# Single Mothers entitlements



## dino (21 Nov 2006)

Hi,
   My sister is currently out of work and on SW. She has a 10 year old child and they rent an apartment. She was hoping to do a Fas course but she wasn't accepted for the new course so she will have to wait until next Summer. She now wants to get a job but she says that she will loose all here SW and rent allowance if she takes even a part time job. Can anyone point me in the right direction to get information on this matter. 

Thanks....


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## extopia (21 Nov 2006)

[broken link removed]


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## mmclo (21 Nov 2006)

She will not necessarily loose everything but the withdrawal of rent allowance is a big problem, talk to local office and see if there is flexibility I think the withdrawal has to be tapered but the tresholds for income earned are low


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## Violet Rose (21 Nov 2006)

Could someone please clarify this for me.... my BIL ex girlfriend has 4 kids under 8 years, she has her council home,  she has her child benefit & her ECS, plus whatever she gets a week as unmarried - my BIL gives her money every week also - she has now told him that she requires 2,900 euros for girls christmas prescents !!!!! 

What exactly is she getting as unmarried and with 4 children? what is her monthly child benefit? 

Where is her money going??


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## Thirsty (21 Nov 2006)

*rates of welfare payments*

a) www.welfare.ie - rates of payment for Lone Parents Allowance
b) www.welfare.ie - rates of payment for Child Benefit
c) the only person you can ask (though I'm surprised that you feel you have the right to do so) is your Brother-in-laws' former partner


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## georginaB (28 Nov 2006)

i suggest that your BIL contacts the lone parents section because this girl really has the saddle on please tell me your BIL in not paying for the children in cash?


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## Thirsty (29 Nov 2006)

> has the saddle on


 
I'm not sure what this is supposed to mean, but I don't see any suggestion that fraud is being perpetrated

georginaB, What is it that you believe should be reported to the Dept. of Social Welfare?


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## Welfarite (30 Nov 2006)

Re BIL ex-partner query:

The bottom line here is that maintenance paid to a person in receipt of One-parent Payment is assessed when deciding how much to pay her and thuis is reduced weekly. It stands to reason that 2,900 euro paid would be considered maintenance payment, averaging about 55 euro per week. This, if paid should be notified to SW by him so that they can re-assess her maintenance deductions.


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## Thirsty (2 Dec 2006)

I would have thought (but am willing to be corrected) that only maintenance payments made on foot of a court order could be taken into account in regards to Social Welfare payments.

A one off gift (which is what is described here) cannot be regarded as regular maintenance?


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## Cashstrapped (2 Dec 2006)

This kinda c**p really makes me sick.  Before I start I do not receive any such payments from the SW.  Lets put things in perspective, when relationships break down each person for one  reason or another appears to be rightly pee'd off at the other, the only real losers are per usual the children who are caught up in the unmercyful mess that becomes a broken relationship with Mam in one house and Dad in the other.  

I take it that a few of the posters here do not have children of their own and therefore do not understand the full costs of trying to feed, cloth and give a child a resonable standard of living, it's absolutely horrific and isn't something that is easily achievable by the current Social Welfare System.  I did not see anything in the post by Voilet Rose that made any reference to her BIL paying this money TOWARDS THE UP-BRINGING OF HIS CHILDREN as being against his will.  Perhaps he is what is known as a responsible person and ensuring that he provides as best he can for his children.  

So Violet Rose and GeorginaB if you really feel like taking the joy out of Christmas for 4 innocent children by playing a part in the dobbin in of their mother work away and do it, just hope you can live with it.  As far as I can see there is nothing untowards goinig on here, you have a mother raising 4 children and receiving what she is entitled to by the State and a father who is doing his part to help his children have what they deserve.

Shame on you both!!


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## MOB (2 Dec 2006)

To be fair, there seems to be something more going on here.  €2,900 for Christmas for 4 children under 8 is needlessly extravagant by any reasonable measure.  The father who is considering handing over this sort of dosh seems to be under undue influence of some sort, whether through guilt or sheer lack of common sense.  (and btw, I have 4 kids under 8 so I can claim some knowledge)

Spending this sort of money on children is simply not good for them.


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## purplealien (2 Dec 2006)

€1,000 should be enough to buy 4 kids xmas presents.
 Half that then - why should he have to pay for all of them? €500 is all he should give her.
He doesnt have to give her anything if he's paying maintenance every week.


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## Cashstrapped (2 Dec 2006)

Yes I can see the point you are making but note how Violet Rose doesn't mention how much he gives her a week towards his 4 daughters but she can mention figures like €2,900 because yes that is seen as over the top, wonder how over the top the weekly maintenance payments he gives her are.  It could be possible that what she is in fact looking for is his arrears of maintenance for the year and she wants it all for Christmas, so if it's due she's right to look for it.

We have to be fair to both of them as all things that are said third hand are more than likely not the real truth as I always say from personal experience, there's  his version, her version and then the truth.

To get back to the original posters question, I understand that when you are receiving payments like your sisters that sometimes you retain the payment for the first year after going back to work, then it is reduced to 75% following that and so on.  It also depends on her take home pay from her job.  My advice would be go to her local Social Welfare Office/ Community Care Centre and ask them exactly what here losses might be should she obtain part-time employment.


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