Stuck in a welfare black hole, where no help exists.

ExoPolitic

It turns out I do not meet the means test for SWA payment, they only provide for people that earn under €201 per week, I earn €244.07 per week. Which is a different means test compared to Disability Allowance which I have applied for where as they disregard the first €120 of earnings, which puts me under the DA bracket with my diagnosis of Pectus Excavatum – a muscular skeletal birth deformity which limits lung capacity and upper body strength and causes permanent incurable pain, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, General Depression – brought on by the stress of waiting combined with being on the ASD spectrum and General Anxiety Disorder. – however I can not afford to wait for up to 16 weeks, even if they accept my application straight away. The application was only handed in two weeks ago due to awaiting medical reports which took the HSE over a year to tell me they do not provide after being on a waiting list and was only available private.

I am curious and lost in the matter where I do not seem to qualify for any temporary benefit even though I only earn €1,100 a month. It would make more sense for me to quit my job, not have to use a car and submit a change in circumstance for my HAP to be increased; but then I would not have access to JSA because I quit under my own terms rather than being sacked.

I have had some people tell me to get my employer to change my hours at work to be over three days, this is also not an option. With my disabilities I can not manage over 5 hours a day and my employer can not change the hours anyway because it would mean having to change the roster for 30 plus people to accommodate me. I really do not want to quit either because I really like where I work and provides the only social interaction I get, with anybody – I find it rehabilitative.

Because I do not receive a Welfare, I can not use the personal microcredit scheme for loans nor gain access to any credit because I do not earn enough, once my money is run out, it is game over.

I pay €550 around month in rent inclusive of the help from the HAP scheme, €150 a month for electricity and heating, around €200 for a car per month to get to work and to get access to National Learning Network here in Waterford for their ASD rehab services as public transport is not an option, €65 for phone and internet.

This leaves €135 per month (Around €30 per week) to pay for food, clothing, home and car maintenance and diesel.

I have almost ran out of personal items to sell as well.

I had a medical expense last month which used the very last of my savings and I am starting to have repercussions from poor diet of junk food because I can not afford healthy food.

I can not afford to live any more, what options other than going back to the homeless shelter and quitting my job do I have?

ExoPolitic

Also they say "A claimant may work under 30 hours per week in insurable employment and still qualify for SWA" on their webpage, Unless somebody is earning €6.93 an hour, which is bellow the minimum wage, I am not sure how anybody could qualify for this working 20 - 30 hours a week.

LegacyUser

I am sorry you are so stuck.

I cannot give help, i just wanted to sympathise and say, hang in there. Splinter will probebly be along later to help you- do everything she/he says. They know their stuff.

Could any autism society help?

Could citizens advice?

Do you have someone you can talk to? You may need to rationalise your lifeplan/workplan/money situation in a different way, ie can you move closer to work or are you eligible for any help anywhere to stay in work.

I'm sorry you are in this situation. Hang in there xx