Jobseekers Allowance Age 20 Living Alone

stevek93

Hi all,

Am currently a student in college receiving the full BTA allowance living on my own. I am up the walls with worry time comes the summer when I finish, what will my rate be? I have no support from my parents am barley scraping by on the €188, I pay €30 a week towards my rent that would leave me with €70 to heat feed cloth myself and general up keep, the standard rate of JSA being €100. Surely they take the likes of certain circumstances in to consideration please say yes.

stevek93

Was talking to member of staff in my local social office today. Basically because of my age which makes no sense at all I will be only receiving the E100. Was in contact with the ombudsman am waiting for phone call in morning for more advice, can some please point me in right direction on how to go about this.

eastbono

Unfortunately its €100 pw for someone of your age. Are you getting rent allowance at present? If not contact your community welfare officer and also if you live alone you maybe able to get fuel allowance from community welfare officer while you are on btea.

stevek93

eastbono wrote: »

Unfortunately its €100 pw for someone of your age. Are you getting rent allowance at present? If not contact your community welfare officer and also if you live alone you maybe able to get fuel allowance from community welfare officer while you are on btea.

I don't mean to sound rude but how is someone suppose to pay E40 a week rent living on 100 a week, my landlord put up the rent 10E since my last post . I am currently getting rent allowance and sharing with the landlord I don't think I would be entitled to fuel allowance.

That leaves me with E60 a week to food, cloth myself, gas bill, electric bill, phone bill, bin charges, television license, overall maintenance, prescription fees, travel cost, etc. The E148 after paying rent is barley keeping me going as it is.

eastbono

Sorry to hear that about your rent going up. Perhaps you could talk to someone in the college about financial assistance.

Clonmel1000

Part time job?

lilymc

Student Assistance Fund in your college, Community Welfare Officer, St Vincent de Paul... try very hard to get a job for summer.

stevek93

Clonmel1000 wrote: »

Part time job?

I hope to work full time over the summer, but mean time while I am looking for work I need something to keep my head above water. Am living on a week to week basics no savings whatsoever.

stevek93

I will arrange a meeting with councilor in college, hopefully they are able to help with finding work before college finishes.

Boombastic

stevek93 wrote: »

I don't mean to sound rude but how is someone suppose to pay E40 a week rent living on 100 a week, my landlord put up the rent 10E since my last post . I am currently getting rent allowance and sharing with the landlord I don't think I would be entitled to fuel allowance.

That leaves me with E60 a week to food, cloth myself, gas bill, electric bill, phone bill, bin charges, television license, overall maintenance, prescription fees, travel cost, etc. The E148 after paying rent is barley keeping me going as it is.

If you live with you landlord, what overall maintenance are you paying for?
If you will not be working, what are the travel costs for?
Perscription fees - have you applied for a medical card
TV licence 160/2 =80 ( I presume your landlord is paying half?) 5 months to save for it (when is it due?), or get rid of the TV (if your landlord doesn't want to t rid of it, let him pay for the licence)


Clothes - not a weekly expense

60/ Week for food, gas, electric, bin, not much, but with good budgeting, doable



What do you expect the ombudsman to do for you? You'd be better off going to mabs

mrsbyrne

stevek93 wrote: »

Was talking to member of staff in my local social office today. Basically because of my age which makes no sense at all I will be only receiving the E100. Was in contact with the ombudsman am waiting for phone call in morning for more advice, can some please point me in right direction on how to go about this.

The Ombudsman only comes into play if you have a complaint about the way the Dept dealt with your claim, and you have exhausted the normal Complaints procedure.
You can't complain to the Ombudsman about the rules.