# Urban Myth: Social Welfare pays €14k for a taxi for immigrant?



## cerberos (22 Jun 2009)

A friend has just sold his car to an immigrant to use as a Taxi and received as payment a Social Welfare cheque for 14k. 
Can anyone explain under what circumstances does this happen?
Do they get the Taxi 6k fee and the money for car as well?

Can any unemployed get this? Does it have to be means tested?

C


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## Mpsox (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*

is he sure the cheque is valid and not a counterfeit?, there is a spate of fraudsters using counterfeit cheques to buy cars at the minute


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## jhegarty (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*



cerberos said:


> A friend has just sold his car to an immigrant to use as a Taxi and received as payment a Social Welfare cheque for 14k.
> Can anyone explain under what circumstances does this happen?
> Do they get the Taxi 6k fee and the money for car as well?
> 
> ...



If your friend took a cheque for a car then your friend is a fool.


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## gipimann (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*

As Jaybird said, it's an urban myth that crops up from time to time. There are no allowances or payments of the type suggested by the OPs story.

It's possible that the car buyer received arrears of a SW claim which he or a family member had made and used the cheque to buy a car, but it's also possible that the cheque is fraudulent. There were bogus SW cheques in circulation about 2 years ago (and I'm sure the odd one still turns up now and again). The quality of those cheques was extremely good and they were very difficult to distinguish from the real thing.


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## cerberos (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*

I will recheck and confirm if cheque cashed good & story.

Also, Can Social Welfare poster shed some light on these stories?


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## samanthajane (22 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*

It wasn't for a taxi but i do know of someone that sold there car and was given a real social welfare check as part payment. 

I remeber there being up-roar at the time that foreigners were being given tax payers money to buy cars. 

The social welfare did respond and they said cheques were given for furniture and if they decided to spend that money on a car they couldn't stop this. 

You can use that with CB aswell. I dont always spend my CB on the children, sometimes it's used to cover a bill. But it doesnt mean that my children are walking around without clothes that dont fit or hungry. 

Alot of these stories are like chinese whispers is get worst the more it is told. I would take most of them with a pinch of salt.


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## ajapale (23 Jun 2009)

*Re: Social Welfare pays €14k for a taxi for immigrant?*

Unless someone can provide evidence to the contrary the assertion by the OP is regarded as an Urban Myth.

As such Im moving the thread to LOS.

aj
moderator


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## S.L.F (23 Jun 2009)

*Re: Social Welfare pays €14k for a taxi for immigrant?*



ajapale said:


> Unless someone can provide evidence to the contrary the assertion by the OP is regarded as an Urban Myth.
> 
> As such Im moving the thread to LOS.
> 
> ...


 
There is definite proof.

A bloke down the road told me he met someone in the pub who told him there was.

Fact!!!


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## zztop (24 Jun 2009)

It is true that foreign nationals have been given money
to buy cars.I know of 2 cases where they were paid out
by the HSE.The reason being?????? the difficulties they
have experienced with public transport???


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## corkgal (24 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin is not that generous


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## brodiebabe (24 Jun 2009)

zztop said:


> It is true that foreign nationals have been given money
> to buy cars.I know of 2 cases where they were paid out
> by the HSE.The reason being?????? the difficulties they
> have experienced with public transport???


 
This is an urban myth - it is not true.


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## Ruam (24 Jun 2009)

If I were to get a euro for every urban myth concerning social welfare/HSE and immigrants to this country I would be able to retire.

A few listed below:

African women get money from SW to get their hair beaded.
Immigrants get a €5000 to buy cars
Immigrants gets two flight vouchers a year for all their family to visit their country but most spend it on holidays to other countries  
Women with new born babies can get as many, state of the art buggies as they want.
If you bring in a receipt from the supermarket the CWO will reinburse you.
Non Irish people automatically jump any waiting list for hospital or treatments
Immigrants get free mobile phone and an amount of their bills paid monthly.

I could go on.

Ruam


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## csirl (24 Jun 2009)

If SW or HSE dont buy cars for immigrants on SW, then who does? Refugee applicants frequenty drive cars - who pays for these?


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## brodiebabe (24 Jun 2009)

csirl said:


> If SW or HSE dont buy cars for immigrants on SW, then who does? Refugee applicants frequenty drive cars - who pays for these?


 
"Refugess applicants" pay for their own cars with their own money.  It is an urban myth that the SW pays for them.

Ring a SW office and make an enquiry.  They will tell you that they do not pay for these cars.


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## DrMoriarty (24 Jun 2009)

csirl said:


> Refugee applicants frequenty drive cars


You can tell by the R-plates?


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## brodiebabe (24 Jun 2009)

Here is an examples of similar myths being floating around Canada & Australia
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/refugees.asp


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## UptheDeise (24 Jun 2009)

This is true. Believe me, I know it too be true as my uncle's wife's babysitters hairdresser told her it was true, so it must be.


