Housing issue

1dayattime · 07-10-2013 3:05pm #1

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?

I am a single mother working full time and currently living at home with parents, ideally i would like my own place.

Being on my own i cannot afford to rent a private place and i have no hope in dublin city council housing me.

are there any other options people may know about? i am not entitled to rent allowance as i earn too much!!

am i better off not working?? :mad:

appreciate any advice - thanks

lukesmom · 07-10-2013 4:42pm

You are better off not working sadly enough. You could claim one parent family payment and rent allowance. How would you feel giving up your job though? You are in a tough situation living at home and wanting your own space with your child but couldn't afford the rent by yourself. Maybe you could work part time and get rent allowance and part of the one parent family payment. Then you'd have the work and accommodation sorted.

ballyharpat · 07-10-2013 6:30pm

If you leave your job, it may benefit you in the short term, but if you meet a partner, it will mean that your welfare etc. is cut, whereas if you remain working, ye will have two wages, assuming you do not choose a partner that is a lifelong dolehead....

Rosier · 07-10-2013 6:50pm

1dayattime wrote: »

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?

I am a single mother working full time and currently living at home with parents, ideally i would like my own place.

Being on my own i cannot afford to rent a private place and i have no hope in dublin city council housing me.

are there any other options people may know about? i am not entitled to rent allowance as i earn too much!!

am i better off not working?? :mad:

appreciate any advice - thanks

Can hardly believe the replies to this. Even to think of stopping work in these hard times when you have a good job and a home , and depending on welfare. Of course you would like your own place but surely without this.

To live off the state when you can work and support yourself and your child.

I do not mean to sound harsh but this is alien to me.

Moonbeam · 07-10-2013 7:06pm

I think the point of it is that by working she is not entitled to any benefits yet her income is so low that she can not afford rent.
If that is a ccase there is an issue with the system.

I would get your name on the housing list to start with and at least you have it there.

incywincy10 · 11-10-2013 10:44am

Hi,
Put your name on Dublin City Council list and tick the voluntary housing section. Voluntary housing provide low rent properties(usually apartments)to people on the council list.:)

incywincy10 · 11-10-2013 10:46am

You should be entitled to a one bedroom apartment if you have one child.

Mrs OBumble · 11-10-2013 12:15pm

1dayattime wrote: »

i have no hope in dublin city council housing me.

Why is that? I would have thought you'd be a prime candidate for social housing.

Gatling · 11-10-2013 2:16pm

Op you'll probably be looking at at least a 7-10 year wait for social housing depending on where your located ,if your living at home with your folks they might decide you don't exactly have an immediate housing need ,
You should have put your name on the list when your child was born ,
And when you do fill in the forms tick the voluntary housing box as suggested earlier ,you might get something quicker ,

No Pants · 12-10-2013 9:26am

The problem I see you having right now is that you have no housing need. You are housed.

murphaph · 12-10-2013 9:58am

1dayattime wrote: »

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?

I am a single mother working full time and currently living at home with parents, ideally i would like my own place.

Being on my own i cannot afford to rent a private place and i have no hope in dublin city council housing me.

are there any other options people may know about? i am not entitled to rent allowance as i earn too much!!

am i better off not working?? :mad:

appreciate any advice - thanks

Given the crazy system in Ireland yes you are financially probably better off not working BUT you are your child's role model #1 and there is more to work than just the bottom line. Your child will learn a work ethic he or she otherwise wouldn't if you became one of the ones playing the system. The state should do more to encourage working people like heavily subsidised childcare in state run pre-schools, with more "creche time" given ton working people than those out of work (that's how it works in Berlin (and Germany generally, but the rules differ from state to state)...you get a childcare voucher that is valid for a set number of hours per day, with full time working people getting an 8-10 hour voucher. The amount you pay towards your voucher depends on your income generally, but is a fraction of what you pay in Ireland.

1dayattime · 15-10-2013 11:13am

Thanks All - my name is on the social housing list and voluntary housing i have ticked for, its a waiting game

Gatling · 15-10-2013 11:17am

1dayattime wrote: »

Thanks All - my name is on the social housing list and voluntary housing i have ticked for, its a waiting game

Glad to hear :-)

Hope all works out

Ray Palmer · 15-10-2013 11:18am

You have to earn roughly €35k to just match what the state benefits are if you are a single parent with the child.

Another issue is are you claiming maintenance from the father? If not you are making the state pay for something that is his obligation. Are you declaring this income?

1dayattime · 15-10-2013 11:38am

i have no other income only other than my job!

vitani · 15-10-2013 11:41am

1dayattime wrote: »

i have no other income only other than my job!

