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Rent Allowance Payments Being Refused

category national | miscellaneous | news report author Wednesday September 04, 2002 19:11author by Mick Herrity - Not Applicableauthor email ugotmick at hotmail dot comauthor address 107 Philipsburgh Avenue, Dublin 3,Irelandauthor phone 01-8379325

Back to Education Scheme Disqualifying Students from Rent Allowance

At a recent induction course for one of Irelands national universities an access officer advised prospective students of fears that rent allowance was being denied to students who had applied for the Back To Allowance scheme.

Students who have been unemployed for 6 months (156 days) who have
Succeeded in attaining a place in university can apply to the Dept. Of Social
Welfare for the “Back to Education scheme(BTE)”. This scheme removes students
From the live register and allows students to complete courses without risk of losing
Their benefits. This scheme , in the past, has never infringed on the applicants
right to rent allowance .

An access officer advised students that she was receiving complaints of students being denied
Rent allowance who had applied for the BTE scheme. She advised that at 1st reports were coming from the Blanchardstown area but at this time reports were filtering in from all areas of Dublin.

She also advised that no action to communicate this to the media has been forthcoming as
These incidents remain unclarified.

Is there a new policy within the department? Have any students experienced problems securing
Rent allowance? Please post your experiences.

Comments (2 of 2)

Jump To Comment: 1 2
Ask the Health Board *NOT* the University
author by HarryP.publication date Thu Sep 05, 2002 07:42author address author phone

I've just been doing this and had no problems (remember kids in someplaces you can also get an allowance from the health board for your deposit and your bed linen).
According to both the people at the Health Board and the Dept. of Social Welfare booklet on the subject people on Back to Education can keep suplementary benefits (including rent allowance). I would say "an access officer" at a University is not qualified to speak on such matters (strange as this may seem, but people, including people who you would think ought to know, think all kinds of urban legends about social welfare).

advice
author by pat cpublication date Thu Sep 05, 2002 10:39author address author phone

if anyone is having problems they should contact
Irish Congress of Trade Unions for advice:

ICTU
31/32 Parnell Square
Dublin 1

tel 8897777
fax 8872012
email congress@ictu.ie www.ictu.ie

or

Irish National Organisation
Of The Unemployed
8 Nth Richmond St
Dublin 1

tel 8560088
fax 8560090
email inou@iol.ie

If a CWO refuses any allowance, you have the right to appeal it to the Superintendant CWO & from there to the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Board/Authority.

There is also an independant Appeals Office you can forward appeals to. Complaints can also be made to the Ombudsman if you are unhappy with your treatment.

Pat

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