Student forced to choose between degree & home

UCC criminology student Sarah Mulcahy was being forced to choose between returning to college and keeping a roof over her child’s head due to an error on the part of the Department of Social Protection. Sarah Mulcahy, originally from Ballinhassig was informed by the department that she must de-register from UCC or else she would lose her rent supplement payment meaning she faced a choice between her degree and a roof over her child’s head.

Sarah began studying Criminology in UCC in September of 2014 but was forced to defer her course as she became ill in March of 2015.

Her situation then arose when she contacted the then Community Welfare officer, Mary Neville, who advised her to fill out a one parent form application and then apply for a BTEA prior to returning to UCC and was also advised to send her sick certs to the Social protection office. After deferring from college Sarah approached the department of social protection for support while she was out of college and was no longer in receipt of a grant.

Upon her return to college however she found however that she was been ill-advised by the CWO  as she had been placed on the wrong social welfare payment and therefore could not qualify for the BTEA support and would also lose her rent allowance. Sarah believes she was wrongly told to apply for an illness benefit which is intended for workers and not students.

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