Supplementary welfare allowance.

Tonyandthewhale

I'm currently working as little as 4 hours a week so I'm thinking I should probably apply for supplementary welfare allowance - I have some queries though.

First of all, for the next 4 weeks I'm doing a TEFL course five days a week - does this mean I'm technically in full time education and thus not eligible for benefits?
Secondly, the course is being run in Galway but I live in Limerick (I'm couch surfing between my parent's house and various friends' houses for the duration of the course) - this will obviously make things complicated if I have to sign-on in Limerick but if I sign on in Galway I'll presumably be treated as if I'm still living at home which means less money - or am I wrong there?

So does anyone know if my situation counts as 'full time education' and what's the story with changing where I sign on (for instance if I sign on in Galway for now can I easily change that to Limerick in four weeks time when I'm back to living there full time)?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

amtw

"Supplementary Welfare Allowance provides a basic weekly allowance to eligible people who have little or no income."


Copied and pasted the above from the Citizens Information website. I suggest you go and visit your local Community Welfare Officer (now called something else) and explain your situation and they might award you SWA, no harm in asking and they are the ones who ultimately will be making the decision anyone else is just specualting.


Good luck

mp22

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

I'm currently working as little as 4 hours a week so I'm thinking I should probably apply for supplementary welfare allowance - I have some queries though.

First of all, for the next 4 weeks I'm doing a TEFL course five days a week - does this mean I'm technically in full time education and thus not eligible for benefits?
Secondly, the course is being run in Galway but I live in Limerick (I'm couch surfing between my parent's house and various friends' houses for the duration of the course) - this will obviously make things complicated if I have to sign-on in Limerick but if I sign on in Galway I'll presumably be treated as if I'm still living at home which means less money - or am I wrong there?

So does anyone know if my situation counts as 'full time education' and what's the story with changing where I sign on (for instance if I sign on in Galway for now can I easily change that to Limerick in four weeks time when I'm back to living there full time)?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Have your hours in work been reduced? are you claiming any other social welfare payment?

Tonyandthewhale

mp22 wrote: »

Have your hours in work been reduced? are you claiming any other social welfare payment?

Yeah they've been reduced (although they were never more than part time) and no I'm not claiming any other social welfare nor have I been.
I'll pop into the welfare office tomorrow and see what they say I suppose.