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New to rent allowance - help!!

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  • 06-02-2012 11:33pm
    #1
    LilyBelle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    hi

    was just wondering if anyone knew the score regarding rent allowance? do u have to be already living in a flat/house and payin full rent for 6months first before u can apply?? Or is there exceptions to this??
    On a social welfare payment due to illness, but dont know how to go about applying. would it be thru the social welfare officer???

    eughhh very confusin and been told a million different things by different people.

    thanks :)


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    #2
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Yes, you have to have been living in private rented accommodation and paying the rent there before you qualify for RSA. The Dept of SW rules are quite clear on that matter.

    To apply for Rent Supplement Allowance, you should contact the Department of Social Protection's representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) at your local health centre.

    Some info from an official source.

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html

    When it comes to illness, it would be up to your Community Welfare Officer to decide if the 6 month rule can or can not be waived.


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    #3
    jameskil
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭jameskil


    There is a way around the 6 month rule. You have to be assessed by the local authority as having a housing need. Usually if you are less than 6 months where you are living the cwo will ask you to do this


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    #4
    LilyBelle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭LilyBelle


    thanks guys. :)

    have already applied for local housing. so i rang today and was told that it takes up to 3months to even get it looked at. but that if im deemed to be in need of housing and is eligible to be put on the list, that i can be given a letter to state, that im entitled to rent allowance.

    when i asked would the 6month rule be disregarded because of this, hey wer very hazy and said that i would need to speak with the cwo.
    anyone have any experience of what happens if i am entitled to be on the list???

    thanks again


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    #5
    jameskil
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭jameskil


    I originally went to the cwo and i had only been renting for 5 months so he said i needed to be on the housing list. Took maybe 4 weeks (after two weeks from applying they called me in for an interview) and two weeks after that got a letter from them for rent allowance purposes.

    CWO wouldnt give me the rent allowance though as the borough had deemed me as having "a short term need" and he said in order to get the allowance i had to be assessed as having "a long term need".
    I didnt appeal it as i had gotten employment in the meantime. Welfare states that you have to be living and paying rent for more than 6 months OR be on a housing list.
    I got a lot of information from the INOU (Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed).


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