Help me calculate my rent allowance

redroosterr

Hi,

I am currently on JSA and my partner is doing a 4yr degree and gets BTEA during college year. WE have two young children.

During the college year my partner receives €217 btea pw and i receive €217 jsa pw. We receive €587 rent allowance against a 1000 pm rent.

Now the college yr has ended we are each receiving €186 pw and remain to receive €587 rent allowance.

I wonder now we are receiving less could we apply for an increase in RA, or would someone be able to calculate what RA we should be getting based on €1,000 rent per month and €186 each pw (2 children)

Appreciate any help
R

ABajaninCork

Where are you? New Rent Supplement limits are here effective from 17th June this year.

You're still expected to contribute E35 pp per week. Depending on where you live, the CWO may very well tell you to renegotiate the rent or move somewhere cheaper.

redroosterr

Im aware of the new limits, and have not been approached to renegotiate the rent as of yet. Im aware if I was to approach the CWO about rent allowance that this will need to be dealt with.

What im asking is now that we are down €62 a week could we approach the social welfare and ask to be reassessed, would this be worth out while? Is this a reasonable request? Is our RA likely to be increased?

I dont want to end up in a worse position.

ABajaninCork

It is unlikely to be increased. I'd try to renegotiate the rent.

redroosterr

I thought it was means tested? So now we as a family are down €65 a week would it not increase?

Id love if someone could calculate this on a 975€ monthly rent as i will have to get my rent down to this according to the guidelines. I tried to look up how to calculate RA but it seems quite complicated, thought someone here might have a better idea

Thanks

ABajaninCork

I do agree with you. RA is means tested, so you'd think that the allowance would increase with a decrease in Welfare payments. But Welfare doesn't work like that, I'm afraid. Especially as the RA bill has increased and the Government are looking to save money...

Gatling

Been college re starts in September your probably wasting your time as you would need to be re reassed due to your increases again ,

Complicated alright

zom

you can try calculate it:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/calculating_rent_supplement.html

but from what I know RA was rescued recently. Some of my friends got their RA half-cut few weeks ago due to new law started to work since 17 June.