National Traveller MABS is a member of the Travellers Justice Initiative (TJI) and worked with TJI members to develop a resource for organisations working with families of Travellers in prison. This guide was first produced in 2019 and it is updated annually.
The resource is a guide to assist families in accessing their welfare and tax entitlements. It also describes the budgeting and debt advice supports available from MABS offices. The guide has been updated to reflect the changes introduced in Budget 2024 and the new arrangements around lodging money to prisoner accounts.
The imprisonment of a family member can have a major impact on a family, not only in emotional and relationship terms but also financially. It can result in changes to social welfare payments, housing and tax entitlements as which can in turn affect the family’s household budget.
This guidebook was developed for organisations working with Travellers who have a family member in prison, to provide advice and support in dealing with the financial impact of imprisonment. It provides information on social welfare benefits and allowances as well as detailed housing and tax entitlements. It is important that families are made aware of these benefits.
The guidebook includes important advice on money management and budgeting, outlining the services and schemes available to Travellers with a family member in prison, including contact details for Citizens Information Services and MABS offices nationwide.
The guide contains examples based on rates of payment and allowances in 2024.
Hard copies of the guide as well as a bundle of short leaflets are posted out to all Traveller organisations and projects, prison chaplains and prison visitors centres each year.
