Need Advice Very Frustrated.

MrLucidLJ

I am currently doing a level 5 FETAC course which is full time 5 days a week in my town. I am cohabiting with my parner having a child and currently finding it very difficult this year with the wee on starting secondary school and bills etc. I was the Adult dependent on my partners claim before I started the course near 6 weeks ago and as a couple we got 350 a week. When I started the course I had to get an F103 form to seperate my claim as SOLAS would be covering my payment. I get €128 a week with €4 extra as a food allowance. There are people in the course who live together where one person has ADHD and no kids and both get €193 & €4 extra for food allowance. There are people who are under 26 who were getting €100-€150 who both get the full €193 who live at home single and have no kids.
I just feel I am being short changed doing this course. I really like it but would like to get the extra money to give me that extra comfort and financial security every week. I want to get the qualification and want to better myself. I suffer with anxiety and really am thinking about going the disability route if that ensures me more money. I don't want to do this I just feel I should be entitled to more. I have been thinking recently I might have ADHD but never diagnosed with it because I am really obsessing about this. All I want is fairness and that few extra quid would really be benefiticial. If anyone can help me I really need advice.

Balagan

As a couple, you are still being paid €350 per week plus the food allowance on the course. Having your own claim now also may mean you qualify for social insurance credits towards your pension (while being an adult dependant on your spouses claim makes you ineligible for those). The under 26s on age reduced payments have had them upped to the full amount because the rules changed last month to allow that for those going back to education.

As with with a work scenario where often we would be shocked to find out what those working alongside us doing the same job are being paid (they've been there forever and had pay increases or are a different gender etc.,) then discussing social welfare payments can also render us worried that we are missing out.

It might be good to call into Citizens Information to check your own situation. You may be eligible for the Fuel Supplement payments. And you have the Child Benefit Payment. Did you get the Back to School Clothing and Footwear allowance for your child?

The chance to take this course free of charge is surely worth something and it is a great example to your child that you are seeking further education with a view to employment. The course is not long and afterwards you will have more options open to you. However, if you feel you have a disability, you are, of course, entitled to make an application (link here to application http://www.welfare.ie/en/pdf/da1.pdf ) for it and supply the necessary medical back up documentation that will be needed.

ShaShaBear

It's also worth noting that if two people on your course are living together but both getting a full-rate payment, then SW does not know they are living together.

Balagan

ShaShaBear wrote: »

It's also worth noting that if two people on your course are living together but both getting a full-rate payment, then SW does not know they are living together.

From 15 March 2017, the weekly maximum rate of Disability Allowance is:

Personal rate (claimant) €193.00
Qualified adult €128.10
Qualified child €29.80 (full-rate) €14.90 (half-rate)

If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting and you both qualify for Disability Allowance, you will each get a weekly personal rate of Disability Allowance. If you both qualify you can both get the maximum rate.

If you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant qualifies for Disability Allowance and the other is getting another social welfare payment, you will each get the weekly personal rate of your respective payment. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/disability_allowance.html

ShaShaBear

Balagan wrote: »

From 15 March 2017, the weekly maximum rate of Disability Allowance is:

Personal rate (claimant) €193.00
Qualified adult €128.10
Qualified child €29.80 (full-rate) €14.90 (half-rate)

If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting and you both qualify for Disability Allowance, you will each get a weekly personal rate of Disability Allowance. If you both qualify you can both get the maximum rate.

If you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant qualifies for Disability Allowance and the other is getting another social welfare payment, you will each get the weekly personal rate of your respective payment. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/disability_allowance.html

I wasn't aware ADHD was a qualifying illness for disability benefit.

njs030

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I wasn't aware ADHD was a qualifying illness for disability benefit.

There's no such thing as a qualifying illness for DA it's completely based on how the person is affected.
From welfare.ie -
"To qualify for a Disability Allowance a person must:
Have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year
As a result of this disability be substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications"