3 month wait to qualify for lone parents?

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bewilderedme

Guest
I am separating from my husband but what do I do for money while I wait the three months necessary to qualify for lone parents payment? My husband is going to pay maintenance of approx 140 euro per week for 2 kids, rent will be 800 euro a month...I'm not working or on any benefits, thanks to anyone who can advise.
 
Hiya, the best thing you could do is go to your CWO and apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance, and also rent allowance. Do you work?

Supplementary Welfare Allowance is paid by the HSE to people who are awaiting a payment from the Social Welfare.
 
No, I was previousl on disability benefit but did not qualify for allowance. I have absolutely no income. I did visit my cwo to ask what to do and she was most unhelpful and uniformative....kept blathering on about maintenance and suggested I apply for jsa
 
As the above poster said, you should go to the CWO and apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance. There is a technicality that you must have exhausted all other possible payments before you apply for this, although previously someone in your circumstances waiting for the three month period didn't pose a problem and CWOs would have generally paid up, but they are tightening up all over the place.

If your CWO is being difficult, best thing to do would be to apply for Jobseekers, and then you have at least applied and are in the system, and there shouldn't be a problem applying for SWA from your CWO while that claim is processed. Then when the three months is up, you can apply for OPFP.

While you are applying for or receiving Jobseekers (and SWA pending an application for Jobseekers) you will have to demonstrate that you are seeking and available for full-time work. Although once you get to the 3 month point, and switch over to OPFP, this no longer applies.

What age are your kids? Just to let you know in case you didn't that from 27th April OPFP for new claimants is only payable until the youngest child turns 14 (although if the youngest child is under 14, you still get an increase for any other child up to 18 or 22 in f/t education)
 
Thank you so much for your reply. It seems the only option really but I am concerned about jsa because truthfully I am not available to work as the children are still school going, the youngest is only 10...so hard to get the correct information in my circumstance. I am having to seek legal aid also as the husband refuses to either sell or leave the family home which is in joint names.
 
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