Are you claiming Family Income Supplement? If you work more than 19 hours a week and earn under €506 per week, you can claim an extra payment.

riclad · 15-10-2013 11:46am

The council do a 50/50 rent, mortgage for people on low incomes who are working.
my sister got a council mortgage, 50 /50 rent mortgage,8 years ago.
after 4 years she switched over to a full mortgage.
YOU pick out a house,or apartment ,
then apply for the mortgage.
Last time i checked ,the income limit for this was 35 k approx.

BY the way a single mother might get a council apartment,
but its only in certain areas.
your choice is limited.
SHE was a single woman , working full time, no children, her income was under 30k at that time.

I don,t know if this scheme is still avaidable ,
maybe look on the local authority website.

PUT your name on the council housing list,
council house dept is on wood quay ,
ground floor,
The entrance is at the back of the council building.

Ray Palmer · 15-10-2013 12:38pm

1dayattime wrote: »

i have no other income only other than my job!

Why not? It is his obligation too.

Not getting at you personally but it is unfair to expect people to get any allowances if they aren't making any effort to hold the other party financially responsible. It doesn't matter if the parents hate each other they are both financially responsible at the very least. By not doing it the state is meant to cover it.

I am sure there are some cases that this is not possible but this would be quite limited

Santa Cruz · 15-10-2013 5:54pm

1dayattime wrote: »

i have no other income only other than my job!

Where is the father of the child? Probably off plugging another young one who dosen't know what contraception is for.
These are the type of antics that sicken ordinary decent working people who are being taxed to the hilt to subsidise single mothers etc.

Gatling · 15-10-2013 5:56pm

Santa Cruz wrote: »

Where is the father of the child? Probably off plugging another young one who dosen't know what contraception is for.
These are the type of antics that sicken ordinary decent working people who are being taxed to the hilt to subsidise single mothers etc.

Its none of anybody on here business

clumsyklutz · 15-10-2013 6:02pm

Obviously it's none of our business where the father is, she is a working mum, fair play to her, I've seen far too many struggle and really contemplate leaving work just because they'll be better off.

She just wants some sort of help, hell we all need that sometimes.

No Pants · 15-10-2013 6:08pm

Gatling wrote: »

Its none of anybody on here business

It is when they're being asked to open their wallets.

Del2005 · 15-10-2013 6:08pm

1dayattime wrote: »

Hi all,

just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?

I am a single mother working full time and currently living at home with parents, ideally i would like my own place.

Being on my own i cannot afford to rent a private place and i have no hope in dublin city council housing me.

are there any other options people may know about? i am not entitled to rent allowance as i earn too much!!

am i better off not working?? :mad:

appreciate any advice - thanks

Why would quitting your job when you still living at home bump you up the list? There are others in worst situations than you. As said get the father to start paying or else your stuck. Giving up a job is the worst option.

Gatling · 15-10-2013 6:21pm

No Pants wrote: »

It is when they're being asked to open their wallets.

BS

No Pants · 15-10-2013 6:27pm

Gatling wrote: »

BS

Okay...

Ray Palmer · 16-10-2013 8:23am

Gatling wrote: »

Its none of anybody on here business

The personal circumstances are none of our business but if somebody is asking about how to get state benefits and how to maximise their income/quality of life all income needs to be explored.

There is another person responsible for the child and therefore should be paying for their upkeep at the very least. The state certainly shouldn't be covering this responsibility

Mrs OBumble · 16-10-2013 12:48pm

In fairness, the father might be dead, in prison, in Poland, whatever. If it were me I wouldn't be posting details on boards - but I would be saying "I have tried, but it's not possible to claim maintenance".

OP, if there are any extenuating circumstances which make living with your parents particularly difficult (eg disabled child, parental health problems, etc), then contact the council and make sure these are recorded, as they may get you higher up the list.

Other than that, you simply need to wait your turn. It sucks that there is no housing assistance for low income people apart from relatively scarce council housing, IMHO it would be a lot better for the taxpayer to pay a small housing benefit to help you into private rental than to make you wait and then to pay almost the entire cost of a courncil house for you. But MHO is not the way that housing assistance works in this country. You could contact your TD to lobby for a change, but it's likely that they cannot do anything immediate for you.

The other alternative is to increase your income so that you can afford to rent. This could be by getting a better job, or more hours, or things like child-maintenance or FIS. Only you can work out what is possible for you.

Ray Palmer · 16-10-2013 1:44pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

In fairness, the father might be dead, in prison, in Poland, whatever. If it were me I wouldn't be posting details on boards - but I would be saying "I have tried, but it's not possible to claim maintenance".

That is fair but if in prison payments can be applied for and being in another country makes no difference either. The not possible list is quite small in reality and certainly smaller than those who don't do it.

Housing issue

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