# National learning center false advertising



## paddyjnr (4 Dec 2015)

Dear sirs/ ladies,
I am in receipt of Invalidity pensions and I spotted a free course that would get me back in the work force as I am going stir crazy.
I added up my out goings which allows me to have food to the tune of 25euro a week for food.
Under further inspection I noticed that they give an allowance of 40 euros a week under the FAQ.
I was delighted and sent off my forms ready to begin a new life.
I rang the man in charge only to be informed that this is discontinued.
My heart sank, would any of you kind people know where i could get an allowance, i wouldn't need much just enough to buy food and mayby pressies should the time arise for my nieces birthdays. 
I am already receiving food vouchers from saint vincents de paul until my rent allowance is fixed up.
I have written to them expressing to remove the false advertising as it is not part of their policy.
Any help would be deeply appreciated.
thank you kind people
[broken link removed] [broken link removed]


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## paddyjnr (5 Dec 2015)

my apologies for mods for bumping but do anyone know of any of the legalities???


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## Leo (6 Dec 2015)

Could you clarify what specifically you're looking for here?

You mention false advertising, but there's no mention of what advertisement you're referring to and you then ask about allowances. You'll get a much better response if you clarify and perhaps split the questions into multiple threads in the correct forums.


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## paddyjnr (7 Dec 2015)

It distinctly says under allowances 40euros which would help me do the course but when I rang the course organizer. he says it no longer it exsists yet they still have it advertised.  http://www.nln.ie/FAQ.aspx


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## Setanta12 (7 Dec 2015)

Hi Paddyjnr,

I think you need to details your income/outgoings here, people might be  better placed to help then with relevant advice.

False advertising is something entirely different to what you've experienced.  No less frustrating though.


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## T McGibney (7 Dec 2015)

They need to update their website but in no way is it false advertising.


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## so-crates (7 Dec 2015)

They may perhaps have already updated their website - looking at the link you provide and checking under allowances it says the following:


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## paddyjnr (7 Dec 2015)

i have discussed this with nlc and they are adamant i will not get an allowance, after  all my outgoings I am left with 26 euros equivailant to 77 dollars for food which is near impossible to survive on.
my Problem is they are false advertising and i want to report this to the relevant oratories but i dont know where these are in Ireland.


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## Setanta12 (7 Dec 2015)

Dollars ?


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## 44brendan (7 Dec 2015)

paddyjnr said:


> my Problem is they are false advertising and i want to report this to the relevant oratories but i dont know where these are in Ireland.


As previously advised this is not false advertising. If you have a complaint you should write in directly to the NLC directly.


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## paddyjnr (7 Dec 2015)

But I already did over the phone and got no response only the government cancelled it a few years ago and there are  people up here doing the the course up here for nothing with a nasty tone


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## so-crates (7 Dec 2015)

What response were you expecting from them? It isn't false advertising, you have not (I am guessing but please correct me if I am wrong) paid them any money on the basis that you would get €40 per week and they seem to have updated their FAQ section as there is no longer any reference to €40 in there. I don't think there will be any authority you can report them to, especially if they have already addressed the concern you raised about their website.


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## so-crates (7 Dec 2015)

I'm guessing again but is the bigger picture that you are feeling frustrated in not getting the €40pw? Is that really the crux of the matter? I don't know much about social benefits so I am not best placed to help there but maybe focussing on the major issue would be more useful. NLC aren't going to start providing service users with an allowance they seem to never have been the source of (if the government cancelled it, they would not be replacing it themselves), I am guessing you still want to do the course but are put off by the affordability aspect?


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## llgon (7 Dec 2015)

Presumably you will keep all the invalidity pension and entitlements you have if you undertake this course.  It is hardly the fault of the NLC if your social welfare entitlements don't provide you with enough to live on.  Is an extra allowance really a necessity to help you afford food and to do the course? You say that this course will help you to begin a new life


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## moneybox (7 Dec 2015)

paddyjnr said:


> Dear sirs/ ladies,
> I am in receipt of Invalidity pensions and I spotted a free course that would get me back in the work force as I am going stir crazy.
> 
> [broken link removed] [broken link removed]



Invalidity Pension is a payment for insured people who are permanently incapable of work because of an illness or incapacity. 
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...isability_and_illness/invalidity_pension.html

I don't get this, why do you want to go back into the work force if you have been awarded a permanent pension due to being  'permanently incapable of work'


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

why you cant get this is invalidates can work given the right training, The place I want to learn in specially caters for people with disabilities. I want to try and get back into the workforce. i can't believe you have people asking such silly questions on the this forum. I see a darling little down syndrome girl working in Tescos every day who always keeps busy and has a smile for everyone. do yo deny er the right to work???


