I have been on Disability allowance since 2002 and have never had a social welfare inspector come to my home until last week. He wanted to know all about my website which has my miniature horses on it and also my dachshunds which I sometimes breed so the money from the puppies can pay for our grazing, hay etc. I have severe fibromyalgia and worsening back problems, which my dr feels is helped by me having to care for my horses, however, I don't bred the hoses much now that they are so hard to sell. My questions are: is it normal for an inspector to come to the house to question me about all this? How would he have known about my website or is someone trying to cause trouble? Am I likely to be in trouble for having a hobby that sometimes makes money... Even though it barely covers the cost of paying for that hobby? Thanks in advance for any help with this.
Am I being investigated?
- Thread starter ccdebtor
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I assume that DSP inspectors google names to see what gets thrown up. If your name came up in a google search and that leads to your website where you advertise horses and dogs for sale (presuming that is what you do) then it would be the normal thing for the inspector to decide to check it out. Have you ever declared the income from the puppy sales?
Gerry Canning
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ccdebtor;
After 10+ years, I would think you were due an inspection whether you have dogs or not.
DSP inspectors are not ogres and if you have enough receipts etc to show your {work} has no income ,they will be fair.
From what you say , I do not see trouble .
Answer as best you can, any inspector hates people dodging questions.
After 10+ years, I would think you were due an inspection whether you have dogs or not.
DSP inspectors are not ogres and if you have enough receipts etc to show your {work} has no income ,they will be fair.
From what you say , I do not see trouble .
Answer as best you can, any inspector hates people dodging questions.
Just to be clear, you don't get to 'offset' income against your hobbies. If my hobby is going to the pub, can I claim that income from nixers is offset against my hobby, and therefore isn't relevant for means test? No, I cant.
I had always had horses but unable to ride anymore...so now I have the miniatures and drive one of them in a little cart. I also suffer from scoliosis and now sciatica and if it wasn't for the horses I would rarely get out of bed!! My husband does all the hard work and I do the training etc on the days I am able, it keeps me active, distracted from the pain and helps with my depression, so no, I don't mean hinder...I mean help.
Rainy day, people on DA are allowed to earn up to €120 per week if your dr thinks its beneficial to your health...hardly the same as going to the pub, plus the money I get from the 3-4 pups (sometimes only 1 or 2) I sell and the odd horse if Im lucky is money from my hobby FOR my hobby so not the same as your comparison at all.
This is not the same at all, she is obviously not making any money. Paying out 5K in feed, bedding etc, and selling for 4K is not a profitable anything. Any business is allowed offset it's costs before tax comes into the picture.
The OP sounds like she has a terrible disease, if having this hobby, which seems to be generating zero, but helps her physically and mentally, and here doctor, the expert agrees I cannot see how a non medical person from social welfare could think otherwise. In any case they should surely show some compassion. I imagine this is just a routine check up that they have to do and the OP should not worry.
You're right, going to the pub was a poor example. But replace that with any other hobby - stamp collecting or whatever. You don't get to allocate your income from one business against another business/hobby all together. This is hiding your income.
Thanks for pointing out the level of income allowed for DA. I wasn't aware of this, and this could be very relevant in your case.
That's not the case here. She has income on one hobby/business that she is allocating against losses on another hobby/business. To be fair to all SW recipients, this income is income, and needs to be treated and declared as income.
The fact that she makes a loss on the other hobby/business is her own issue, and not one for the taxpayer to subsidise.
Yes, I agree, it sounds like a terrible disease, and I can see the physical and mental benefits that could arise from these hobbies, but all recipients should be treated fairly. If hobbies are allowed as legitimate expenses, this should be the case for everybody.
that is very true but did you not notify the department about this hobby, there is an obligation on you to do so.
What two businesses, it's horses and dogs, that's one business, animals/breeding/farming. And it doesn't sound much of a business if it's not making any money.
We’re arguing about semantics now. Who decides what is 1 business and what is 2 businesses. If 1 hobby/business (the dos) is advertised on a website and the horse hobby/business is not, does that make them separate businesses?
Regardless, it’s not unreasonable for Social Protection to want visibility to income from one business or part of a business, given that they’ve seen adverts for that business.
Regardless, it’s not unreasonable for Social Protection to want visibility to income from one business or part of a business, given that they’ve seen adverts for that business.
Or more importantly, a lesson to others who may have similar income while on social welfare payments.