Doing a very rough calculation on the basis of the information you supplied, you would appear to me to qualify for a medical card. . You give no information regarding any savings and investments you have however - so the above is based on a very rough calculation on your income.
It might also be worth checking out the situation regarding the . I am not sure whether or not as someone on Injury Benefit you would qualify, but it may be worth checking out. This Scheme helps with the interest portion of your mortgage repayments (i.e., not with the portion that pays off the actual loan) and house insurance. However - given you are currently struggling to pay your mortgage, help with paying the mortgage interest will keep the banks off your back.
If your Injury Benefit cannot cover your mortgage payments - then you need to speak to your lender a.s.a.p. You may be able to re-negotiate terms, etc and it is best to do this as early as possible. Staff in your local
Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) will provide free, confidential advice and practical tips on how to manage your finances during this difficult time.
You say your daughter is 5 years old. Presumably therefore she will begin school in September 2006 if not already? The may also be available to you. The allowance is €120 and at least this is something towards the cost of providing uniforms, etc. You apply for this payment to the Community Welfare Officer, located in your nearest health centre. You need to get started on this if you wish to apply - the Scheme operates between 1 June - 30 September each year.
Injury Benefit is normally paid for up to 26 weeks. If you have still not returned to work after that time, you transfer to another payment, such as Disability Benefit. You give no indication in your message about how long you have been on this payment, so I cannot advise on this.
You might also examine whether or not you are taking full advantage of the tax system and claiming all your tax credits? Tax relief is available on a number of items - including bin charges, health expenses, union subscriptions, etc. You should consider giving your local tax office a call to see if you can claim anything else.
On a final note, is it possible that your wife might consider obtaining employment - even some part-time work? It might therefore be worth her while calling into her local Social Welfare office and asking for an Information Officer to go through her options. Alternatively, would she consider some training to obtain some new skills? FAS have a broad range of skills-based training courses throughout the country and also has a
I hope this is of assistance.