Social means test Feeling scared

Mrsp08

I had a visit from social, mean test me, I’m on disability & have a lot of complicated Illnesses, this past year I’ve been impulsive shopping down to my bipolar, I’ve got myself short a lot my family help pay for my daughters dance school Christmas & birthdays now the socia want my brothers bank details so I asked Aib & their answer is below

Hi Mrsp08,

Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm what we are obliged to tell the Department of Social Welfare, we would suggest you speak to them directly on this.

My question back to them & for you
Surely as my bank you could advise me, My brother has got upset with me & has said he will not divulge his bank details to me or any one else, but I need to know you as our bank Can you give them details of a third party, I have given them 4 years of bank statements & it’s only in the past year he is helping me out, because of illness I just got myself into a rut

In a total of 4 years there are €1600 lodgements €300 pee term dance school are our family not allowed to help out, I will pay it all back I’m just in an awful scary place I feel I’ve done something bad but I haven’t I’ve supplied 4 years of bank statements

George Sunsnow

Mrsp08 wrote: »

I had a visit from social, mean test me, I’m on disability & have a lot of complicated Illnesses, this past year I’ve been impulsive shopping down to my bipolar, I’ve got myself short a lot my family help pay for my daughters dance school Christmas & birthdays now the socia want my brothers bank details so I asked Aib & their answer is below

Hi Mrsp08,

Unfortunately, we are unable to confirm what we are obliged to tell the Department of Social Welfare, we would suggest you speak to them directly on this.

My question back to them & for you
Surely as my bank you could advise me, My brother has got upset with me & has said he will not divulge his bank details to me or any one else, but I need to know you as our bank Can you give them details of a third party, I have given them 4 years of bank statements & it’s only in the past year he is helping me out, because of illness I just got myself into a rut

In a total of 4 years there are €1600 lodgements €300 pee term dance school are our family not allowed to help out, I will pay it all back I’m just in an awful scary place I feel I’ve done something bad but I haven’t I’ve supplied 4 years of bank statements

I very much doubt loans owed to family members will get you into trouble with social
Remember they are loans not income
Your income is what you use to pay them back
Don’t be worrying
Life is stressful enough

Conall Cernach

Have they asked for 4 years statements? The normally only want 6 months.

Mrsp08

George Sunsnow wrote: »

I very much doubt loans owed to family members will get you into trouble with social
Remember they are loans not income
Your income is what you use to pay them back
Don’t be worrying
Life is stressful enough

He made me feel so uneasy he saw an €80 & €50 I explained it’s from my brother, but why would they want my brothers bank details my brother is an officer & said I will not give them my bank details, so that’s why I printed 4 years of statements to show I was doing so well but this past year I was kind of not in control my family are very good & I know I could never pay my daughters fees so they make sure she doesn’t go without, I don’t drink I don’t smoke I do my best but sometimes without my real self knowing I mess up spend rationally buying presents that are t needed etc it’s one year of silly ness will they be able to obtain my brothers bank details from the bank

Mrsp08

Conall Cernach wrote: »

Have they asked for 4 years statements? The normally only want 6 months.

No just recent but I gave them 4 years to let them see I’m not always borrowing from 2014 to 2016 my Mam helped me budget but something awful happened in our family & I spent beyond my means but I e no bills outstanding I just couldn’t afford dance fees but they’ve all helped me from sept16 to 17, there are lodgements so I wanted them to see I’ve done so well previous to this year my Mam is now back running my card they didn’t realise I was in this head space until we printed all the papers

Mrsp08

Conall Cernach wrote: »

Have they asked for 4 years statements? The normally only want 6 months.

