Girlfriend making a claim

hamsterboy

Hi All
My GF is goin in to make a claim next week.
I have been supporting her for the last few years while she finished up a master's project.
We live together and have done for quite a while, and will be declaring as such as it's not worth the hassle of lyin to em.
Just wondering how much she can expect to receive.
I make about 31k

Cheers

HB

dlambirl

Check out this calculator (just changer personal rate from 204.30 to 196.00)

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=62159305&postcount=5

It should give you a rough indication on what your GF would be entitled to taking your wages into account. Don't be surprised if she's not entitled to anything or very little.

kippy

A quick question based around this........
Seeing as the social will and do take into account the fact that she is living with a person who is earning 31k, do the revenue also take this into account when assessing tax for the person who is earning the 31K?
I think they call it jointly assessed taxation?
I suspect they dont until there is a marriage cert in the mix but surely its slightly unfair...........

Xiney

She is unlikely to get a large amount - probably around €35-€45 give or take a tenner. I don't know how much is taken off you in tax so I don't know for sure.

It is still worth her while to claim, however: if you are on a payment, no matter how small, you are eligible for other schemes like the one that allows you to start your own business (sometimes including a grant for same) and others.

Also, if she has the amount deposited into a separate account and doesn't touch it - it can be used as an emergency fund.

Xiney

kippy wrote: »

A quick question based around this........
Seeing as the social will and do take into account the fact that she is living with a person who is earning 31k, do the revenue also take this into account when assessing tax for the person who is earning the 31K?
I think they call it jointly assessed taxation?
I suspect they dont until there is a marriage cert in the mix but surely its slightly unfair...........

That has indeed been the crux of the most legitimate dissatisfactions with the way the current welfare system treats unmarried cohabiting couples: the fact that their tax credits are not merged until they are married, but their social welfare entitlements are the second they live in the same dwelling.

sealgaire

If it was her thesis she was writing then she could have been claiming all the time

kippy

Xiney wrote: »

That has indeed been the crux of the most legitimate dissatisfactions with the way the current welfare system treats unmarried cohabiting couples: the fact that their tax credits are not merged until they are married, but their social welfare entitlements are the second they live in the same dwelling.

Yep, that appears extremely unfair at best.
I can see when the situations could be taken advantage of but it really does appear that the state want the best of both worlds.

hamsterboy

Cheers for that.
As you suspected, she's not entitled to anything
Ah well, suppose if nothing else I've spared her a pointless day of her life surrounded by drunks, lowlifes and such in the Galway Social Welfare

Cheers Buddy

HB

Xiney

hamsterboy wrote: »

Cheers for that.
As you suspected, she's not entitled to anything
Ah well, suppose if nothing else I've spared her a pointless day of her life surrounded by drunks, lowlifes and such in the Galway Social Welfare

Cheers Buddy

HB

I would seriously consider going to sign on anyway.

The way I calculated it, she is entitled to a bit of money - as I said this is better claimed than left. If nothing else she should sign on for credits - these go towards her non-contributory pension etc.

PS: When she takes her number, she can go to the library next door for a while, judging by the numbers ahead of her in "line". It's a bit calmer and less stressful than the actual social welfare office with the children and chatter.

hamsterboy

sealgaire wrote: »

If it was her thesis she was writing then she could have been claiming all the time

Thats true but we were doin ok and I knew there'd be hassle with us living together and not bein married..... usual bs. Now with everything (reduced pay, income levy) we are beginning to struggle

HB

Tordelback

sealgaire wrote: »

If it was her thesis she was writing then she could have been claiming all the time

But wouldn't she have been classed as being in full time education? Surely she would have been registered as a post-grad with a college?

Xiney

hamsterboy wrote: »

Thats true but we were doin ok and I knew there'd be hassle with us living together and not bein married..... usual bs. Now with everything (reduced pay, income levy) we are beginning to struggle

HB

All the more reason to claim - even if she's only entitled to a small amount (and I think she'd be entitled to at least something) get it deposited into a separate account for emergencies like I said.

hamsterboy

Xiney wrote: »

All the more reason to claim - even if she's only entitled to a small amount (and I think she'd be entitled to at least something) get it deposited into a separate account for emergencies like I said.

A very clever idea. Will defo put it to her.
Would always be nice to have an emergency stash, however small

HB

sealgaire

No, once you finish your exams and begin on your thesis, you are technically available for work so you can go on social. I wish I knew that when I was 6 months scraping by writign mine

Tordelback

sealgaire wrote: »

No, once you finish your exams and begin on your thesis, you are technically available for work so you can go on social. I wish I knew that when I was 6 months scraping by writign mine

Try two years for me. This can't be the case if it's a full-time research degree?

sealgaire

Dunno about a full time research TBH, but defo true for the taught

I_p_freely

hamsterboy wrote: »

Hi All
My GF is goin in to make a claim next week.
I have been supporting her for the last few years while she finished up a master's project.
We live together and have done for quite a while, and will be declaring as such as it's not worth the hassle of lyin to em.
Just wondering how much she can expect to receive.
I make about 31k

Cheers

HB

Hey,
I'm in the exact same situation that you are - GF in college, make the same amount of money, living together + she cant find work for the summer. She got means tested and she was NOT entitled to any money. You would need to earn less than 20k for your GF to be entitled to anything judging by the excel sheet on this page:
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055599186

Its infuriating 'cause I have two friends that live at home with parents, no bills, rent etc and they are in the bookies all the time and out drinking a few nights a week :mad:. I wish I had 200 euros a week disposable income.

