# Is it possible to get backdated rent allowance and a few other problems?



## marian30 (7 Aug 2007)

Hoping I can get some advice on here.

I'm 28, single and have been getting jobseekers allowance for just over a year. I have a degree and was working as a substitute teacher until I stopped work. The irregularity of the work as well as a period suffering from depression has caused me to fall into a bit of a welfare trap.

For that time I've been living off the €185.80 jobseekers allowance, I pay €76 a week rent out of that and the rest goes on food, living expenses,etc. Obviously that's not always enough so I've also ended up with an overdraft, credit card and personal loan totalling €3,500. I've had no problem getting credit as my credit rating is good and I never miss repayments. I also did some private grinds for cash. I never applied for rent allowance but I do have a medical card. 

I want to improve my situation and get back to working full time. I've signed up for a FAS course which started this week. It's a similar course to my degree but the main reason I signed up is to get myself back into the routine of getting up for work every morning. I assumed I would be getting the rent supplement from FAS but I've just found out I'm not entitled because the address I gave on the application is the rented house I live in and that's near the training centre. FAS are writing me a letter for the Community Welfare Officer and they said claiming the allowance that way will be fine as it's what's other people on their courses have done. Does anyone know if the rent allowance could be backdated a bit? I know I should have applied ages ago but I feel really embarassed about asking for handouts. I did manage to meet all rent payments by myself but as as result I have the pesonal debt problem so I wasn't really able to manage that well without help. 

What I really want to do is the FE1 Law exams or maybe train as a legal executive first and then do the exams. I know there's loads about this in the careers section. I'd need to borrow some more money to meet the cost of this so I really need to apply for anything I'm entitled to in order to help myself out of this demoralising welfare situation.

Any advice or suggestions would be much appreciated. I really hate approaching Community Welfare Officer about this but I'm so desperate and very motivated to improve my situation I need any help I can get.


----------



## ClubMan (7 Aug 2007)

Any use?


> *9. When and how do I apply?
> 
> *                    	  You should apply for the Rent Allowance as soon as possible after 	    your rent has been fixed and the tenancy and new rent have been 	    registered with the local housing authority. You should apply 	    within 3 months of the date the new rent comes into effect. If you 	    apply after 3 months, the allowance will only be backdated for 3 	    months.


For the last year in which you had taxable income and stopped working to draw benefits did you check in case you were due any tax back? If not then request a _P21 _balancing statement from _Revenue _and make sure that they have all relevant information for that year in case you are due some money back.


----------



## marian30 (7 Aug 2007)

Thanks clubman. I don't live in local authority housing, my house is rented privately from a landlord. 3 months rent allowance would be such a help to me right now, it's much more than I dare to hope for though.


----------



## ClubMan (7 Aug 2007)

That page relates to _Rent Allowance _in general as far as I know so I presume that the 3 month backdating applies regardless of the type of rental accommodation. Have you tried asking about/claiming backdated _RA_?


----------



## marian30 (7 Aug 2007)

ClubMan said:


> That page relates to _Rent Allowance _in general as far as I know so I presume that the 3 month backdating applies regardless of the type of rental accommodation. Have you tried asking about/claiming backdated _RA_?


 
The community welfare officer is only there 3 mornings a week so I have to wait until Friday. Haven't said anything to Landlord either yet.


----------



## indebtedgal (7 Aug 2007)

Hi

I know that rent allowance can be back dated. I know of a situation where about 3 or 2 years ago someone got their rent allowance back dated for almost 12 months. They had to appeal the original decision but it worked out in the end.


----------



## marian30 (7 Aug 2007)

Thanks, I'll post how I get on.


----------



## gipimann (8 Aug 2007)

Just to clarify:

Rent Allowance is paid by the Dept of Social and Family Affairs to persons who were affected by the de-control of tenancies in 1982.

Rent Supplement is what is paid by the Community Welfare Officer to persons on Social Welfare who require assistance towards private rented accommodation.

You'll find information on Rent Supplement under "Supplementary Welfare Allowance" on the Welfare website.

Rent Supplement is colloquially called "rent allowance" but it is a different scheme.


----------



## marian30 (8 Aug 2007)

Thanks


----------



## Welfarite (9 Aug 2007)

marian30 said:


> I assumed I would be getting the rent supplement from FAS but I've just found out I'm not entitled because the address I gave on the application is the rented house I live in and that's near the training centre.


 
Don't understand what you mean . FAS do not pay rent supplement...maybe you mean travel allowance if you live a distance from the centre?



marian30 said:


> For that time I've been living off the €185.80 jobseekers allowance, I pay €76 a week rent out of that and the rest goes on food, living expenses,etc. Obviously that's not always enough so I've also ended up with an overdraft, credit card and personal loan totalling €3,500. I've had no problem getting credit as my credit rating is good and I never miss repayments. I also did some private grinds for cash. I never applied for rent allowance but I do have a medical card.


 
You should contact www.mabs.ie too if you want advice about budgeting anad repaying debt


----------



## marian30 (9 Aug 2007)

Welfarite said:


> Don't understand what you mean . FAS do not pay rent supplement...maybe you mean travel allowance if you live a distance from the centre?
> 
> Maybe, the extra €69.
> 
> You should contact www.mabs.ie too if you want advice about budgeting anad repaying debt


 
Don't have problem budgeting, it's just that it's not possible to cover everything on €185 a week. I need extra money.


----------

