Hi,
Could anyone give me some advice? my situation is kind of unusal..a brief picture
Have been working full time PAYE since 1999
In Nov 2008 I became self employed as my employment finished so I decided to set up on my own.
Since Nov I have made a total of € 1500 in drawings and have survived by my partner and my parents supporting us. They can no longer financially help us.
I am finding it hard, I have no personal savings, no pension nothing and a mortgage of € 1000 a month and the business is not making any money yet. My family cannot continue to support me. I have 3 kids and partner looks after them. My bank account is in overdraft and I am getting returned DD collections from ESB and Credit card companies etc at moment.
I applied for JS Benefit but was told as im now self employed I would be means tested.
My questions are these
1) I have paid my PRSI contributions for nearly 10 years and was told intitally I qualified by this, but as im self employed this is no longer possibly - Is this right? or seem fair considering 4 months of 10 years was only self employed yet im being assesed as if I never made any PRSI subs..what happens to these now?
2) What are the income levels for the means test?
I am desperate and with 3 young children worried for my future.
Thanks