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## Ruam (24 Jun 2009)

csirl said:


> If SW or HSE dont buy cars for immigrants on SW, then who does? Refugee applicants frequenty drive cars - who pays for these?



Do any Irish people on social welfare drive cars?  If so who pays for these?  

Maybe we should have a means test for anyone driving and if their income isn't over a certain limit they can't drive.  Might also help with traffic congestion.

Ruam


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## MandaC (24 Jun 2009)

They do not get money for cars.  It is correct that they get money for furniture.  If they do not need the money for furniture, then it should not be paid out.  Irish people get the money for furniture as well if it is required, so it is a SW issue rather than an imigration one.   If Irish people do not need the money for furniture, then they should not get it either.  They are getting cheques for furniture by saying they have no furniture and cant afford to buy any.  If they have money and choose not to buy the furniture then they are lying and should not be paid.  It is a discretionary payment rather than an entitlement.

Nobody should be allowed to use SW cheques to buy cars. They are not a necessity for people on SW.    Plenty of people working cant afford to drive and have to use public transport.


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## csirl (24 Jun 2009)

> Do any Irish people on social welfare drive cars? If so who pays for these?


 
Irish people may have owned a car before they lost their job and ended up on welfare. But obviously someone who's fleeing for their life with only the clothes on their back would not have one. 



> They do not get money for cars. It is correct that they get money for furniture. If they do not need the money for furniture, then it should not be paid out. Irish people get the money for furniture as well if it is required, so it is a SW issue rather than an imigration one. If Irish people do not need the money for furniture, then they should not get it either. They are getting cheques for furniture by saying they have no furniture and cant afford to buy any. If they have money and choose not to buy the furniture then they are lying and should not be paid. It is a discretionary payment rather than an entitlement.
> 
> Nobody should be allowed to use SW cheques to buy cars. They are not a necessity for people on SW. Plenty of people working cant afford to drive and have to use public transport.


 
Agree.


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## csirl (24 Jun 2009)

> Nobody should be allowed to use SW cheques to buy cars. They are not a necessity for people on SW. Plenty of people working cant afford to drive and have to use public transport.


 


> the difficulties they
> have experienced with public transport???


 
Some of them need the cars to get to their undeclared place of work


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## zztop (24 Jun 2009)

brodiebabe said:


> This is an urban myth - it is not true.


 
Brodiebabe....THIS IS TRUE
It is true because I know it to be true...


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## csirl (24 Jun 2009)

zztop said:


> Brodiebabe....THIS IS TRUE
> It is true because I know it to be true...


 
I overheard it on the bus, so must be


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## brodiebabe (24 Jun 2009)

csirl said:


> I overheard it on the bus, so must be


 
Yes we've all heard the stories......but obviously we don't believe everything we hear!!! 

However, some people DO believe everything they hear and then they spread what they hear as fact......and Voila an urban myth is born! Case in point is below.....


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## Mpsox (24 Jun 2009)

The OP is saying this is something he was told by a friend who sold the car, not that it's something he over heard in a pub or on a bus. Reality is that these is an ongoing scam or number of scams where cars are being bought using counterfiet cheques/drafts, it's perfectly reasonable to believe that counterfeit SW cheques are in existance


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## liaconn (24 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*



samanthajane said:


> The social welfare did respond and they said cheques were given for furniture and if they decided to spend that money on a car they couldn't stop this.


 
Seems like a cop out from Social Welfare. Surely they could issue vouchers for furniture, or insist on seeing receipts to prove the money was used for the correct purpose. It is taxpayers money after all and they've no right to take such a cavalier attitude towards ensuring its spent properly.


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## samanthajane (24 Jun 2009)

*Re: taxi from Social Welfare*



Ruam said:


> If I were to get a euro for every urban myth concerning social welfare/HSE and immigrants to this country I would be able to retire.
> 
> A few listed below:
> 
> ...


 


liaconn said:


> Seems like a cop out from Social Welfare. Surely they could issue vouchers for furniture, or insist on seeing receipts to prove the money was used for the correct purpose. It is taxpayers money after all and they've no right to take such a cavalier attitude towards ensuring its spent properly.


 
I've heard that what happens if you have to show them that you have put a desopit on an item and then show what the balance is and then this is paid. Unless the SW cheque is issue to the shop which i've never heard of this being done they recieve the cheques never go back to the shop to actually buy the item, all they lose is a €10/€20 deposit but they gain from getting the cheque. Again a story i wouldn't know if this is true or not.


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## speirbhean (24 Jun 2009)

Sure you can't walk down the street in Dublin without tripping over abandoned brand new buggies. The immigrant women leave them at the bus stop when the bus is full saying 'sure the social will buy me a new one tomorrow'.



Myth, myth, myth. Doesn't help anyone to be spreading them either.


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## gipimann (24 Jun 2009)

Re allowances for furniture.  Each case is dealt with on its merits, cases considered would generally be persons on SW who are allocated a council house and who may not have the means or the family support to furnish the home themselves.   Deposits are generally required, and cheques are made out to the trader in many cases.   Sometimes, an agreed lump sum is given to allow the person to get as many household items they can without requiring a deposit on specific goods.

