One parent family payment & means test

D

dubinamerica

Registered User
Messages
475
Hi I'm looking for some guidance regarding applying for OPFP and whether I may be successful in claiming this.
I'm just receiving illness benefit of 284 (myself & 3 children). Husband is living out of the family home over 3 months and receiving illness benefit only.
There has been no division of assets as yet but there's a joint savings account and an account in my name. I'm using the figures below for illustration and wondering what way this would be treated.

Example figures
Joint account - 50K
Savings in my name - 10 K
Not sure if full amount or only half would be taken into account as husband may be entitled to half - any ideas?

Worst case - IF FULL AMOUNT then I think it would be assesed as folows
First €20,000 Nil -> 0
€20,000 - €30,000 €1 per €1,000 -> 10
€30,000 - €40,000 €2 per €1,000 -> 20
Over €40,000 €4 per €1,000 -> 80 ...Total 110

Looks like I.B. would not be counted as means, so means would be 110 - is that correct? So application should be successful?? ANY help at all would be really appreciated.
 
The joint savings will be halved. Impossible to say what exact means will be and you don't mention what maintenance arrangements are in place, if any. In any case, any information you get here is just that; information. The only way to get the proper story is to read the keypost guide at top of this forum and apply for OFP.
 
OK thanks Welfarite. At present there's no maintenance arrangements in place and I read the booklet and it indicated if spouse is on SW payments only then the criteria for trying to get maintenance has been reached.
Have taken a look at key post but still not sure - only getting bits of time here and there to check on this, and want to be prepared when I go to the SW office next week. From what you know, does it look like I may receive this payment (and I think my IB will be halved then) ? Any guidance at all would be appreciated.
 
The question of maintenance is not as simple as that! Remember, your spouse has 25k that could be used to pay maintenance if a court decided. SW will not just accept that he is not able to pay maintenance because he is on SW himself; why should the state maintain your family when the liable relative has 25k at his disposal?)You will be expected to seek maintenance. See here for more info.
In saying that, based on your 'illustrated' 35k savings, your means would be €20 per week.
 
OK thanks, I haven't gone through anything remotely like this before and never in my wildest nightmares would I have thought I'd be in the situation I am in now, so I really have no clue as to how everything is looked at, and I have so little time to research stuff looking after a newborn.
Say the maintenance issue gets sorted and he gives me 50 euro per week (I'm just pulling figures out here), means are 20 euro say, and IB , do you think I may qualify? I have always worked and am sick to the stomach about the situation and am just trying to make sure I keep things ticking over under v. difficult circumstances.
 
OK, thanks Welfarite. I've asked about some of this before, but just trying to get more specifics on the mean test. The numbers above are not the actual savings (I wish) . I've included anything else I can think of, including PRSAs, value of cars, contents and so on as a few people have said to me that SW will come to the house, and may take all that into account, so I'm trying to take account of the "worst case" of an assessment. Do you know if there's any truth in that type of thing - say valuing cars and so on? In theory I could sell my car for a few grand, but in practise I could not do without it for getting to shops, docs, school etc. Hearing all sorts of different things, but just want to be prepared before i go to the Soc Wel office, as I am already dreading that experience. Endless fun ; )
 
When it comes to assessing non-income items, SW assess savings, investments and the value of property not personally used (i.e. not your family home).

They don't assess cars, house contents or the like.
 
OK thanks for that , that's good. I've heard so many different things from people it's hard to know whether there's any truth in stuff . That's great as it looks like i should be able to claim OPFP hopefully.
 
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