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

so-crates said:


> They may perhaps have already updated their website - looking at the link you provide and checking under allowances it says the following:
> View attachment 997


 No I ave spoke to the organizer and he says they no longer give an allowance and and that was only Friday. he also said people do it on no benefit up here in a rather snippy way. Yes probably people that don't have 25euros left after paying the billls excluding food a the end of the week.


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

so-crates said:


> I'm guessing again but is the bigger picture that you are feeling frustrated in not getting the €40pw? Is that really the crux of the matter? I don't know much about social benefits so I am not best placed to help there but maybe focussing on the major issue would be more useful. NLC aren't going to start providing service users with an allowance they seem to never have been the source of (if the government cancelled it, they would not be replacing it themselves), I am guessing you still want to do the course but are put off by the affordability aspect?


 Yes you are guessing right , i want to get back to the work force but I dont want to starve on the way with 25euro for shopping.


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## so-crates (8 Dec 2015)

paddyjnr said:


> why you cant get this is invalidates can work given the right training, The place I want to learn in specially caters for people with disabilities. I want to try and get back into the workforce. i can't believe you have people asking such silly questions on the this forum. I see a darling little down syndrome girl working in Tescos every day who always keeps busy and has a smile for everyone. do yo deny er the right to work???



I think his point is not intended to be silly. It is actually possibly very pertinent. By definition it looks like if you can be deemed able for work you wouldn't be entitled to the invalidity pension any longer. It might be worth having a chat with someone in Social Welfare about the implications of taking a course or even getting back to work and whether there are any supports for re-entering the work force. 

The girl with Down Syndrome does not meet the criteria for invalidity pension - she is capable of working. Possibly, she may be in receipt of supports in order to facilitate her working but it is a different support and a different matter. I'd be very careful assuming that any impairment automatically means that the person is being supported by the state financially, there is no reason to assume she isn't earning her own keep and being paid for work on the same terms as her peers and co-workers.



paddyjnr said:


> No I ave spoke to the organizer and he says they no longer give an allowance and and that was only Friday. he also said people do it on no benefit up here in a rather snippy way. Yes probably people that don't have 25euros left after paying the billls excluding food a the end of the week.



Telephone conversations can be a minefield. You cannot see the other person so unless you know them you cannot know how they are physically reacting to the conversation. The non-verbal cues we all use to really understand the other person. You felt offended by his tone that much is clear, but it is more likely a mutual misunderstanding than any malice on his part. The FAQ has been updated. It doesn't take that long to change a bit of text on a website - though sometimes you'd be forgiven for thinking it is an arcane mystic art the way some people approach it! It may have been prompted by your call or letter or something else. I don't think pursuing it further will be of any benefit or give you any real satisfaction and it is difficult to see any avenue you could pursue it through.



paddyjnr said:


> Yes you are guessing right , i want to get back to the work force but I dont want to starve on the way with 25euro for shopping.


That is the crux of the matter then. You feel stymied on an attempt to make your life better. It seems you cannot take the course without suffering a drop in income (I am assuming that in the regular course of things you wouldn't have to subsist on €25?). I am guessing you are still looking to take the course then? Would it be worthwhile postponing taking it in order to build up a small amount of savings to help cover the added expense? It may be even more worthwhile to talk to an appropriate person with the social welfare system to find out if there are any consequences or pitfalls in terms of you trying to make yourself available for work and to see if there are any supports available in your specific case.


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

50euros is what i have now to spend.
I have got my social worker , doctor and another person who is friends with the top man to fight my case, i have received 50euros food vouchers each week for the last two weeks but they said they will finish up in 2 to 3 weeks until my rent allowance come through probably a mere 27euro or none at all as i'm over the threshold  of 250, my rent is 375euro. To be honest i feel like ending it all which i tried twice in the past 3 monts by slashing my wrists. My Rent goes up to 850euros in January.
that leaves me with 425euros out of pocket. I could survive on 55euros on grocers and outings and prezzies for my nieces at that.
That been said I apologies for the down syndrome lady. I thought we were in the same bracket.
My sincere thank you for your advice.


