What am I entitled to?

hash for cash

Hi,

I have just found out that I am pregnant - not the best news ever as it will put me under severe financial pressure.

My head is spinning and I have no idea where to start.

Basic details:

Female - 23
Work part-time 12 hours a week/ usually 2 days x 6hrs a day
Live at home with parents
Receive jobseekers allowance for the days I don't work.
Usually receive around €167 JA.
Boyfriend lives with his parents too, we won't be living together.

Can anyone tell me what I will be entitled to? I have already been on citizens info but I can't concentrate on reading all that info, I just need straight facts.

1) Will I receive OPF allowance and if so how much will it be? Is it a flat payment or does the fact that I get JA influence it? Earnings are irrelevant as I earn below the disregarded income of €130 per week.

2) Does my part-time job mean that I am entitled to any maternity benefit or are my hours too little to qualify?

They are basically the two most important questions that I need answers to at the moment, I need to know what my income will be. I won't be taking any income from my bf into account (I know he has to contribute but he has little to no income and alot of debt) - neither of us wanted this situation, it was a bad drug interaction with the pill that caused it - not antibiotics, something that I was unaware of so please don't give me any lectures as I feel bad enough.

Just helpful information would be much appreciated at this time. Thank you in advance. L.

Equality

Congratulations.

You earn under 130, so assuming no other income, you get 188 for yourself, and 29.80 for the baby. This is only paid if you are a single parent.

In practice, depending on your boyfriend's situation, you might be better off financially to live together, but that is up to you. If he is a student, you would probably get more if you lived together. If he has a good job, you would potentially get nothing. Either way, at present you are about to become a lone parent, so it is the amount listed above. This may be reduced if he pays maintenance.

Maternity benefit is based on the prsi you paid in the past. It is based more so on the number of weeks prsi you have paid rather than on the amount you earned. (High earners get a bit more, but not much). It is 217.80, according to the website.

If you are employed you must have:

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year following that is 2011.

Or

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year before that is 2009.

eastbono

hash for cash wrote: »

Hi,

I have just found out that I am pregnant - not the best news ever as it will put me under severe financial pressure.

My head is spinning and I have no idea where to start.

Basic details:

Female - 23
Work part-time 12 hours a week/ usually 2 days x 6hrs a day
Live at home with parents
Receive jobseekers allowance for the days I don't work.
Usually receive around €167 JA.
Boyfriend lives with his parents too, we won't be living together.

Can anyone tell me what I will be entitled to? I have already been on citizens info but I can't concentrate on reading all that info, I just need straight facts.

1) Will I receive OPF allowance and if so how much will it be? Is it a flat payment or does the fact that I get JA influence it? Earnings are irrelevant as I earn below the disregarded income of €130 per week.

2) Does my part-time job mean that I am entitled to any maternity benefit or are my hours too little to qualify?

They are basically the two most important questions that I need answers to at the moment, I need to know what my income will be. I won't be taking any income from my bf into account (I know he has to contribute but he has little to no income and alot of debt) - neither of us wanted this situation, it was a bad drug interaction with the pill that caused it - not antibiotics, something that I was unaware of so please don't give me any lectures as I feel bad enough.

Just helpful information would be much appreciated at this time. Thank you in advance. L.

You should apply for maternity benefit if you do not qualify then you can apply to the community welfare officer for supplementary welfare allowance while you are on maternity leave. When you return to work after mat leave you can either continue claiming casual jobseekers allowance or apply for one parent family. Sw will pay you which ever is most beneficial to you. You cannot receive jsa and opf
NB If you apply for opf you have to also show efforts to receive maintenance from the father of your child.

mrsbyrne

OP you may not be taking into account any income from your boyfriend due to his financial situation at the moment, but DSP will not be as sympathetic. He is just as responsible for your child as you are, and all his circumstances will be taken into account, including the fact that he is living at home with his parents, and enjoying their hospitality. Some financial contribution will be expected.

hash for cash

mrsbyrne wrote: »

OP you may not be taking into account any income from your boyfriend due to his financial situation at the moment, but DSP will not be as sympathetic. He is just as responsible for your child as you are, and all his circumstances will be taken into account, including the fact that he is living at home with his parents, and enjoying their hospitality. Some financial contribution will be expected.

They have taken all his circumstances into account before for something else, he is 30+ so he doesn't come under the 'benefit of living at home means test', he has also shown them before that due to a loss of his business that 135 euro of his 188 goes towards his debts every week. The balance is for diesel and any other basic neccessitites. His parents pay all the bills in the house and buy all the food. I wouldn't in a million years ask me to give me his last tenner and I don't think sw will either as they are already aware of the pressure he is under but thank you for your advice

hash for cash

Equality wrote: »

Congratulations.

You earn under 130, so assuming no other income, you get 188 for yourself, and 29.80 for the baby. This is only paid if you are a single parent.

In practice, depending on your boyfriend's situation, you might be better off financially to live together, but that is up to you. If he is a student, you would probably get more if you lived together. If he has a good job, you would potentially get nothing. Either way, at present you are about to become a lone parent, so it is the amount listed above. This may be reduced if he pays maintenance.

