# Recieving Lone-Parents Allow. before summer holiday



## eom (19 Apr 2008)

Hi all, I'm going on summer holidays this year ,camping with the kids, does anyone know if it's possible to get my LP payments in advance or is my mam able to pick them up for me?
I won't be able to survive without them I'm afraid so maybe no holiday if not!

When I rang my local social welfare office the girl that answered my enquiry said absolutley no social welfare payments are paid in advance and I can't get  it paid into my account, all seems a bit unfair really, just trying to have a cheap holiday for me and the kids - first one in years, really don't want to let them down- any advice appreciated.


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## gipimann (19 Apr 2008)

It's true that you can't get your payments in advance of their due date. 

If you are paid by book at the post office, you can assign a temporary agent to collect the money on your behalf - usually you and the agent (i.e. your mum) sign the back of the payment slips.

Here's the info from www.welfare.ie
*"Temporary Agents" for Payable Order Books only*

_Where for a short period of time, usually no longer than three weeks, a person is unable to cash her/his payable order book, s/he may nominate another person to collect the payment on her/his behalf. This nomination is made on the back of the payable order. The claimant signs the back of the order and names the nominated person. When the pension is being collected the nominated person signs the payable order in the presence of the Post Office counter clerk._

If you are paid at the post office by swipe card, only you can collect the payment I'm afraid, there is no other way to allow someone else to collect it for you.

You can apply to have your payments lodged into a bank account - the Dept of Social and Family Affairs are encouraging people to be paid this way, and for some schemes, it's the only way. It would be a permanent method of payment, rather than something to cover your holidays only. You can apply to be paid by EFT (direct payment to bank account) from the welfare website - have a look here - http://www.welfare.ie/topics/eft/index.html

Hope this helps.


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## eom (19 Apr 2008)

Hi ,thanks for that gipimann, just applied online for the EFT. Hopefully it will all go ok, but I'm a bit worried as I had been told that my local social welfare office don't put Lone Parents payment into bank accounts, this is just hearsay so might not be true.
 I know that people have got their unemployment benefit payed into their accounts from the same office so I don't see why it should be any different for the LP payment - will have to wait and see.


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## Black Sheep (20 Apr 2008)

Of course One Parent Family Payment can be paid directly into a Bank for you.

On the application form you are asked to state your preference Bank or P.O.


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## Welfarite (21 Apr 2008)

eom said:


> ....as I had been told that my local social welfare office don't put Lone Parents payment into bank accounts, this is just hearsay so might not be true.


 

Not true...just hearsay!


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## tomred1 (25 Apr 2008)

I know of one office in west Dublin that do not pay into Bank accounts.


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## Welfarite (25 Apr 2008)

tomred1 said:


> I know of one office in west Dublin that do not pay into Bank accounts.


 

THe deaprtment's policy is to offer such type of payments (EFT). In fact they actively encourage it. I don't think an office can refuse to do so. On what grounds is this being done? Is it in general or just in one specific case (which might indicate something amiss in the history of the claimant such as being abroad while claiming SW)?


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