Applying for rent allowance

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 1:05pm #1

I have been out of work for a long time on disability because of mental health issues.

I want to move to Dublin to start over and get regular treatment for my health.

Can I apply for rent allowance before moving or even before finding a place?

Or do I have to be living in a flat first?

I have been looking at accommodation - if there is no mention in the listings of whether or not they accept tenants on rent allowance does that that mean they do?

SourSessions · 07-06-2021 1:11pm

You'd most likely be looking at HAP - which means you need to be on the local authority housing list first.

clog · 07-06-2021 1:12pm

I think they are not allowed to say "no rent allowance/hap".

In practice given the housing crisis in Dublin you will probably find it quite hard to find accomodation unless you have a big deposit that would cover until HAP would be paid if approved by the council.

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 1:48pm

SourSessions wrote: »

You'd most likely be looking at HAP - which means you need to be on the local authority housing list first.

Thank you.

I will look that up.

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 1:55pm

clog wrote: »

I think they are not allowed to say "no rent allowance/hap".

In practice given the housing crisis in Dublin you will probably find it quite hard to find accomodation unless you have a big deposit that would cover until HAP would be paid if approved by the council.

Until your post I was sure I had seen listings last year specifically saying no to applicants in rent allowance. Maybe it was the opposite - they were open to people on rent allowance?

You have taken the wind out of my sails but I am grateful for it. I had it in my head that it was simply a matter of applying for the allowance and finding a place - I tend not to see the difficulties in stuff like this.

SourSessions · 07-06-2021 2:00pm

PWrsin wrote:

You have taken the wind out of my sails but I am grateful for it. I had it in my head that it was simply a matter of applying for the allowance and finding a place - I tend not to see the difficulties in stuff like this.

I feel for you, OP. I'm in pretty much the same position, I'd get better care and be able to manage my illness(es) much better if I lived in a city with more facilities and options for quality of life, but it's just not possible. I try to be grateful for all I do have and maximize my quality of life where I am. Good luck to you.

wifey28 · 07-06-2021 2:12pm

Rent allowance has all but been done away with, except in the instance where someone has lost a job and is already in rented accommodation it can be given temporarily.

So youd likely be looking at HAP, which does mean you need to be on the local housing list. Which were you to apply for i think you need to show a tie to the area? And the applications typically take 12 weeks to be reviewed then youd have the wait for hap to be approved. So youd need to be able to pay at least the first 6 months rent just in case.

But in all likeness youd have to already move and be living in dublin before applying for the housing list in that county

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 4:24pm

SourSessions wrote: »

I feel for you, OP. I'm in pretty much the same position, I'd get better care and be able to manage my illness(es) much better if I lived in a city with more facilities and options for quality of life, but it's just not possible. I try to be grateful for all I do have and maximize my quality of life where I am. Good luck to you.

I will be honest - going to Dublin is a bad idea because I haven’t a hope of getting by on my own but St. Patrick’s is there and that place is the only reason I still around. And back then it was struggle when i was very motivated to get well. Now, I just want to stay out of life’s way and find some way to make each day shorter.

However, I am being held to my promise that where I am living now is temporary.

And I am living with the only people I care about and I know that if I do move to Dublin and do manage to settle in somewhere that I will just end up hiding there like I want to hide here and be too scared to come back to visit.

punisher5112 · 07-06-2021 4:27pm

I'd stay clear of Dublin if possible, obviously there is a way around such as public transport for days you are signed up for the treatment etc.

Trying to find a place in Dublin will be near impossible to be honest.

I'm not sure here but is there any other place outside of Dublin that would fit your needs?

SourSessions · 07-06-2021 4:32pm

PWrsin wrote:

And I am living with the only people I care about and I know that if I do move to Dublin and do manage to settle in somewhere that I will just end up hiding there like I want to hide here and be too scared to come back to visit.

That sounds like a very lonely place to be and you're right that no matter where you go, you still have to live with yourself. Do you have a local community mental health team? They might have social workers or occupational therapists that can help with these kinds of situations.

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 4:47pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

I'd stay clear of Dublin if possible, obviously there is a way around such as public transport for days you are signed up for the treatment etc.

Trying to find a place in Dublin will be near impossible to be honest.

I'm not sure here but is there any other place outside of Dublin that would fit your needs?

I can’t imagine anyone but that chap in St. Pat’s even getting me to put in the work to help myself so I couldn’t get the help anywhere else.

However, I had not considered living closer to Dublin.

Cheers.

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 4:54pm

SourSessions wrote: »

That sounds like a very lonely place to be and you're right that no matter where you go, you still have to live with yourself. Do you have a local community mental health team? They might have social workers or occupational therapists that can help with these kinds of situations.

I know I should get local help but I hate this city.

Only reason I’m still here is because of who I live with. If I can’t stay with them then I need to leave the area - only chance I have to live by myself is someplace new.

I lived aboard for a while and did okay. It was after I was in St. Pat’s but it was too much too soon and very lonely.

PWrsin · 07-06-2021 4:55pm

Sorry I didn’t realise it but I’m discussing things that don’t belong in State Benefits

Got solid sensible advice here so thank you to everyone.

punisher5112 · 07-06-2021 5:15pm

PWrsin wrote: »

Sorry I didn’t realise it but I’m discussing things that don’t belong in State Benefits

Got solid sensible advice here so thank you to everyone.

Wish you the best of luck, talk, talk and talk get through it, you are never alone.

Applying for rent allowance

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