disability allowance

madliz

Hi there, does anyone know how easy it is to be awarded disability allowance? I've been diagnosed by my doctor with osteoarthritis in my spine. We moved to ireland, donegal in march and i haven't been working since, not even with my husband who is a self employed window cleaner. He works 3 days a week so our income is not high. We have already got the medical card. I have had and mri which showed up the damage to my spine. I've been put on meds straight away by my doctor.

Will what the doctor say in her report be enough without having a medical exam?

At the moment the form is with the doctor and then it will be sent off.

Thanks

Xiney

I've moved your question here since you will probably get more helpful replies

madliz

Thanks. I hope I get some helpful info for this query.

mp22

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/disability-and-illness/disability_allowance

FluffyCat

I heard its hard enough. You will need a HSE doctor to examine you. It really depends what they say. With money being cut left, right and center you might have a fight on your hands!! Sure I have no job and cant even get a medical card!!
Good luck!!

GER12

madliz wrote: »

Hi there, does anyone know how easy it is to be awarded disability allowance? I've been diagnosed by my doctor with osteoarthritis in my spine. We moved to ireland, donegal in march and i haven't been working since, not even with my husband who is a self employed window cleaner. He works 3 days a week so our income is not high. We have already got the medical card. I have had and mri which showed up the damage to my spine. I've been put on meds straight away by my doctor.

Will what the doctor say in her report be enough without having a medical exam?

At the moment the form is with the doctor and then it will be sent off.

Thanks

You will have to meet certain criteria for awarding of disability allowance. On the medical side - your incapacity must be expected to last for one year. Your medical certifier who is generally your GP will have to fill in a DSFA medical form detailing your level of functioning, detailing your medical history, treatment etc. That form will be reviewed by a medical assessor in the DSFA who will decide on whether it will be necessary to call you for medical review assessment based on the information provided. This assessment will look at your ability to do you previous job - in addition to assess your ability for other types of work.

Disability allowance is also awarded on means - your household income, savings, investments etc - of both you and your husband will be assessed.

madliz

Thanks, here's hoping i am successful. i feel a bit better about it all and I suppose I should stop worrying about it.

baileyjackson

can i apply for this while attending full time 3rd lev education?

GER12

It depends on whether you were in receipt of any other benefits prior to applying for DA. If for instance you were in receipt of unemployment or IB for 9 months - you can qualify and apply for Back to Education Allowance.

breda206

Does anyone tell me how long it took for their claim to be processed, like from when you send in the disability form until somebody contacts you, then how long til the medical (if you get one) and from that point, how long it takes for them to process the claim.

Obviously all i want is an estimate, average waiting time...
Thanks!

madliz

i have the form back from the doctor - put down osteoarthritis, indefinite period, ongoing for 3 years (which is about right, even though she's only known me for 6 months), fair assessment of the severity of the arthritis and symptoms - some moderate and others not as bad.

I'm waiting for my hubby to complete his accounts to be included with the form. he is only earning about 300 euros a week and most of that goes straight back out on petrol and household bills. he reckons the means might only be between 200 - 250 euros.

does that mean i would not get anything, or just not anything for him as the qualified spouse? would i still get most of the 200 euro payment for the claiment?

kangaroo

madliz wrote: »

i have the form back from the doctor - put down osteoarthritis, indefinite period, ongoing for 3 years (which is about right, even though she's only known me for 6 months), fair assessment of the severity of the arthritis and symptoms - some moderate and others not as bad.

I'm waiting for my hubby to complete his accounts to be included with the form. he is only earning about 300 euros a week and most of that goes straight back out on petrol and household bills. he reckons the means might only be between 200 - 250 euros.

does that mean i would not get anything, or just not anything for him as the qualified spouse? would i still get most of the 200 euro payment for the claiment?

A place like a Citizen's Information Centre (CIC) could probably give you more details on the specific amount you could get - you could share the details if you wanted to know in advance. They're separate from social welfare.

There is something like a CIC over the phone at LoCall: 1890 777121 (price of a local call). 9am-9pm

star-pants

Actually I met a lady in the social welfare office, she was looking to see about allowances and had gone to the CIC and they merely sent her to the social welfare, she said the CIC were fairly pointless and was surprised as so many people had said 'oh the CIC will help'.

so perhaps your social welfare office may also be of use?

kangaroo

The local MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) might be able to give some information/advice. They're confidential and free also.

