any payment at all? Maybe rent allowance or that family income supplement?

Any advice is appreciated

upinthesky

she can claim fis if she earns 450 a week.
They take that away from 703 they will also take away whatever maintenance she gets

so without including the maintenance 703-450=253 so 60% of that is 151.80 so she would get that amount only thing is it takes several months to come true. I was waiting 4 months when i applied and that's a year ago so i think its longer now but you do get the back payment here is a link to info on fis and i think you can text a number to get the form sent out in the post
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/family_income_supplement.html

Albundy30

Thank you so much. I'll pass that along. Such a helpful place