# loan parent, back with ex, maybe cohabitate? also a R.A.S question



## clover101 (16 Jun 2011)

hi im new here.
ok heres my story, well i was broke up with my ex for 3 years we have two kids aed 6 and 8.
 we have been back together for 7 months and we have been talking about moving back in together, heres our situation: 
Im on the R.A.S im living in a 2 bed house,
Im recieving loan parents payment.
he pays me 60euro maintenence a week.
Im not working.

he has been on the dole for the last 2 years i think on the job seekers allowence .(he lost his job as electrician)
he has a council flat(1 bed).

my question is if we do decide to move in together and he gives up his council flat,

what will be the out come regarding our weekly income?
and will the rent on my house be increased by much?



i really hope people wont find fault with my stuation, i was working full time before i had my children but had to leave as i couldnt afford to pay for childcare. iv had afew part time jobs since then but have been let go as i was unable to do the hours they wanted me to work(no babysitter)


any advice would be greatly apriciated!


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## Bronte (17 Jun 2011)

Clover why don't you list all income and where it comes from for both of you and the title of it rather than just saying dole.

When you say give up the flat, does he rent or own it.  More details and you'll get better replies.  

If you live together than social welfare will treat you as a married couple.  Not as two single individuals.


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## clover101 (17 Jun 2011)

hi thanks for the reply, here s a list of our income:

my income on the loan parents is 240 euro a week,
my rent is 32.20 euro a week,
and i get 60 euro maintenence a week from the kids dad.
i get 20 euro fuel allowence a week in the winter months.
myself and the kids have medical cards.

his weekly income is 196 euro,
he rents his flat from the council that's 27 euro a week,
he also gets fuel allowence in the winter months 20euro a week.
 he doesnt have the medical card as he is just fnished doing a work  placement with fas
 unfortunately he wasnt offered a job at the end of  the course/work experience.

also i have one more question reagrding the R.A.S, 
yesterday i found out  that they are taking the people who are on the R.A.S off the housing  list,
 and that they will be housing the people some other way in private rented accomodation long term.
 i have not been able to get much  information from the council about it.
 they fobbed me off saying a  letter will be getting sent out to everyone who is on the R.A.S in the next few  weeks explaining everything.
 this has really upset me as i have been on  the housing list for 8 years, 
how can they just remove me from the housing list wthout giving me a choice?
when i signed up for R.A.S i was told it would help me get a council house, that it would'nt have a negative effect on it, 
and that after a max of 5 years i would be offered a house, (this is my 4th year)
 also that i could stay in the accomodation i was living in untill they had a home for me and my children.
and now i find out im off the list and i  might never get a house il be stuck living in rented accomodation for  the rest of my life. 
i know people on here will be thinking i should be greatfull i have a  roof over my head, but i will never be able 2 make a rented house my  own, il never be able 2 do anything to it, or change anything in it,  theres just no future in it for a family. I am still in shock over it and very upset.


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## gipimann (17 Jun 2011)

If you move in together, you will have to close your One Parent Family claim as you'll no longer be a one-parent family.

Your partner can claim for you and the children on his Jobseeker's claim.
The maximum rate for 2 adults and 2 children on Jobseeker's is €372.40

I'm not sure what the situation regarding your rent will be, sorry.   There could be an issue regarding your partner's council flat, but the council will be the ones to answer that for you.


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## clover101 (17 Jun 2011)

thank you for your reply gipimann it was very helpfull,

I am still waiting to see what will happen to me regarding being on the RAS and being housed. 
but i gather from the information iv been, told that the council wont be building anymore house's, 
instead they will be using the apartments and flats that could not be finished by the builders beause of the situation with the banks.
but i cant confirm that untill i recieve my letter from the council to tell me im no longer on the housing list....
the agrement i signed with the council when i signed up for the RAS is a legaly binding document, and it says on it that being on the RAS would NOT effect my place on the housing list. 
So im not sure how they can get away with taking me off the housing list without telling me first?


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## sammi (17 Jun 2011)

I think you should move into your partners council flat. Yes it is too small but you can then apply for a transfer to a bigger home as a family of 4. It will take a while but you will get another council house.

I was on fingal council housing list for 5 years when they took me off it because I am on the R.A.S. I was very upset about this as I was so close to getting a home I could settle in. Im still on the DCC housing list but it takes years to get enough points to be housed by them. On that list 7 years now and still no closer . I really don't think your partner should give up his council flat as they are so hard to get these days...


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## clover101 (17 Jun 2011)

hi sammi I seem to be in the same situation as you, 
iv been on the housing list for 8 years and for 4 of them years iv been on the R.A.S,
im livng in south dublin, this new system is only coming out in my area, most people havnt a clue that they have been taken off the housing list.
 I only found out i was no longer on the list, because i went up to check my position and my points, I new i was high up on the list because last year i was number 22 on the list for my prefence area.
Its so upsetting to be so close to having a home only to be told all the time waiting was waisted. iv been in floods of tears over it 

IF we were to move in to his flat, it would be a real squeze with the four of us living in a 1 bed flat, its really small barely enough room to swing a cat. tiny kitchen small sitting room and all that fits in his bed room is the bed and clothes press, i just cant see that being a good move for us. also he is living in a different part of the county(city), so id have to move the kids to a different school if we moved in to his flat.

i went to citezens advice today and they told me to speak to a solicitor about the situation with the RAS.


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