Am I getting what I should be

olcod

Firstly please can I ask that people refrain from posting if it is in anyway offensive, things are tough enough and im only looking for some helpful advice thanks.
OK, im really hoping that someone can tell me if what I am getting is correct as like so many others out there at the moment I am at my wits end.
I am a 38 full time single father to 2 girls aged 12 and 17, I worked full time all my life mostly in the uk and 5 years here until unfortunately 3 years ago my daughters mum died and on top I lost my job in the crash like many others ( I was in construction). Last year I took up a CE scheme as I was just so desperate to do something to improve my financial situation and also im not one for sitting about all day. Thing is im now worse off than ever.
On the scheme im getting 208 pw and 65 pw rent allowance, total in each week = 273, now my rent is 127 pw so after payng that im left with 146 pw to live off. I live in a rural area so 50 goes straight away in petrol to get me to and from work and take my youngest to school and back, that leaves me under 100 pw, 2 bags of coal and 25 in the electric meter leaves me 45 p/w for food, lunches, phone credit etc hence I always end up having to use the rent money. OK now I do get 400 p/m go into my account from the uk, its a bereavement benefit but that pays most of the rent arrears but not all so im gradually getting further and further in arrears and debt.
Now I know im not the only one in this situation but I have met many people and know of more who are single parents to only one child and are working part time like myself and are having there income bought up to nearly 500 p/w and only paying 35 pw rent in a council house, apparently they are getting FIS on top of their part time wage which I am not entitled to on a ce scheme. I just don't understand this. Is there anything I should be getting to increase my weekly income as im told the benefits office does not tell you your entitlements its something we have to find out for ourselves ?. Please, any advice would be greatly appreciated and please like I said at the start, please refrain from replys such as " get a job " or " sure your getting money for nothing and you want more " I purely want to know if what I am getting is correct. Thanks in advance

amtw

Hopefully I have some useful information for you. You don't appear to be getting an increase for a qualified child, which is €29.80 per child. Also you may be entitled to Fuel Allowance and you can find the details of that on http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/fuel_allowance.html

I suggest that you call in to you local Citizens Information Centre and ask them to do a benefits check to see what else you might be entitled to. I'm presuming you got the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance when your children went back to school last year.

Good Luck

maringo

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/993_Child-Related-Payments.aspx

If you have difficulty in getting your entitlements most TDs (MPs) hold advice clinics in their locality - they often help people who have trouble accessing their entitlements - you might even be able to get back payments on appeal. Best of luck -- can't be easy in your position but hopefully your income will get an increase.

olcod

Thanks to you both for your replys, I think a visit to the CWO certainly wouldn't do any harm.