# Rent Assistance and Maternity Benefit



## dellie (30 Sep 2006)

I am nearly 6 months pregnant and currently live in private rented accommodation at a cost of 900pm. In January, I will need to take Maternity leave from work and will only get the state benefit (maximum about 250euro per week) as my employers do not pay during maternity leave. I am trying to find out if I would be entitled to some assistance with the Rent even though I have a full time job that I will be returning to in June 07.


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## Tenacious (30 Sep 2006)

Are you claiming the rent tax credit?


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## dellie (30 Sep 2006)

Yes, I recently claim back rent relief with the tax office for the last 4 years. I think I get about an extra 300euro worth of tax relief a year.


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## Tenacious (30 Sep 2006)

€330 fo the current year. €660 if your married and jointly assessed.


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## dellie (30 Sep 2006)

Thanks for the info. I am single. I am trying to find out if I could get any assistance from the social welfare with Rent even if its just for the maternity leave period as I will only be receiving entitlements of 250pw about 1000 per month and the rent is 900 euro alone.


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## Tenacious (30 Sep 2006)

Check out this link

[broken link removed]


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## dellie (2 Oct 2006)

Thanks for the info. I am also going to try contact local community welfare office for advice.
Cheers


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## dellie (4 Oct 2006)

This is just an update for anyone who reads this and maybe in the same situation. I did go to the local community welfare officer but to be honest they could not offer advice at the moment.

They are going to look into details and get back to me. Bascally the situation is that in Jan07, I will be on maternity benefit earning only 1000per month and my rent is 900per month.

They seem to think I should qualify for some rent assistance but they were not sure as they had not come accross this situation. I will add update next week when they get back.

If anyone has any other advise, please feel free to respond.

thx


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## ClubMan (4 Oct 2006)

Try your local  for further info on possible options available to you.


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## D8Lady (4 Oct 2006)

I'd suggest contacting Cura, 

[broken link removed]

A family member found them very helpful. They would be well used to assisting people in your situation. 

Best of luck.


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## ClubMan (4 Oct 2006)

Bear in mind that _Cura _is a _Catholic _pregnancy counselling service in case that's relevant to you.


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## MandaC (5 Oct 2006)

Could the father of the baby assist with the expenses?


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## dellie (8 Oct 2006)

Thanks for the update guys. I will try both of those. 

In answer to the question? "Could the father of the baby assist with the expenses?"
I am hoping he will. We are not on speaking terms at the moment and he recently lost his job, but I am hoping he will step up when the baby is born. He is not really the type of person to run from his responsiblities but I just want to make sure all the bases are covered before I got on maternity.

Also I recently hear a rummor in work that my employer may be introducing paid maternity leave in the next couple of months. So hopefully that will be introduced before I start mine. Then I will be sorted. But again thanks for the info guys, as I said I like to have all the information just in case.


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