# Made redundant and lone parent social welfare payments



## Klesser (21 Feb 2007)

Well it looks like i might be unemployed soon!  The company i work for is splitting its office in to 2 different locations and is reducing staff.  
My heads in a bit of a spin at the moment so i have a few questions (Cant ask HR as no one is technically supposed to know this yet)

1. I have checked the welfare site and it looks like I will be entitilled to lone parents allownce of 200pw which is a lot more then i thought it would be!  Can i also claim jobseekers allowance on my prsi? 
It says on one site that you cant claim two social welfare payments but on another that you can claim 1 plus a half payment of jobseekers so im a little confused.

2.I really dont understand the rent allowance scheme at all! I am moving to a new two bed house in 3 weeks it costs 750pm.  Will i be able to get rent allowance if i have lived there for so little time?  

3. Would i be entiteld to some sort of redundancy payment.  I have worked for this company for nearly 3 years.

Sorry for all the questions.  A bit clueless to all of this and i didnt understand the sites.


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## ClubMan (21 Feb 2007)

Klesser said:


> 1. I have checked the welfare site and it looks like I will be entitilled to lone parents allownce of 200pw which is a lot more then i thought it would be!  Can i also claim jobseekers allowance on my prsi?


I presume you mean _Jobseekers *Benefit *_since you refer to _PRSI_? As opposed to _Jobseekers *Assistance *_which is not _PRSI _linked and is means tested? The qualifying conditions for JB, JA and One Parent Family Payment are on the _Welfare_ website. Basically you should just sign on ASAP if you become unemployed and ask about what benefits/allowances you qualify for.


> 3. Would i be entiteld to some sort of redundancy payment.  I have worked for this company for nearly 3 years.


Having more than 2 years service you would be entitled to statutory redundancy. The company may pay non statutory redundancy over and above that. See [broken link removed] for tax issues relating to such payments.


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## Guest127 (22 Feb 2007)

Hi Klesser:there was something on the radio the other day about anyone claiming one social benefit ie widows, lone parents etc and still being eligible for HALF the normal employment and disability benefit rate. apparantly this was a U turn by the government a few years ago when they tried to implement a one payment only rule ( think Mary Coughlan was the minister involved at the time but not 100% on that). lots of widows etc who went back to work and found themselves out of work were asking what the prsi they were contributing in this employment was actually for. hope it all works out for you.


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## Mel (22 Feb 2007)

I was in a very similar situation a few years ago.
I was able to claim the one parent family payment as soon as the job finished up, and I had moved into rented accommodation just a few weeks beforehand and this was also covered.
The person at the Jobseekers/FAS office in town (dont' know the correct title) told me at the time that I would also be entitled to a part Jobseekers payment also based on my PRSI - I didn't follow it up so I don't know how much - it's important to sign on in any case so that the government can cover your PRSI payments while you are out of work. Otherwise you will have a gap.


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## Welfarite (23 Feb 2007)

1. Yes, you can claim half-rate JB while getting OFP. As a matter of interest you can aslo calim FIS and OFP when you are working so that's another example of two SW claims ...three if you include CB!)

2. Regarding rent supplement, each area has a limit on the amount of rent payable that qualifies you for Rent Supplement, whcih is paid by the HSE covering your area. If you are paying rent over the limit reckoned in your area, you will not get Rent Supplement, AFAIK. If you are on the limit or beldow it, you will have to pay the first €13 yourself, again AFAIK.
The length of time in the house does not matter. The Community WElfare Officer (not SW) is the one to go to regarding Rent Supplement.


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## gipimann (23 Feb 2007)

Just to clarify Welfarite's comment on Rent supplement, if you are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit (at half-rate) and One Parent Family Payment, you will have to pay more than €13 per week yourself as both incomes will be means-tested for the supplement.  Welfarite is correct in saying that if the rent you pay is greater than the limit set for that area, you will not qualify for supplement at all.   You will also have to apply for housing with the local authority as part of the application.


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## Klesser (27 Feb 2007)

Thanks kindly for your replies.  They have been very helpfull.
We were officially told by management about the move and job cuts yesterday.  
Im feeling very positive anyway as nothing will be happening  until summer so plenty of time to find a new job and with a few cut backs i can survive on benefits for a while.  Me and the little 'un wont starve anyway!


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