# Taking Rent Allowance from social welfare when you dont need it



## Saff (21 Apr 2009)

With all the information in the news about social welfare fraud, and also accepting the pain of the income levies, I took a look around and realized an exceptional number of people are living in the situation below.

Single parent family
Living in rented LA accommodation
Receiving rent supplement allowance (800 - 900 a month I think)
but also living with their full time employed partner (that social welfare does not know about) who is earning more than the average wage.

This makes me feel pretty annoyed... Am i over the top? What does anyone think


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## cleverclogs7 (21 Apr 2009)

old news saff. it happens.im on R/A. im a single mom .i also have a partner who lives with my parents.i find a lot of ppl are bitter because they work 24/7 and have to pay there own way in the world while SOME on social rake in the benifits.
Yes im on s.w i get 252 a week and 1122 a month rent allowance.
But..i would like nothing more than to work full time and be off welfare and have my partner live with me and my girls.But its not possible at present.

some ppl are cheats but others just dont have a choice.


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## Saff (21 Apr 2009)

I suppose I do feel a bit bitter but not in the context of people who are honest and entitled to the rent allowance. Some of my close friends and even family have been / are in the that position. 

The people I do feel bitter about are those with their partners in 40 k - 60k a year jobs. They dont need rent allowance. 

To me it is unfair and plain and simple greed.


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## Complainer (21 Apr 2009)

Have you reported them, Saff? Do you think it's a great idea to have a social welfare system that *discourages *partners from living together?


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## Setanta12 (21 Apr 2009)

I do know that in some  (parliamentary party member) circles that they knew this happened but willingly turned a blind eye as to enforce laws like this would drive the affluent partner away and could cause some form of soicial trouble in 10-20 years time.


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## Bronte (22 Apr 2009)

It may be unfair but if the social welfare rules on the living together were properly enforced many families would break up with the social repurcussions that would entail.  You only have to look to the UK where they tried to chase fathers (mostly) for maintenance and what a mess it created.


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## Welfarite (22 Apr 2009)

Complainer said:


> Have you reported them, Saff? Do you think it's a great idea to have a social welfare system that *discourages *partners from living together?


 

This is (was?) being discussed in terms of changing the rukles to qualify for One-parent Family Payment. some of the changes mooted were:
1. Allow co-habitation.
2. Entitlement based on age of child and
3. Recipient taking on training/employment

Watch this space at next budget......


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## Havana (22 Apr 2009)

Personally I think the system is quite flawed and encourages people to try to fiddle it. I live with my partner who is now on SW. He does not claim RA and while I am on a good enough wage it can still be a stuggle paying the €1000 rent pm. In saying that we do manage but I can only imagine how difficult it is for those on lower wages or with children. Surely there could be some reduced allowance in such circumstances, where the person in reciept of SW can claim on their half of the rent or something. I have to say it did enter our heads to see was there some way to get around the restrictions but at the end of the day for me personally it wouldn't be worth it.

Also while we are a couple I don't 'support' my other half as such and it is quite annoying that people are treated as a couple in some situations and as individuals in others.


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## Welfarite (22 Apr 2009)

Havana said:


> Also while we are a couple I don't 'support' my other half as such and it is quite annoying that people are treated as a couple in some situations and as individuals in others.


 
Like a couple married legally? They could argue that is it quite annoying that they are not treated as individuals in certain situations as they don't 'support' one another either!


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## Havana (22 Apr 2009)

My preference would be to be treated as an individual whatever my legal status is. As far as I'm concerned it's up to each couple to decide how they organise their finances as a couple, having each paid their due as an individual.


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