# living with my parents and have 4 year old. On housing list for 3.5 - rent allowance?



## hannahbanana (19 Oct 2010)

I've looked it up on citizensinformation.ie but.... 

I'm living with my parents and have 4 year old. Have been on the housing list for 3.5 years. 

My daughter is getting bigger and sharing a room isn't ideal.

 I have decided to rent privately but I'm not sure if I will be entitled to rent allowance and if I will be entitled to it I can't make up what I would be entitled to.

If anybody would be so kind as to help me out. 

I understand the don't take loans or car finance into account. And I work part time (20 hours).

I get....
€200 - Wages
€52 - FIS 
€200.80 - OPFP.


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## Marietta (19 Oct 2010)

On €452.80 per week, you should be able to rent a suitable place without the need for  rent allowance


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## hannahbanana (19 Oct 2010)

Unfortunately not with other bills, but I know they're not taken into account.

I've been advised that I should give up work and would get full rent allowance but I dunno.

Thanks anyway.


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## niceoneted (20 Oct 2010)

I also agree with Marietta that you should be able to cover rent with that income. You also have childrens allowance which will bring it closer to 500 a week. 
I put 100 a week away and that covers all bills eg Utilities, xmas fund, weddings/birthday fund, Car tax.insurance, holidays etc. 
Unless you have debts to be paying off you should be able to manage it.


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## hannahbanana (20 Oct 2010)

Have a loan and finance, they work out at the loan being €80 p/w and the finance being €95 p/w and childcare is €90 p/w. But I know these things aren't taken into account. 

So I won't be entitled to rent allowance is what you mean? 
Thank you


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## truthseeker (20 Oct 2010)

Can you sell the car, clear the finance and buy a cheaper car?

Are you getting any maintenance from your childs father?

How long is left on the car finance and the loan?


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## hannahbanana (20 Oct 2010)

Have been down that path before. There's 2 years left on finance, I would have to clear the finance before I could sell it and I'm not in a position to do. 

There's 4 years on Credit Union loan. Was hoping that Credit Union would clear my finance and I would just have it on the one loan but they won't. 

Thanks truthseeker.


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## niceoneted (20 Oct 2010)

How about clearing the finance and loan and then consider moving out to somewhere of your own. There is no point in putting severe financial pressure on yourself when you have an option of a roof over your head even if there is some issues there.


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## gipimann (20 Oct 2010)

Your total income is €452.80. The SWA rate for one adult and one child is €225.80, so you are quite a bit above that rate. Even though not all of your wages would be assessed for Rent Supplement, it would appear from the figures given that you would not qualify.

Edit: please see my later post - there may be an entitlement depending on where the OP lives.


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## Fullback (21 Oct 2010)

I think the worst outcome here both for yourself and your daughter would be to give up work. Quite a number of people get advice that they are better off not working but in most cases that advice is wrong. You certainly won't qualify for full rent supplement but it may be possible to qualify for some. 

I think you should ask a CWO what you might qualify for. Gipimann can correct me if I am wrong here but my understanding of the RS means-test is that you take your gross income €458.20, subtract the 225.80 referred to above, less reasonable travel to work costs (say 10), less any PRSI you pay (I’m guessing none), less a standard allowance of €75. Say this comes to €134. You calculate 25% of €134 and subtract this from €134. This comes to about €100. You then add a standard minimum payment of €24, giving €124. This is the weekly contribution you would have to make to rent. (There are other factors, such as savings, that could affect this means test) 

If the rent was higher than €124, the rent supplement would cover the balance up to a certain cap depending on where you live. In many areas you will be above this cap and won’t qualify for any support but in some areas, notably the cities and the counties around Dublin you might qualify for some rental support. Again, I think you need to run this by a CWO to be sure.


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## gipimann (22 Oct 2010)

The disregard of €75 plus 25% of the balance only applies to the wages element of the OPs income, rather than to all of their income above the SWA rate. Because there are 2 SW incomes, it can get a bit complicated. 

Fullback, you are correct (and I must correct my own earlier post) in saying that there may be an entitlement depending on where the OP lives (which determines the maximum rent limit).


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## Ishindar (26 Oct 2010)

..


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## Marietta (26 Oct 2010)

that sounds very tough, have you thought of applying for fis if you are on low earnings?


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