Social welfare problems

young unwanted

Hello i have a problem with the social welfare and i wish to be anonymous
any help would be very helpfull as of now i am kinda stuck and do not know were i go to and what to say
So first of all i will give you a full backround info on my problem.

I am 24 years of age i am on the dole and have been for some time i have done a part time course and have it finished it.
I get 188 a week i have been accepted a place in tus which i am takeing it up in the next week or so and hopefully
i will do a part time course at the same time so ill be in work and study for the whole week.
I live with my friend and she is 21 we moved into the house i am in at the moment a 2 years ago we are not a couple we
moved into the house because the house she was in was violent and been friends for years so we went for it the house
we moved into was a different town then ours so we both had to change our dole over ,we headed down and signed over to this down
but little did i know that would come back and haunt me we filled in all the forums at the same time and at that time the girl
in the social said are we a couple we said no so she put us down as cohabating which we both tought thats would it meant well i know
different now ,
So im just about to start the tus and should be getting 208 for it,
and my friend has been on 100 euro since we moved but she started collage this year so she should be getting 160 ,
She got a call from the dole today saying that because were cohabating both of our money is getting cut well mine more than hers but the same
156 a week,
so if i did nothing and she also did nothing as in not go to collage and me not to the tus we would be better off,
I think this is wrong as in the mistake is with them as they should have not of had use down as cohabating and I and her
should be treated as 2 persons and not a couple.


I hope someone could help as i dont know what to do and sorry if the details are a bit confussing

hullaballoo

Moved to State Benefits from Legal Discussion.

Apologies to local Mods if this is inappropriate.

young unwanted

thanks sorry didnt know were to post it thanks

elfy4eva

If you are authentically not a couple, go down and explain this to your CWO as you should each be receiving the rate for a single person sharing.

The DSP are extremely vigilant on cohabitation as a lot of people will try and get away with claiming they are single as it means more money for them.

However I would struggle to imagine the DSP forcing the idea of cohabitation upon you, if you authentically aren't cohabiting.

Could either of you have accidentally said something or given them reason to assume cohabitation?

Hope this helps.
Good luck
Elfy

young unwanted

Well i think that may have been the case when we went down the very first time we were happy but that was because we were moveing away from trouble i sopose that may look as if we were a couple but at that time we both thought that cohabitating meant just liveing with each other not as a couple a very big mistake ,would there be any way of proveing that we are not a couple thanks

elfy4eva

young unwanted wrote: »

Well i think that may have been the case when we went down the very first time we were happy but that was because we were moveing away from trouble i sopose that may look as if we were a couple but at that time we both thought that cohabitating meant just liveing with each other not as a couple a very big mistake ,would there be any way of proveing that we are not a couple thanks

Well that's your problem and if I'm honest it's an acceptable one. I too hadn't come across the term cohabiting before, until I had to sign on. (I also thought it was an option for room-mates until I looked it up)

If you put on the form that you were cohabiting, then they will obviously assume that you are. If I were in your situation, I would take a trip straight to your local claims office explain your mistake and that you're willing to comply with any measures they need to take to confirm your status. If they send you away I would then go and speak with the Community Welfare Officer in your area explaining the same.

Chalk it up to experience, they don't treat simple mistakes with the best of respects in the DSP. Always research any forms they ask you to fill in. If you aren't sure, look it up.

Best of luck getting this sorted
Elfy

young unwanted

Alright thanks for the info thats what i will do on monday hopefully this works out thanks for your help

elfy4eva

young unwanted wrote: »

Alright thanks for the info thats what i will do on monday hopefully this works out thanks for your help

No problem, let us know how you get on.

young unwanted

Well another quick question just thinking what if kinda thinking,
So if i cant prove that were not just friends well untill say i have to apeal the out come iv been reading up about this for the past few hours,
if and when i start with tus it says that i have to get 208 no matter what and it also says on the form she sign she has to get 160 the both numbers can be found the wefare site ,
seening as tus is not the welfare would it be different as i think i pay tax on the extra 20 a week so if and when i start which will be very soon i would have to get the 208 ,would they cut her more than just thinking my head is fryed about this thanks and sorry for being
confussing again:)

elfy4eva

No idea, you're going to have to ask the guys at your SW office
on Monday for all the little details. Anything I say would just be
a total guess. It's a fairly messy query.

young unwanted

thanks i will let you know how things are going on monday thanks