Rent Allowance Question!

i-want-my-nic

Hi there,

Does anyone know if you can be eligable to claim Rent Allowance when you're in full-time college?

I'mm currently renting and I'll be going back to college in Sept.

Any advice appreciated

Devilman

Taken from citizens information website

Are you eligible for Rent Supplement?
You may be eligible for Rent Supplement if the accommodation is suitable for your needs, the rent is below the maximum rent level set for your county and you are:

Assessed by a Housing Authority as having a housing need or
Regarded by a Housing Authority as being homeless or
A tenant of accommodation provided under one of the Social Housing Schemes or
Aged over 65 years or
On certain disability payments. That is, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the equivalent payments from other EU countries or countries that Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement
and

Pass a habitual residence test
Pass a means test
If you do not fit into one of the categories above you will not be eligible for Rent Supplement unless you are currently renting accommodation and have experienced a substantial change in circumstances beyond your control leading to you being unable to afford the rent. You must have been able to afford the rent from your own resources when you started to rent and you should have had a reasonable expectation that you would continue to be able to afford the rent into the future.

You won’t qualify for Rent Supplement if you

Are in full-time employment. However, if you are assessed as in need of housing under the Rental Accommodation Scheme and have been out of full-time employment for 12 months or more you may be entitled to the Supplement. (See ‘Employment and Rent Supplement’ below)
Have refused a third offer of local authority accommodation in an 18-month period. In this case, you will not be eligible to claim Rent Supplement for 12 months
Are leaving local authority housing without reasonable cause
Are attending full-time education. However, if you are getting a Back to Education Allowance or participating in the Back to Education Programme you may be entitled to the Supplement.

So unless you're a BTEA recipient the answer is no.

i-want-my-nic

Ah oh well!

Thanks for the reply

rosiec

What about somebody doing a postgrad study? My sister is a postgrad so she's technically a student but she gets paid to do the work. She gets WAY less then minimun wage (research grant) so would she qualify? She is entitled to the medical card if that makes any difference.

Devilman

Again ,I think unless your sister is a BTEA recipient the answer is no. I'm not 100% on this so she should check this with her local CWO. Medical Cards (based on earnings/outgoings) are assessed seperately to Rent Supplement (assessed as to the criteria outlined above).

Athina

The grant is supposed to help students pay for their accommodation when attending college, I know it is not of much help when students do not have any other means of support. A part time job might help or maybe try and access financial help from the college you are attending, they do have a hardship fund.