interview with Social Welfare re OPFP

embee

Hi folks,
Am a bit confused, I've been asked to attend an interview by Social Welfare about my OPFP. I have been on this payment for eight years and have never been asked to do an interview in all that time. Any ideas why they'd suddenly be asking for me to attend?

mrsbyrne

I wonder is your Lone parent entitlement coming to an end because of the age of your youngest child? Drastic changes were made in entitlement two Budgets ago.It could just be a spot check re co-habiting/work/maintenance either. Have your circumstances changed at all recently?

embee

mrsbyrne wrote: »

I wonder is your Lone parent entitlement coming to an end because of the age of your youngest child? Drastic changes were made in entitlement two Budgets ago.It could just be a spot check re co-habiting/work/maintenance either. Have your circumstances changed at all recently?

I have one child, she turned 8 a couple of weeks ago. My circumstances havent changed other than starting doing agency work, which i started this week

mrsbyrne

Did you inform SW that you had started work? Also, by my reckoning, your entitlement to OPFP will end next July (2015) unless you availed of BTEA within the period during which you had a OPFP claim.
Bring any evidence you have of your being in receipt of BTEA, if indeed you were, and evidence of your agency work.
Dont worry, itll be fine, their not monsters!

January

It's very unusual to be on OPFP for so long and not have had at least 1 review. Friend of mine was on it was was called 3 times in 5 years for review.

Just a standard thing to make sure you are still entitled to it.

sparkling sea

This info is from welfare.ie

To get a One-Parent Family Payment you must have at least one relevant child below the relevant age limit.

The age limit is being gradually reduced to 7 years of age. This reduction to the age limit is being applied to new and existing customers on a phased basis.

Over the period 2012 to 2015 your entitlement to One Parent Family Payment depends on the date you first registered for payment, maybe it might relate to the changes.

From July 2015 OPFP will be paid until your youngest child reaches 7 years of age.

Exceptions to the age limits

The end date of a payment is based on the information available on the current claim. If you had an earlier OFP claim prior to your current one the limits that applied to your earlier claim may apply to you. You should contact your local Intreo centre or social welfare local office without delay if you were previously getting a One-Parent Family Payment for 52 continuous weeks and you had terminated your claim for OFP because:
You were taking part in the Back to Education Allowance scheme or a Community Employment scheme or Your income from earnings was in excess of the amount allowed

embee

mrsbyrne wrote: »

Did you inform SW that you had started work? Also, by my reckoning, your entitlement to OPFP will end next July (2015) unless you availed of BTEA within the period during which you had a OPFP claim.
Bring any evidence you have of your being in receipt of BTEA, if indeed you were, and evidence of your agency work.
Dont worry, itll be fine, their not monsters!

Hi, thanks for replying.
I went into the Social Welfare office last week to ask about starting work and.what it means for the OPFP.....woman behind the desk was woefully unhelpful. She told me to bring in a payslip and that was
that. I was on BTEA for.four years, which ended last September.and was switched back to OPFP. Hopefully it'll be just a routine assessment.

mrsbyrne

embee wrote: »

Hi, thanks for replying.
I went into the Social Welfare office last week to ask about starting work and.what it means for the OPFP.....woman behind the desk was woefully unhelpful. She told me to bring in a payslip and that was
that. I was on BTEA for.four years, which ended last September.and was switched back to OPFP. Hopefully it'll be just a routine assessment.

You can earn €90 per week and still keep all your OPFP. Any thing in excess of that is ÷ by 2 and that amount deducted from your payment, up to €425, at which point your entitlement is gone.
If you can get 20 hours guaranteed for 3 months you can get FIS as well.
You need to keep in mind though your rent supplement and your .medical card as your income goes up.
I'm certain your history with BTEA will prevent you from losing your OPFP next July but I don't know how or why. Its very new.

I would advise that you draw the Inspectors attention to the fact that you were on BTEA as sometimes it isn't obvious from your record.
Good luck.

embee

I got paid this week for one shift, it was 130 odd euro after tax. So... does that mean that 20 euro would come off my OPFP in that instance? I don't have a medical card and I don't get rent supplement as I am living with the parents. I know I won't get the FIS cos I can't be guaranteed 20 hours per week, it's agency work so it's really sporadic.