No just recent but I gave them 4 years to let them see I’m not always borrowing from 2014 to 2016 my Mam helped me budget but something awful happened in our family & I spent beyond my means but I e no bills outstanding I just couldn’t afford dance fees but they’ve all helped me from sept16 to 17, there are lodgements so I wanted them to see I’ve done so well previous to this year my Mam is now back running my card they didn’t realise I was in this head space until we printed all the papers

Mrsp08

George Sunsnow wrote: »

I very much doubt loans owed to family members will get you into trouble with social
Remember they are loans not income
Your income is what you use to pay them back
Don’t be worrying
Life is stressful enough

He made me feel so uneasy he saw an €80 & €50 I explained it’s from my brother, but why would they want my brothers bank details my brother is an officer & said I will not give them my bank details, so that’s why I printed 4 years of statements to show I was doing so well but this past year I was kind of not in control my family are very good & I know I could never pay my daughters fees so they make sure she doesn’t go without, I don’t drink I don’t smoke I do my best but sometimes without my real self knowing I mess up spend rationally buying presents that are t needed etc it’s one year of silly ness will they be able to obtain my brothers bank details from the bank

George Sunsnow

Ah you were just nervous,don’t do any more worrying about it
The amount of people on social who get a 40 or 50 quid loan from family from time to time to get them out of a hole must be in the 10’s of thousands
You were treated the same as any other interview probably,it’s just nervousness reading more into it than there is

Remember too,you weren’t hiding the loans,as they went into your bank account
Social will like that actually

No they will not have any access to your brothers account,not that it would matter anyway

pilly

Sorry OP if you have writing difficulties but some of your post is very hard to understand.

But what I can read from it is you got 2 loans into your bank account, one for 80, one for 50, and they want your brothers bank statements? Am I right?

If so I wouldn't blame your brother, his bank statements are none of their business. There could be another way around this. On online banking you can double click on some payments and it will show who they came from. Or if not your own bank may be able to provide proof of where the payments came from.

Don't stress too much about it though, it's really none of the social welfares business if you borrow money, they're only trying to suss out if you got the money for working, that's all.

George Sunsnow

pilly wrote: »

Don't stress too much about it though, it's really none of the social welfares business if you borrow money, they're only trying to suss out if you got the money for working, that's all.

That’s it exactly which is all the more reason not to worry as there will be no evidence of you working
If they push it further ,a note from your brother stating the amount loaned and when he wants it back is plenty for them

If the means test visitor asked for your brothers accounts,they were going ott and winging it
Call into your local citizens advice office maybe if you’re still worried
There’s one near most people
Show them this thread if it helps explain

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/


But seriously don’t be worrying

Mrsp08

I want to thank you all so much, apologies about spelling errors or words mixed up Big thumbs not great with the iPhone
There are about 10 different lodgements all from same account, but as I said I’ve given them 4 years of statements to show them, fees for summer camp €175
Fees first term dance €300 January another €300 then there’s a few €20, €30 etc My Dad brought all the paperwork down with a letter from both of us, how easy is it to feel you’ve done something wrong, I work myself up so much seizures 5 since Monday I’m the type of person when going through airport security thinking what if someone has put drugs in my bag I’m just a super worrying feeling guilty sort of person I will suggest maybe that the monies I received from my brother that maybe I pay that back to the social weekly, I just don’t like feeling how I am ðŸ™

pilly

Mrsp08 wrote: »

I want to thank you all so much, apologies about spelling errors or words mixed up Big thumbs not great with the iPhone
There are about 10 different lodgements all from same account, but as I said I’ve given them 4 years of statements to show them, fees for summer camp €175
Fees first term dance €300 January another €300 then there’s a few €20, €30 etc My Dad brought all the paperwork down with a letter from both of us, how easy is it to feel you’ve done something wrong, I work myself up so much seizures 5 since Monday I’m the type of person when going through airport security thinking what if someone has put drugs in my bag I’m just a super worrying feeling guilty sort of person I will suggest maybe that the monies I received from my brother that maybe I pay that back to the social weekly, I just don’t like feeling how I am ðŸ™

You don't need to pay it back, don't go suggesting anything of the sort, it was a loan and even if it was a gift, people on social welfare are allowed receive gifts.

They're only looking for earnings from employment.

Mrsp08

pilly wrote: »

You don't need to pay it back, don't go suggesting anything of the sort, it was a loan and even if it was a gift, people on social welfare are allowed receive gifts.

They're only looking for earnings from employment.

Thanks guys so much,
Really appreciate it