Maternity benefit is based on the prsi you paid in the past. It is based more so on the number of weeks prsi you have paid rather than on the amount you earned. (High earners get a bit more, but not much). It is 217.80, according to the website.


If you are employed you must have:

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year following that is 2011.

Or

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year before that is 2009.

Thank you for taking the time to list all of the above it is much appreciated. I would definitely say that I have more than enough contributions made. As the baby will be born in 2013 will the tax year used be 2011? I have been employed in the same job since late 2009.

Also, if I receive the maternity benefit does this automatically transfer over to opf after the period has ended or if I wanted to go back to work earlier can I opt to switch them earlier? Because if I go back to work earlier then I have opf+ my income instead of just the maternity benefit on its own? If you see what I mean. As I said I don't work that many hours as it is.

mrsbyrne

hash for cash wrote: »

They have taken all his circumstances into account before for something else, he is 30+ so he doesn't come under the 'benefit of living at home means test', he has also shown them before that due to a loss of his business that 135 euro of his 188 goes towards his debts every week. The balance is for diesel and any other basic neccessitites. His parents pay all the bills in the house and buy all the food. I wouldn't in a million years ask me to give me his last tenner and I don't think sw will either as they are already aware of the pressure he is under but thank you for your advice

I think you will find that SW have a completely different attitude when it comes to sharing the responsibility for a child, but hey ho , what do i know?

Equality

OPF is not automatic - how is the SW to know you are a lone parent unless you apply for it? You should apply as soon as the child is born, just keep a copy of the birth cert for this. Explain that the dad lives with his parents, as you have said, and that you think he is unemployed. Let SW worry about maintenance, it is not going to be much of an issue anyway as he is unemployed. As regards Maternity and OPFP, I think it may be possible to get full rate on one and half rate on the other, but I am not sure about this? Someone else may know the answer, if not you could e-mail SW and ask them. Also, you should apply now for a council house, as the sooner you apply the faster you move up the waiting list. There is no need to wait until the child is born. Also, you can go to the CWO and ask for help with buying the cot.. and the maternity clothes/nightdress for the hospital. Also, ask your pals who have kids and work if there is any creche that provides low cost childcare to those on social welfare, as you will need this if you go back to work. Regarding going back to work early, most creches will not take a very young infant, so unless family can mind the child when you are in work, an early return to work may not be possible.

Stheno

OP may not have paid enough/any PRSI, you don't pay any on the first 127 of your earnings.

What happens in that case?

eastbono

Stheno wrote: »

OP may not have paid enough/any PRSI, you don't pay any on the first 127 of your earnings.

What happens in that case?

Even if you do not earn enough to pay prsi your employer has to pay prsi for you.

Stheno

eastbono wrote: »

Even if you do not earn enough to pay prsi your employer has to pay prsi for you.

I was wondering did that count, thanks

yabadabado

hash for cash wrote: »

They have taken all his circumstances into account before for something else, he is 30+ so he doesn't come under the 'benefit of living at home means test', he has also shown them before that due to a loss of his business that 135 euro of his 188 goes towards his debts every week. The balance is for diesel and any other basic neccessitites. His parents pay all the bills in the house and buy all the food. I wouldn't in a million years ask me to give me his last tenner and I don't think sw will either as they are already aware of the pressure he is under but thank you for your advice

DSP wont take that view,they will assess his income and go by the guidelines.

yabadabado

Stheno wrote: »

OP may not have paid enough/any PRSI, you don't pay any on the first 127 of your earnings.

What happens in that case?

Its not the PRSI you pay its the number of contributions that count and once you earn over €38 per week an A contribution is paid,which covers all welfare payments. A, E, H and S stamps all cover MAT.Once contribution is paid per week.

If you are employed you must have:

At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year following that is 2011.

Or

At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2012, the relevant tax year is 2010 and the year before that is 2009.

Equality

I looked at the legislation and it appears that it is full rate lone parents and half rate maternity benefit, once the child is born.

I also checked the legislation on maintenance, and my reading is that SW cannot pursue the dad for maintenance if he is on social welfare himself.

Mum could still pursue the dad in the courts if she wanted, but SW can't until he gets work, based on my read of the legislation. I could be wrong, but that is how it reads to me.

eastbono

Equality wrote: »

I looked at the legislation and it appears that it is full rate lone parents and half rate maternity benefit, once the child is born.

I also checked the legislation on maintenance, and my reading is that SW cannot pursue the dad for maintenance if he is on social welfare himself.

Mum could still pursue the dad in the courts if she wanted, but SW can't until he gets work, based on my read of the legislation. I could be wrong, but that is how it reads to me.

If Mum applies for OPF then she will be expected to show that she is pursuing the father of her child for maintenance.

yabadabado

Equality wrote: »

I looked at the legislation and it appears that it is full rate lone parents and half rate maternity benefit, once the child is born.

I also checked the legislation on maintenance, and my reading is that SW cannot pursue the dad for maintenance if he is on social welfare himself.

Mum could still pursue the dad in the courts if she wanted, but SW can't until he gets work, based on my read of the legislation. I could be wrong, but that is how it reads to me.

SW dont pursue the father for maintenance but the mother must make an effort to get maintenance from the father of the child.