OPFP and work - please advise!

I have been in receipt for OPFP for quite a while now as I was in full-time education however, I decide to take a break from my studies for a few years. I have been actively seeking employment - sending out CVs to anything resembling a job that has been advertised anywhere within commuting distance of where I live. Finally my persistance has paid off and I have just found out that I have be successful in getting a job. I have no idea yet how many hours it will be a week, however I expect it to be somewhere between 25-40 hours and will start off on a trial basis. I am aware of how the level of your gross earnings affects your OPFP, however my question/dilemma is:

I would really love to finally get off Social Welfare as while I am grateful for the assistance up until now (my course didn't allow for part-time work), I really want to stand on my own two feet. I do not want to be seen as any stereotypes that may exist in society regarding single parents. I DO NOT smoke, drink, take drugs, gamble and I don't even socialise that much anymore and I have become particularly good at budgeting to ensure the my child does not go without anything. I'm living with my parents and my child is older now and doesn't require the same level of care as a younger child and I'm extremely lucky that my mum has agreed to watch her after school while I will be at work.

What I want to know is: can I voluntarily forfeit my entitlement to SW while I am in employment, as I feel that even if I only end up earning the same amount as I currently obtain via my SW payment, surely it is more beneficial to me to do so by working myself. The job I have found is actually in the same line as stuff I already enjoy doing as a hobby so I know that I will be happy doing it and I want to set a positive example to my child. I previously worked full-time and only claim SW while in education.

I am so delighted to have finally found a job, as I know that I was chosen from a huge group of applicants and my employer reckons that due to my 'partial' studies, I have additional skills to what they required for the job that will eventually allow me to gain additional responsibility within the business and earn more. I will be earning a little more than minimum wage and even if I was to work a full 40 hour week, I would still be below the €425 cut off point whereby you can maintain a partial payment, but I desperately want to get off SW.

While it is not a typical question to ask during a recession, I feel that now that I am no longer in full-time education, I am available to support myself in some shape or form, even if I don't have a high earning potential. If I inform the SW that I want to get off OPFP and any other payment option that they may offer me, while I attempt to throw all my energies into successfully carrying out my new role, would I be able to reapply at a later stage should anything happen the business that I will be working such as less work becoming available ie, by turning down the SW's help now, would I be "biting off the hand that feeds you". I feel that if I stop receiving any SW payment, I will be forced to support myself and my child and that this will really motivate me to work as hard as I possibly can to prove myself to new employer.

Any advice?

Firstly congratulations on getting your new job.
Once you have started work you will be obliged to inform SW of the new situation so that they can adjust your payment, or you could simply write them a note (keep copy) stating that as you have found a suitable job you will no longer be claiming OPFP from...date. However perhaps it might be a good idea to continue on a reduced rate of OPFP until your new hours, rates of pay and job security are established.

Best of luck

Thank you Black Sheep for your reply. I really appreciate it. Can anyone advise me what I need to do to get sorted with the tax office as apparently my previous P45 is too old (I've haven't been working in a few years as I was in full-time education). I actually rang the SW and also the Tax Office on Thursday to try and enquire, but I'm still a little confused as to what I need to do. The tax office lady was asking me for an employer registration number or something - how do I get this?

The lady in the local SW office sent me out a standard booklet on OPFP and said I need to know what hours I will be working and to ring back when I find out, however, I've now found out that they want me to start on Monday and I don't know what hours I will be working as they seem to want me to start gradually while they train me in. I know how much they plan on paying me per hour (gross) however, from what I can gather, my hours are definitely going to vary from week to week for the foreseeable future (depending on how much work is on each day).

As I will be on a trial basis at first, I don't want to start asking loads of questions about my hours, when they have told me already that it will vary week on week and that they will try to give me as many hours as possible (probably between 25-40 hours. The way I figure, the maximum number of hours that I will work will be 40 (fingers crossed they will love me and want me there full-time ) and will be earning €10 per hour so that gives a maximum gross earning potential per month of €400.

I'm going to try and ring my local SW office again on Monday and advise them of the above, as preferably, it won't matter as I'm really hoping to be able to support myself without SW!

If I type up a letter as you suggested thanking them for their help and telling them I no longer need assistance - who do I send it to?? The local SW office that dealt with my claim OR the OPFP department in Sligo or wherever it is???

Your letter re your OPFP should be sent to your local SW office. Don't forget your PPS on it and the end date for OPFP. (Keep copy)

To sort out your tax you need to complete a form 12A (download it from revenue .ie) and give it to your new employer to fill in their portion. You can complete the full form yourself if you have employers Registered No. and post it to the Revenue office that deals with your area. Also keep copy.