If the claimant (having been assessed as in need of the items) decides to spend the money on a car, clothes, a holiday.....etc etc, that is their decision and not one that HSE/SW can follow up.  However they will not be considered for help towards that item/those items again.

Regarding children's buggies, the same situation applies.   Each case is dealt with on its own merits, generally consideration would be given to a buggy for the first child and, if a second child arrived within a short space of time, to purchase of a double buggy.   Any assistance after that is entirely based on the individual merits of the case and there is no specific "entitlement".  I'm not aware of "suing the HSE because the buggy broke".   The HSE used to issue cots (in Dublin anyway) but had to stop becuase the HSE would have been liable in the case of an accident.  Furniture used to be provided too (rather than money towards it), didn't stop those who really wanted the cash selling the items - no different than giving a cheque.

Gas and Electric bills are not paid.  There may be consideration given towards a bill if something unexpected and unforeseen has occurred which caused the bill to be higher than normal (e.g. illness in the home which required additional heating) or something which meant that the person couldn't meet the bill from their own resources (e.g. bereavement, so money towards the bill was used for other expenditure).


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## MandaC (25 Jun 2009)

gipimann said:


> If the claimant (having been assessed as in need of the items) decides to spend the money on a car, clothes, a holiday.....etc etc, that is their decision and not one that HSE/SW can follow up.  However they will not be considered for help towards that item/those items again.



If the system has loopholes which allows people to to this, then there is definitely an issue with the system and it needs to be overhauled.  If it comes to light they spent the money on something else, then it should be clawed back by SW, same as if the rest of us underpay tax, it is owed back to the Revenue. 

I dont want my taxes going to pay for anybody's holiday or car, no matter what the circumstances.  

On the other hand, you will find that there are same old "Abbey Actors" with brass necks who put their hands out for everything and as usual, sometimes the real people in need who have nothing left except their pride will not ask.


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## liaconn (25 Jun 2009)

MandaC said:


> If the system has loopholes which allows people to to this, then there is definitely an issue with the system and it needs to be overhauled. If it comes to light they spent the money on something else, then it should be clawed back by SW, same as if the rest of us underpay tax, it is owed back to the Revenue.
> 
> I dont want my taxes going to pay for anybody's holiday or car, no matter what the circumstances.


 

I absolutely agree 100%. How can Social Welfare claim that they can't do anything about it? This is fraud and it should be followed up on. What they seem to mean is that they 'can't be bothered' to do anything. It is surely not that difficult to put in place a system which ensures the money can only be used to buy furniture. If a deposit has been paid, then make the cheque out to the shop or pay the shop directly. Its not rocket science.


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## Delboy (3 Jul 2009)

the social welfare have a scheme at the minute to take people off the dole and it was mainly targeted at immigrants. 
You agree not to sign on again (not sure if there's some legal sign off around this) and in year 1, you get 100% of the dole while you work as a taxi driver. Year 2, 75% of dole, Yr3 = 50% of dole and so on.
I cannot comment on whether they got contributions towards cars and plates as did'nt ask that question, but the above is fact and comes from a mate who works in a city centre dole office in Dublin. Some Irish took up the scheme but mostly former asylum seekers joined


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## Complainer (3 Jul 2009)

Maybe you could ask your mate to point you towards some documentation about this scheme on the Dept website or elsewhere?


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## liaconn (3 Jul 2009)

Delboy said:


> the social welfare have a scheme at the minute to take people off the dole and it was mainly targeted at immigrants.
> You agree not to sign on again (not sure if there's some legal sign off around this) and in year 1, you get 100% of the dole while you work as a taxi driver. Year 2, 75% of dole, Yr3 = 50% of dole and so on.
> I cannot comment on whether they got contributions towards cars and plates as did'nt ask that question, but the above is fact and comes from a mate who works in a city centre dole office in Dublin. Some Irish took up the scheme but mostly former asylum seekers joined


 
So even if you're making an okay living by driving a taxi, you still get the dole?


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## gipimann (4 Jul 2009)

Delboy said:


> the social welfare have a scheme at the minute to take people off the dole and it was mainly targeted at immigrants.
> You agree not to sign on again (not sure if there's some legal sign off around this) and in year 1, you get 100% of the dole while you work as a taxi driver. Year 2, 75% of dole, Yr3 = 50% of dole and so on.
> I cannot comment on whether they got contributions towards cars and plates as did'nt ask that question, but the above is fact and comes from a mate who works in a city centre dole office in Dublin. Some Irish took up the scheme but mostly former asylum seekers joined


 
From the percentages quoted, this sounds like the Back to Work scheme - which has been in place for several years, and has been available to everyone who met the qualifying criteria.

There were two schemes, one for employees (now closed for new applicants) and another for persons commencing self-employment (still active).


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