Is there any support available to help with the costs of uniforms and books for children going back to school in September?
Answer
TheBack to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a means-tested payment for people on social welfare or certain other payments to help with children’s costs at the beginning of the school year. You may qualify for the payment if your income is within the limits set for the means test and:
You are getting a social welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive (HSE) payment, or
You are taking part in an approved employment scheme, or
You are taking part in a recognised education or training course or a FÁS, Fáilte Ireland or Local Employment Networks (LES) training scheme
Your children must be in full-time education and you must be getting an increase in your social welfare payment for each child. The allowance is €200for children aged 2-11 and €305 for children aged 12-22 before 1 October. An additional €215 is paid for children aged 18, if you are getting either:
An increase in your social welfare payment for that child or
A Family Income Supplement payment which includes that child
The scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. You should apply to the Community Welfare Officer at your local health centre. The scheme is open from 1 June to 30 September.
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) publishes a useful leaflet to help families plan for back to school costs which includes a budget planner for school expenses. It is available online at mabs.ie and from Citizens Information Services and MABS offices.
Know your Rights: B
I am getting a One-Parent Family Payment and I would like to go back to college. What are my options?
Answer
Your options depend on your circumstances. You can go back to education and transfer onto the Back to Education Allowance or you can keep your One-Parent Family payment.
If you go onto the Back to Education Allowance, you are no longer eligible for a maintenance grant (for new applicants starting college in September 2010). However you can keep your Rent Supplement and other benefits. You can apply under the relevant maintenance grant scheme to have the student services (registration) charge and any tuition fees payable for the course paid for you. If you qualify for the Back to Education Allowance you are also entitled to an annual allowance of €500.
If you stay on your One-Parent Family Payment and are studying full-time on an approved course you are eligible for a means-tested maintenance grant at the special rate for social welfare recipients. If you study part time you may be able to retain your Rent Supplement. However if you go back to full-time education and remain on your One-Parent Family Payment you will no longer be eligible for Rent Supplement. If you are on the Rental Accommodation Scheme or living in local authority housing you continue to pay your differential rent. This may be affected by the maintenance grant depending on your other sources of income.
Visit studentfinance.ie to find out more about financial supports while studying.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Know Your Rights C: Domestic violence
Question
My partner has been violent towards me and my children. What can I do to stop him and protect my family?
Answer
If you are concerned about violence in your home, you can contact your local Garda Station. Members of the Garda are specially trained to deal with these situations and can offer advice, information and assistance. Under the Domestic Violence Act, 1996, where there is an order in place, Gardaí have the power to arrest and prosecute a violent family member. Under the law there are two main kinds of protection available, a safety order and a barring order. Applications for orders are made through your local family district court.
A safety order is an order of the court which prohibits the violent person from further violence or threats of violence. It does not oblige the person to leave the family home. If the person lives apart from you it prohibits them from watching or being near your home. A safety order can last up to 5 years. A barring order is an order which requires the person to leave the family home. It can last up to 3 years. Both types of order have cohabitation requirements. You can find out more about these from your local Citizens Information Service. Both types of order can be renewed by applying for a further order before the previous one has expired.
To get a barring order or a safety order you must attend a District Court hearing. While you are waiting for the court to hear your application, the court can give you an immediate order called a protection order. The protection order has the same effect as a safety order. In exceptional circumstances the court can grant an interim barring order. This is an immediate order, requiring the violent person to leave the family home.
Voluntary organisations can also give you help and support. Women’s Aid (womensaid.ie) is a voluntary organisation providing support and information to women and their children who are being physically, emotionally and sexually abused in their homes. If you are a woman living in a violent situation, you should contact the Women's Aid helpline on 1800 341900. Amen (amen.ie) is a voluntary organisation which provides a confidential helpline, a support service and information for male victims of domestic abuse. You can contact Amen by phone at (046) 902 3718.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Know Your Rights D: Declaring bankruptcy
Question
I am unemployed and on a jobseeker’s payment. I have an enormous number of debts and I can’t see any way that I can repay them. Can I declare myself bankrupt and start again?
Answer
Bankruptcy means that you legally declare that you are unable to pay your debts. Bankruptcy proceeding are carried out in the High Court and can be very expensive and time-consuming.
Declaring yourself bankrupt is a very serious step and it can take up to 12 years before you can ‘start again’. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) recommends that you should try to negotiate an affordable and sustainable arrangement with your creditors before considering bankruptcy. Another option is to apply for an arrangement under the protection of the High Court. This means that you ask the High Court for protection against proceedings to give you time to present a proposal to your creditors – perhaps to pay them a proportion of the debts.
You can either apply to the Examiner's Office of the High Court yourself or a creditor can apply to court to have you declared bankrupt. The purpose of bankruptcy is to distribute your assets fairly among your creditors and protect you from these creditors. The distribution is done through a court official, the 'Official Assignee'. Once you have been declared bankrupt all of your assets, with the exception of necessities up to a value of €3,100, are transferred to the Official Assignee, who will sell them. Once your property is sold, the Official Assignee will pay costs, expenses, fees and certain priority debts (such as taxes) and distribute the remainder among your creditors. Your salary and pension can be used to pay your debts (although your personal and family circumstances are taken into account).You can be released from bankruptcy after 12 years if your assets have been sold and all your costs, fees, expenses and preferential debts (such as certain tax debts) have been paid even if you have not paid all of your debts.
People who have been declared bankrupt cannot borrow over €650 or trade without disclosing the bankruptcy and they cannot act as a director, manager, auditor, liquidator or receiver of a company without permission of the court. Other consequences of bankruptcy are that you cannot travel without informing the court, assets that you inherit or are given can be claimed by the court and you may not hold elected representative office. MABS publishes a useful leaflet on bankruptcy and money advisers in MABS offices nationwide can discuss your options with you in detail.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Longford Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 043 3341069 Address: Level One, Longford Shopping Centre, Longford.
Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, Lo-call 1890 777 121.
County Longford Citizens Information Services Ltd
Level 1, Towncentre Shopping Centre, Longford.
Phone: 043 3341069 Fax: 043 3342485 Email: longford@citinfo.ie
