# Looking for advice on our welfare entitlements.



## walshbernie2 (17 Sep 2007)

due to unforeseen circumstance's and a terrible tragedy our family business collapsed this year. We have been recieving social welfare benfits since we are a family of 8, 2 adults and 6 children and we are living on 420 euro a week.
My mortgage is 1400.00 per month and the repayments were frozen but started again last month, I am at my wits end is there other entitlements I could claim 
frustrated


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## rosandang (17 Sep 2007)

*Re: is this right*

hi, have u claimed FIS, according to www.welfare.ie the income for a family of 6 children should be 910 euro per week. so if u claim fis u get 60% of the difference 

e.g 910 - 420 = 490 * 60% = 294

so if u claim fis u should get 294 extra per week, if there is no maximum limit, i'm not sure about that

also u could claim Supplementary welfare allowance to help u with ur mortgage repayments, u have to go to ur local health service for this

hope i'm right in what im saying maybe someone else will clarify it for u


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## Sue Ellen (17 Sep 2007)

*Re: is this right*

Hi Bernie,

Welcome to AAM.

Sorry to hear about your financial problems and the collapse of your family business.

I have amended the title of your thread to reflect the proper questions.

You may find this previous thread of some help and if you run the search option in this particular forum you may find some other relevant ones.

You may also get some further advice from either www.mabs.ie or www.citizensinformation.ie.

Hope this helps.


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## busymam (18 Sep 2007)

*Re: is this right*



rosandang said:


> hi, have u claimed FIS, according to www.welfare.ie the income for a family of 6 children should be 910 euro per week. so if u claim fis u get 60% of the difference
> 
> e.g 910 - 420 = 490 * 60% = 294
> 
> ...


 
Unfortunately the OP or their spouse or partner would have to be working at least 19 hours a week (or 38 hours a fortnight) to qualify for Family Income Supplement (FIS).

The €910 figure is the income limit for a family with 6 dependent children. It doesn't mean that a family of this size should have this amount every week. For example, if you or your spouse/partner was to get a job for 20 hours a week for €200 the FIS payabe would be €910 - €200 = €710. 60% of €710 is *€426*. 
Another option is for one of you to get a job and claim FIS while the other one applies for Jobseeker's Allowance in their own right (assuming they meet the qualifying conditions). In this case their Jobseekers Allowance payment would be added to the income from employment when calculating FIS.

Bernie - sorry about your family tragedy. You say your family are getting €420 a week. If you have 6 dependent children your weekly unemployment payment should be €441.10. I'm assuming it's Jobseeker's Allowance (the means tested one) as you say that you were previously self-employed and there are no assessable means. http://www.welfare.ie/publications/sw19/sw19_sect6.html#6.2

Apply for The Back To School Clothing and Footwear Allowance if you haven't done so already. 

Have a look at the link to a previous thread that Sueellen posted. Thanks Sueellen for providing that link because I didn't fancy typing all that out again. It contains information about Mortgage Interest Supplement and a few more things.

I know I'm making assumptions but unless precise information re. family circumstances, type of social welfare payment etc, is included in a post it can be quite difficult to give advice. Feel free to PM me if you want to.

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse you.

Good luck.


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## walshbernie2 (18 Sep 2007)

Thanks A Million for your help
Bernie


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