advice!!!

rexy 053

Hi, Im epilepstic and so on disability allowance of 188 euro a week. my rwent is 250euro a month im in shared accommadation. im just wondering am i entitled to rent allowance? based in westmeath. and are there any other supplements available that could help the financial strains!

Gatling

rexy 053 wrote: »

Hi, Im epilepstic and so on disability allowance of 188 euro a week. my rwent is 250euro a month im in shared accommadation. im just wondering am i entitled to rent allowance? based in westmeath. and are there any other supplements available that could help the financial strains!

Yeah you should be entitled to rent supplement if your privately renting for 6 months and have been assessed as having a housing need by your local authority.
Other than the household benefits package which pays towards your esb not much though and you should have a medical card .
Other than that there's not a lot extra to get

Cushie Butterfield

You may run into problems qualifying for rent supplement. If you're a single person in shared accomodation the maximum rent limit for Westmeath is €190. In other words your rent must be €190 or lower before you'd be eligible. I don't know what the going rate for the area is but if you were to find a one bedroomed flat/apartment (& live alone there) with a rent of €390 or lower you'd satisfy the maximum rent limit conditions. https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Maximum-Rent-Limits-by-County.aspx

DSP can & do make exceptions if your rent is over the maximum limit, but this is purely at their discretion, but I don't know whether this discretion would stretch to €60 per month over the maximum allowed (€250 - €190 = €60).

You could argue that because of your medical condition that you can't live alone & if your GP would provide a supporting letter confirming this you may be in a stronger position - but I don't know how that would go down if there are houseshares available in the area that are under the maximum rent limit, in which case you may be advised to move into cheaper accomodation. Naturally your GP couldn't lie, but he/she could give an opinion that it may be safer for you to share. The downside of doing this would be that in future you may want to live alone & questions may be asked as regards what has changed now that you're deciding to live alone.

Rent Supplement applications for Westmeath are now covered by a Central Rent Unit:
Meath Westmeath Rent Review Unit
Department of Social Protection, ORS Building, Marlinstown Business Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Ph 044-9336063
westmeathrentreviews@welfare.ie Monday to Friday 9:30 - 5:30

As regards secondary benefits when you're living in shared accomodation you'd really only be eligible for free travel & a medical card, as in order to qualify for the Household Benefits Package (unless you are over 70 & the electricity/gas bills are in your name) everyone else in the household would also have to qualify for the package also in order for you to claim it. Obviously only one person can claim. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/household_benefits_package.html

Epilepsy is one of the medical conditions that would qualify you for a Long Term Illness Book (aka blue book) under the the Long Term Illness Scheme. The advantage of having a blue book is that you'd be exempt from paying the pharmacy prescription charges of €2.50 per item (only for medication directly relating to your medical condition) that medical card holders are liable to pay. You can hold both a Long Term Illness Book and a Medical Card at the same time. More details & how to apply here: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/lti/Your_Guide_to_the_Long-Term_Illness_Scheme.html#book

So, contact the rent Unit to enquire about your eligibilty for rent supplement despite being over the max rent limit taking your medical condition into account. Also consider the possibility of living alone (may be easier said than done depending on rental prices in the area). You would then be eligible to apply for a Living Alone Increase of €9.00 per week as well as the Household Benefits Package (€35 per month plus tv licence) & also the Winter Fuel Allowance (€20.00 per week for 26 weeks from the start of October to the first week in April) http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/fuel_allowance.html