GER12

[Info on the means test is on the DSFA website under disability allowance. A social welfare inspector will call to your house to assess your means - including that of your husband/partner. That bit will usually take some time given there's a back log between this and jobseekers. Like what other's said - could go to CIC to get impartial advice to see whether you'd qualify.
does that mean i would not get anything, or just not anything for him as the qualified spouse? would i still get most of the 200 euro payment for the claiment?[/quote]

budgie1984

ive been on it since i was 16, im 25 now doin an information & technology course, have applied for BTEA, still waitin on a reply, but yeah it was easy for me cause ive a long term blood disorder and my doctor wrote down on the form that i could basically have it all my life, and he didn't know if it would ever be cured. so far ive never even had to attend for an exam from their doctors or anything

baileyjackson

Im going to apply for it this week.
Im a student, 19 and living at home with my parents. Im unable to keep up with work due to my condition, any idea how much id be entitled to?
Do I have to print off the App form or get one from my local SWO?

budgie1984

not sure if its different for everyone but i get €205 weekly and a free travel pass, if your not able to travel on your own you might get a companion free pass were a person over 16 can go with you for free.

madliz

hi budgie1984, thanks for your comments. did you have any other means declared with your application? ie, boyfriend, partner or parents income etc?

it just makes me wonder how they assess it when it's something like arthritis which won't get better, it will only get worse and basically if i thought i could go out and get a job i would, so this is basically replacing income i would generate on my own separate to what my husband earns.

kangaroo

madliz wrote: »

hi budgie1984, thanks for your comments. did you have any other means declared with your application? ie, boyfriend, partner or parents income etc?

it just makes me wonder how they assess it when it's something like arthritis which won't get better, it will only get worse and basically if i thought i could go out and get a job i would, so this is basically replacing income i would generate on my own separate to what my husband earns.

The unfortunate thing about disability allowance is that it is means assessed by your partner's income. I know people who are clearly too ill to work, and would have worked again if they could (e.g. generally women who went out of the workplace to have kids and never went back but would have gone back by now if they had been healthy), who get nothing. In some ways it's a bit unfair. In the UK, there are extra disability payments one can get e.g. DLA that one gets whether one is working or not, and it doesn't depend on your partners' income.

Saying that, it sounds in your case, that you would be entitled to some money. But I don't know the formula they use e.g. with regard to rent/mortgage payments, number of dependents, etc.

baileyjackson

Got a letter about 2 weeks ago saying that an interview will be needed, heard nothing back until today. Im not entitled to it. Very annoyed. Waited long enough to hear back. Im going to appeal it to the end!

kangaroo

baileyjackson wrote: »

Got a letter about 2 weeks ago saying that an interview will be needed, heard nothing back until today. Im not entitled to it. Very annoyed. Waited long enough to hear back. Im going to appeal it to the end!

Keep us informed. I am confused what the criteria are for people in education.

I know two 16 year olds in secondary education who get it and it is unclear to me what the criteria is. I think one set of the parents would be reasonably well-off (from one aspect of their lives) so I'm guessing it is like it is for adults and not assessed on one's parents' income.

As I say, interested in this issue as I talk to people and try to share experiences but am not sure exactly what the criteria are for people in full-time education.

Skittlers

Just a question..Whats the differance between Disability Allowance and
Invalidity Allowance..

kangaroo

Skittlers wrote: »

Just a question..Whats the differance between Disability Allowance and
Invalidity Allowance..

If you are thinking of Invalidity Pension, the quick answer is it (IP) basically requires social insurance contributions. And you get a small bit more (around €5 per week) for IP.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/disability-and-illness/invalidity_pension

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and are covered by social insurance. Normally, you must be getting Illness Benefit for at least twelve months before you claim Invalidity Pension. It may be possible to get Invalidity Pension after a shorter period if you are unlikely to be able to work for the rest of your life because of your illness or disability.

(there's more info there)

or

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW44/Pages/1WhatisInvalidityPension.aspx

Invalidity Pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of an illness or incapacity.

(lots more links there)

To qualify, you must:

have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months (you will probably have been getting Disability Benefit or Disability Allowance for that period),
or
be permanently incapable of work (in certain cases of very serious incapacity, you can transfer directly from another social welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension),
or
be over age 60 and have a serious illness or incapacity.

=====
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/disability-and-illness/disability_allowance

Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability who are between 16 and 65 years of age.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW29/Pages/1WhatisDisabilityAllowance.aspx

Disability Allowance is a weekly payment that you may get if:

you have a disability that is expected to last for at least one year, and
you are aged 16 to 65.
To get the payment, you must satisfy a means test. You may also need to attend a medical exam.

kumate_champ07

FluffyCat wrote: »

I heard its hard enough. You will need a HSE doctor to examine you. It really depends what they say.

its a joke, they see you for 2 mins and ask a couple of questions, but they have already read the gp's letter so its just a formality for that doc to see you, prob makes a tonne of money doing that 'job'.

and a huge waste of money is the fact they send you a blank cheque for taxi fare each way if you live more than a few miles from where you are to be inspected. At the time I told them I got a lift from my dad (and that he had to go to that area anyway)so I didnt need any taxi money, I still got another letter later on about claiming the taxi money back.

I wouldnt worry too much about the meeting, If your gp fills out the form and you actually are not fit for work and suffering from an illness you should have no problem getting the allowance.

kangaroo

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

I wouldnt worry too much about the meeting, If your gp fills out the form and you actually are not fit for work and suffering from an illness you should have no problem getting the allowance.

I think that is over-simplifying it a bit.

That might be your experience and perhaps the experience of those with your condition. But I know for the condition I have a lot of people have to make at least one appeal.

Some people can give up when turned down unfortunately.