Can we change who is considered the qualified adult?

[mary newton]

Hi there.

My husband claims a Jobseekers payment for himself and our 2 children and also for myself who is the qualified adult. He also claims a small but very much needed Mortgage allowance.

We have both been out of work for close on 2 years and although we are trying there has not been any fulltime positions made available to either of us yet.

My husband really hates the thoughts of signing on and queuing up in the PO every week to collect our money, he says he feels very ashamed even though I try to tell him that that is ridiculous, reminding him that he was in gainful employment for 17 years before the recession hit as was I although I did take time for maternity leave when our two were born.

Anyway I am sorry for rambling on but the because the situation bothers my husband so much about having to collect the payment every week I suggested that perhaps there may be a way in which I could be the one who is considered the main beneficiary and he the qualified adult?

That way I would collect the money in the PO something I have no problem with but causes him great shame and distress.

Is this possible? What are the steps and would it affect our small mortgage allowance? Thank you

Mary.

 

[gipimann]

The only way your husband could become a qualified adult is if he signs off and you sign on instead. The amount you would receive would not change so there should be no effect on your mortgage supplement.

If your husband stops signing, he may find it more difficult to get onto training courses and he won't get PRSI credits which count towards a pension in the future.

 

[mary newton]

Thank you for your reply, can I ask would i have to get means tested ? Is it a case of having to re apply for everything or would it be a straight forward swap over? For example I remember it took several months to process the claim originally so I would prefer not to go through the whole rigmarole if possible.

 

[gipimann]

It will be treated as a new jobseeker claim and you will have to go through the means test process.

 

[mary newton]

Many thanks Mr Gipimann. I think when all is weighed up it would be a bit too much to change things around now, he will just have to endure until either or both of us gets a job!

 

[Black Sheep]

Would you consider going along with him just for the moral support or would he be even more embarrassed.

I did this with OH some years ago when out of work for the first time ever. He didn't even know where the SW office was or what type of payment to apply for. Thankfully it only lasted about six months

 

[pudds]

Hi there.


My husband really hates the thoughts of signing on and queuing up in the PO every week to collect our money,

Welfare payments are held in the post office for 3 days, perhaps he could collect his payment on one of the other days.

 

[mathepac]

is it possible to have your sw payments credited to a personal bank account and use a a debit/atm card for disbursements?

Brutal Joan has a deadline to transfer all this work away from An Post and hand it to the Banks anyway by 2017. No bank account, no payments seems to be the message

 

[gipimann]

Jobseeker payments to bank accounts is not currently offered as an option so it won't be a solution to the OP's query.

As pudds said, jobseeker payments are held at the post office for a number of days after the standard payment day so it might be possible to collect on another day. It might also be possible to change payment to another post office if that might make him feel a bit more comfortable - he should ask at the SW local office if this can be done.