Xiney

it's significantly more than 20k per year before your jsa is completely cut off. It's around 35k afaik.

The_Conductor

Xiney wrote: »

That has indeed been the crux of the most legitimate dissatisfactions with the way the current welfare system treats unmarried cohabiting couples: the fact that their tax credits are not merged until they are married, but their social welfare entitlements are the second they live in the same dwelling.

The merging of tax credits for a married couple, is only really relevant if there is only a single earner- as the PAYE credit, expenses, lower rate cut-off point etc- are all non-transferable.

It used to be the case before the massive push for individualisation of the tax regime, that there was a massive advantage to being a married couple- on a single income, doing a joint tax return. Unfortunately- the benefits of this situation are very limited nowadays.

kippy

smccarrick wrote: »

The merging of tax credits for a married couple, is only really relevant if there is only a single earner- as the PAYE credit, expenses, lower rate cut-off point etc- are all non-transferable.

It used to be the case before the massive push for individualisation of the tax regime, that there was a massive advantage to being a married couple- on a single income, doing a joint tax return. Unfortunately- the benefits of this situation are very limited nowadays.

Indeed, but in this case it would be of great benefit to the couple.
I think, as unemplloyment has gone up, this would be of more benefit to cohabiting couples.

I_p_freely

Xiney wrote: »

it's significantly more than 20k per year before your jsa is completely cut off. It's around 35k afaik.

I'm going by this excel sheet to get the 20K figure.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=62159305&postcount=5

I earn 32K and I was well above the threshold for my GF getting dole. I cant remember by how much since my GF sent the forms detailing the calculations back to them when she appealled the result (we thougth there was defenitely a mistake).

Makes you wonder how many people are really unemplyed in Ireland since 450K are on the dole and many cant get dole because of thier partners wage - in my case your wage doesnt have to be very much to disqualify you partner from the dole.

Xiney

I_p_freely wrote: »

I'm going by this excel sheet to get the 20K figure.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=62159305&postcount=5

I earn 32K and I was well above the threshold for my GF getting dole. I cant remember by how much since my GF sent the forms detailing the calculations back to them when she appealled the result (we thougth there was defenitely a mistake).

Makes you wonder how many people are really unemplyed in Ireland since 450K are on the dole and many cant get dole because of thier partners wage - in my case your wage doesnt have to be very much to disqualify you partner from the dole.

That spreadsheet isn't complete.

Try this one, but change the 204 and 135 to the current rate, it's a bit old:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61508425&postcount=7

mercer

I_p_freely wrote: »

Its infuriating 'cause I have two friends that live at home with parents, no bills, rent etc and they are in the bookies all the time and out drinking a few nights a week :mad:. I wish I had 200 euros a week disposable income.

I have some friends like this too! On the dole, living with the parents, no bills and are out drinking more times than Shane McGowen. Its really unfair that they're not means tested.

Celvapan

I_p_freely wrote: »

Makes you wonder how many people are really unemplyed in Ireland since 450K are on the dole and many cant get dole because of thier partners wage - in my case your wage doesnt have to be very much to disqualify you partner from the dole.

That is very true, was just thinking about that!

I really dont think that it is very fair that your OH should have to support anyone when you are not married! I am in the same boat myself since I was laid off last week. I lived with my bf until he was laid off in April, then after he got a new job he had to move out as the new job was in a different county. Now that I have been laid off last week, if we move back in together I loose my dole after my stamps are claimed for the year and I dont get any RA. How is that a fair system?! We never shared income at any stage during the time we lived together, his job is on the rocks already and he doesn't think he'll be working after christmas. His money is his own (looks like he'll need every cent after christmas) and I dont think he should be forced to shell out for me...We both have enough stress trying to find some kind of "stable" employment without having to worry about loosing what we should be entitled to since we aren't married!

I really feel for you and your gf, its totally unfair.

wench

hamsterboy wrote: »

Cheers for that.
As you suspected, she's not entitled to anything
Ah well, suppose if nothing else I've spared her a pointless day of her life surrounded by drunks, lowlifes and such in the Galway Social Welfare

Cheers Buddy

HB

Even if she doesn't qualify for payment, it is important to still go down and sign on for credits. They help keep your social welfare record intact for future benefits.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/sw12/Pages/5CanIqualifyforcreditsifIamunemployed.aspx