€20 over limit for special rate

Gf13

SUSI maintenance grant
I will be getting a full maintenance grant because we have low income.

However, I am €21 over the limit to receive the special maintenance grant. There is a big difference of €2890 in the normal and special rate.

Has anyone been over the limit by this little and still received the grant most suited to them?

It seems ridiculous that because the income is over €21 that I won't get the grant most suited to me.

Any feedback welcome.

iiHyPeRize

Well I don't know how they work when it comes to little margains like this, but I'd assume they'll say there's a limit, and you're over it. It doesn't matter if you're 1 euro over it, or 10,000 euro over it, you're over it. In cases like this, I'd get in touch when TDs that will do something, TDs like Clare Daly, she helped me through a SUSI case last year, and she got it ratified instantly, so try her, tell her your circumstances.

Gf13

How could a TD help? What was your issue when you applied?

iiHyPeRize

Ergh, I had a number of issues, SUSI deemed by home to be less that 45km from the college awarding me the wrong rates, even though I should have been getting the higher rate. Then they wanted me to go through appeals and loads of stuff like that which can take over a month and this was 2 or 3 months into the college year. I emailed every single TD and every single member of the oireachtas but it was the more socialist TDs that got back to me. One happened to be Clare Daly who got in touch with them and essentially told them they were wrong and it was fixed instantly. Now I know your situation is different, but you're only 20 euro over, and because of that you're missing out on almost 3000 euro. A socialist TD like Daly would help here as it's not really social justice that you're not getting the special-rate, even though you most likely need it.

Digital Society

Limits a limit. Is there nothing else your "forgetting" that will increase your limits. Maybe your rent works out differently than you thought when worked out by the week rather than month or you spend more on petrol than you thought.

GarIT

Gf13 wrote: »

Has anyone been over the limit by this little and still received the grant most suited to them?

It seems ridiculous that because the income is over €21 that I won't get the grant most suited to me.

Any feedback welcome.

Yes people over the limit for the special rate always receive the rate most suited to them, i.e. the 100% rate.

I'm 99.9% sure you will get the grant most suited to you (It's not the special rate).

It would be ridiculous if they gave you a grant not suited to you e.g. The Special Rate Grant.

Or if each applicant gets to decide which rate is most suited to them why don't we all get the special rate?

What if you were allowed the special rate, then what about somebody only €20 over you, and then €20 over them and then we will have Bill Gates looking for the special rate.

Digital Society

True. Nothing will stop the next person using you as an example and saying "Well they got it so why am i not" etc etc.

I think trying to read the small print and add a few euro onto your expenses or whatever is the best option.

Im not fimiliar with what you can use to raise your limit slightly. Does anyone have any suggestions?

GarIT

iiHyPeRize wrote: »

it's not really social justice that you're not getting the special-rate, even though you most likely need it.

If you are over the limit you do not need the higher grant. The grant is designed that people get what they need. It would be wrong on society if the taxpayer had to pay an extra grant to somebody when they don't need it. It is impossible that you could be over the threshold for the special rate but need it unless you are wasting money somewhere.

GarIT

Digital Society wrote: »

Im not fimiliar with what you can use to raise your limit slightly. Does anyone have any suggestions?

As far as I know outgoings don't matter, it's based on income only.

Digital Society

But if youre appealing with a written letter and say for example you have a major expense that you "forgot about" it might give you slight leverage. Where talking 20 bucks here not 200. Any regular medical bills or rent increases that they need to know about?

Annasopra

Digital Society wrote: »

But if youre appealing with a written letter and say for example you have a major expense that you "forgot about" it might give you slight leverage. Where talking 20 bucks here not 200. Any regular medical bills or rent increases that they need to know about?

Expenses are not counted - Income is