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## Bronte (8 Dec 2015)

Paddy what is the delay with getting your rent allowance?  As far as I know while you are waiting for this to be sorted the social welfare officer should be able to pay it to you in the meantime, have you asked your social worker?

________

What is the National Learning Centre?  Is it FAS/Anco?


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## so-crates (8 Dec 2015)

paddyjnr said:


> 50euros is what i have now to spend.
> I have got my social worker , doctor and another person who is friends with the top man to fight my case, i have received 50euros food vouchers each week for the last two weeks but they said they will finish up in 2 to 3 weeks until my rent allowance come through probably a mere 27euro or none at all as i'm over the threshold  of 250, my rent is 375euro. To be honest i feel like ending it all which i tried twice in the past 3 monts by slashing my wrists. My Rent goes up to 850euros in January.
> that leaves me with 425euros out of pocket. I could survive on 55euros on grocers and outings and prezzies for my nieces at that.
> That been said I apologies for the down syndrome lady. I thought we were in the same bracket.
> My sincere thank you for your advice.



Good for you that you can identify a support network and are getting them to advocate for you. Keep them in the loop with everything you do. Without knowing any of them though - none of them specialise in social welfare even though they would all have a better awareness of it than me, I think talking to someone in social welfare yourself would be a good idea - they would have the best information about what is available, what restrictions may apply, what options are open. 

It sounds like you have definitely been having a rough time so take care of yourself. Talk, even if people disagree then at least that means they have listened. Time and attention are some of the most valuable presents, a toy gets played with now, a memory gets replayed for much longer.


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

i bought a house back in 1997 for 1000,00euro, when houses were cheap, I married a woman in 2006 who wanted all the grenadiers an life, So we paid 288euro for it in 2008 when times were bad(Smart move0.I began to notice my mood was beginning to drop, .
my GP referred me to psych to tried every mediced know to lift me. All tried and error, one particular one mad be attracted to rivers so I had to be on 24 hrs supervision my my friends in AA, only for them i'd be dead.
.
my wife wanted nothing to do with it to busy spending my redundancy money on crap, wanted the best of everything and cleaned the house out while i was in treatment.
The Travellers took my ride on lawn mower,chain saw, pruner basic everything the could get their hands on.
I was a broken man, i had so much and lost it all.
I ended up up in the missionaries of Charity and spend 9 months where I Was aloud save my money to get another treatment which was fab.
I now owe 4,000 euro to the bank, 1,000 to credit union and 255,00euro plus arrears to bank of 51,000 in arears to the bank because.They were throwing it at me left right a center, I had 3 Brand new cars and even even a stable with no horses The house is in neguity to the tune of 175,00 in neqity eqity
now you know why i tried to kill myself 3 different occasions My wife refuses to sign a piece of legal paper and that's what the hold up I think.I really want to get my self back up in latter against I'm  sick of being sick
Thanks for listening,
It means a lot,


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## so-crates (8 Dec 2015)

It sounds trite but just remember, your debt is the bank's problem, not yours. Of course you'd prefer to settle out your debt but sometimes that simply isn't feasible. If you can't pay, then you can't pay. Look after yourself first and foremost.


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

is it as symbol as that, could i be put in prison???


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## paddyjnr (8 Dec 2015)

Bronte said:


> Paddy what is the delay with getting your rent allowance?  As far as I know while you are waiting for this to be sorted the social welfare officer should be able to pay it to you in the meantime, have you asked your social worker?
> 
> ________
> 
> What is the National Learning Centre?  Is it FAS/Anco?


 i never thought of that i'll ring first thing this morning.
thanks


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## elcato (9 Dec 2015)

paddyjnr said:


> is it as symbol as that, could i be put in prison???


I presume you mean 'simple as that' and the answer is no you will not be imprisoned if you cant pay a debt. As was stated earleir, the debt is the banks problem now and they would do well to write it off once they hear your difficulties. Never talk to them on the phone, always deal in writing. If they bring you to court just appear and tell your story, The judge will certainly not jail you.


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