Newly single - no idea about benefits

Hi All,

Hoping i'll be able to get some help here, I've recently seperated from my partner and am now living in rented accommodation with my 2 children. As a result of this I have had to change to a 4 day week in work. I am now doing a 200 mile commute daily.

I understand that there are some benefits which I may be able to claim as my salary will be significantly reduced. I know that I will be able to apply for a medical card and I have done that already. My queries are as follows:

1) Can I apply for one parent family payment if I am working?

2) Can I apply for FIS and one parent family together or is it just one or the other?

3) Would I be best to wait until my medical card application is completed before appying for any further benefits?

4) Is there anything else that I should/could apply for?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
simsims

You can apply for One Parent Family Payment provided your income is less than €425 per week. You won't be eligible if it exceeds that amount. You must also be separated for a minimum of 3 months at time of application.

Yes, you can apply for Family Income Supplement and One Parent Family Payment.

As there can be long waiting times for both of the above schemes, you should make an application as soon as possible - don't wait until your medical card comes through.

The 3 month waiting period only applies to married couples. If you were co-hab you can apply straight away.

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance can be paid to people in receipt of FIS as well as other Social Welfare payments, it's not just for people in receipt of One Parent Family Payment. The scheme ended on 30 September.

There is no communion/confirmation allowance or scheme. There was a payment made as an Exceptional Needs Payment to many families on Social Welfare payments, but it was not a scheme (unlike the Back to School scheme). For 2012, a maximum payment of 110 euro could be granted, and it is being discontinued from 2013.

Equal said:

Your children may also now be eligible for a student grant to attend third level. This is worth a fortune, if your children are old enough.

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Guys

Thanks for all the information - my little ones are 2 and 1 so I'm a bit off using the college grant .. but good to know for the future.

The commute is a killer however I am not entitled to rent allowance unless I have been renting for 6 months. I have filled in my amended medical card form, my one parent family form and my FIS form today so just waiting on documents from work to send them off. I have also applied for the one parent tax credit.

Unfortunately there are no jobs in my new area, I have spent many evenings looking at the jobs websites with no luck however I believe that it is easier to find a job whilst you are in a job so hopefully something will come up, sooner rather than later

Having seen the terrible news about the 2 baby sisters in Galway at the weekend, it's important to remember that there's always someone worse off and whilst I'm in a rough patch at the moment, hopefully things will work themselves out over the coming months, financially and elsewhere.

Thanks for all your advice.