I have been reading the excellent "we must dismantle our culture of dependency" thread.
I am posting this separately as it is slightly off the topic and the thread is intense enough already.
Some posters are of the opinion that life on social welfare is easy, others that it is scraping by.
Most middle class people have no idea what the personal economics are for people on social welfare, even, perhaps especially if, they have had some first hand experience.
The standard of living of social welfare recipients varies greatly. The key difference is the housing situation.
A person with a council house has excellent security of tenure, good quality housing, usually in a desirable location, and low housing costs.
A person on the RAS (rental accommodation scheme) or the HAP (housing assistance payment) has all of the above to a less extent. They could loose their tenancy but the council has the responsibility to rehouse them. They quality of the housing depends on what they can find in the market, it seems to be very poor in Dublin, it can be excellent in some country areas. Housing costs are low, The council pays the rent, the tenant has to make a small contribution from their social welfare income.
A person on rent supplement is less well off again. If they loose their tenancy, they go onto the council housing list, they do not have the automatic right to have the council house them. The council gives them a fixed amount toward their rent, they have to pay the rest from their social welfare income. In theory the amount is capped in practice it is not.
Some people are not entitled to housing support at all from the council.
A person relying on social welfare, particularly a family with children, with a council house in a central area, who may not need to run a car, can live a very comfortable life, and they have superb economic security, better dare I say than Tony O Reilly.
A person paying privately for shared accommodation out of €188 per week has it tough.
I am posting this separately as it is slightly off the topic and the thread is intense enough already.
Some posters are of the opinion that life on social welfare is easy, others that it is scraping by.
Most middle class people have no idea what the personal economics are for people on social welfare, even, perhaps especially if, they have had some first hand experience.
The standard of living of social welfare recipients varies greatly. The key difference is the housing situation.
A person with a council house has excellent security of tenure, good quality housing, usually in a desirable location, and low housing costs.
A person on the RAS (rental accommodation scheme) or the HAP (housing assistance payment) has all of the above to a less extent. They could loose their tenancy but the council has the responsibility to rehouse them. They quality of the housing depends on what they can find in the market, it seems to be very poor in Dublin, it can be excellent in some country areas. Housing costs are low, The council pays the rent, the tenant has to make a small contribution from their social welfare income.
A person on rent supplement is less well off again. If they loose their tenancy, they go onto the council housing list, they do not have the automatic right to have the council house them. The council gives them a fixed amount toward their rent, they have to pay the rest from their social welfare income. In theory the amount is capped in practice it is not.
Some people are not entitled to housing support at all from the council.
A person relying on social welfare, particularly a family with children, with a council house in a central area, who may not need to run a car, can live a very comfortable life, and they have superb economic security, better dare I say than Tony O Reilly.
A person paying privately for shared accommodation out of €188 per week has it tough.
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