26 living with parents - parents' mean being assessed for JSA?

Miss Lockhart

Hi, just wondering if anyone can offer any advice please.

A family member tried to apply for JSA for the first time recently. He's 26 and living at home and the social welfare officer in the local office insisted his parents' income must be assessed as he is living at home. He will not receive much/anything if this income is assessed.

Everywhere I look for information I find that the "benefit and privilege" of living with parents should only be means tested if the applicant is 24 or under. He discussed as much with the officer concerned but they insisted they were right.

Does anyone have any further information on this or any suggestions on where to seek further advice?

Thanks

Balagan

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/ua_benpriv.aspx

Persons aged under 25

d) JA
In recent years, the assessment of Benefit & Privilege from parental income was abolished for persons in excess of certain ages as follows:
Excess of Certain Ages:
Age Group and Effective Date when abolished
JA customers aged 29 and over 30 April 2003

JA customers aged 27 and over 7 April 2004

JA customers aged 26 and over 13 April 2005

JA customers aged 25 and over 1 February 2006

Benefit & privilege applies to persons under 25 years. The assessment of parental income continues to apply to persons aged under 25 who reside with a parent or step-parent. On reaching age 25 the B & P assessment should be revised to "Nil".

This document from the Dep of Social Protection website is dated and timed
04/06/2010 16:54 Your 26 year old relative should ask to be supplied with or shown documentation from the Department making benefit & privilege now applicable to those aged 26.

Miss Lockhart

Thank you for the info - that is exactly what I have found when I look myself.

The person in question should really have applied for JSA ages ago but he is autistic and finds it very difficult to communicate with people. It took a long time for him to pluck up the courage and prepare himself to apply. He had looked up all the details to ensure he knew what was required etc and so he was very upset when this happened. He tried to tell the officer that the websites etc said his parents' means wouldn't be assessed, but when the officer was insistent he became flustered and upset and just left.

He does not have the confidence to go back again at the moment.

kathleenl

Since the Budget came in earlier this year it has upset a lot of people. If your son is living at home with you, you will be assessed by the Social welfare officer to see what income you are getting. They will take the entire income coming into the home i.e. property, prizebonds, investments, if you live on a farm all the income will be taken in to account, no matter how small. If you have any savings in any society that also will be assessed. Considering your son has a medical problem he may be intitled to disability allowence.
If you want info on disability try this link http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Pages/DisabilityIllness.aspx

If you want to check out the JA try this http://www.welfare.ie/syndicatedcontent/en/irish-social-welfare-system/means-test-for-social-welfare-payments/work-and-jobseekers-allowance/

Miss Lockhart

Just to clarify - this is not my son and I am not living in this household.

He has autism but is not entitled to disability.

All official information says that parents' income should not be assessed for those over 25 whether they live at home or not.

psycho-hope

hi my bf is 26 and about to go onto JSA he;s 26 and he was told that his parents wages wont be taken into account

Miss Lockhart

Yeah, that is the way the rules are according to all official info - unfortunately this social welfare officer would not listen.

I went with him again the other day to try get it sorted. We saw the same officer - he said the same thing again. I had phoned Citizen's Information to confirm the rules and had printed out the info from their website and from the Departement's website.

He was extremely rude and made several snide and condescending comments and was very sarcastic - which people with autism can find difficult to interpret/understand. He also refused to allow us speak to another officer without rejoining the end of a 2+ hour queue.

I am looking into how to make an official complaint.

Balagan

Info here on making a complaint

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/ContactUs/Pages/commentorcomplaint.aspx