JA removed because of flu?!??!

Solitaire

My sister has just lost her JA because the SWO found out she has flu (and an inner ear infection to boot). She now has ZERO income and is now beset not only by illness but also by panic attacks, which is fairly understandable given the circumstances!

Seriously, is this even legal?!?!? :eek::mad: According to the SWO she now has to apply for DA, but a) isn't that for LTI only? b) doesn't that usually take 3-4 months to come through (not that it would, she has the flu FFS!!!) and c) my mother is disabled and in receipt of DA so AFAIK no-one else in the family can claim it!

I'm fairly sure the SWO is intentionally jerking her about but where does she turn now?

AnnyHallsal

That's crazy. The DA thing isn't true - more than one person in a family can receive it, afaik. I'd get on to the Superintendent straight away.

cee_jay

Unfortunately one of the conditions for claiming Jobseeker's Allowance is you are available for work - how did they find out she had the flu? Was she speaking to someone and said she wasn't available for work?
She can get MC1 form from the doctor, and open a claim for Illness Benefit while she is ill, and go to the CWO to be paid.
Then when she is better, she can go back claiming Jobseeker's Allowance.

Solitaire

Seeing as flu is a national pastime in winter, why haven't I heard about this before? Its not like she's LTI or dodging work, she's just sick as a dog for a few days

Balagan

Normally, the SW accepts a doctor's cert to cover for short illnesses during which signing/payments are missed. DA isn't an option for flu because of the following

To qualify for Disability Allowance (DA) you must:

* Have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/disability-and-illness/disability_allowance

Perhaps your sister mentioned the panic attacks and SW asked for move to DA as a result. She would be entitled to Supplementary Welfare while DA was
being processed.

cee_jay

I know - but if she has said she is currently not capable and fit for work, then they are really following the letter of the law. If she told them she wasn't currently capable for work, she was saying that she doesn't meet the conditions for signing on. You probably never heard of it before because normally the office wouldn't find out if someone had the flu or not.

Solitaire

So if you fall ill for a week you lose all your benefits, but you're allowed two weeks' paid hoilidays?!?!? :eek::mad::eek::mad::eek:

Not angry at anyone here before you ask, just completely amazed at this ludicrous situation!

cee_jay

As Balagan said, normally SW accepts a doctor's cert to cover for short illnesses during which signing/payments are missed and claims aren't normally closed. I am just trying to explain why it might be closed. I don't know what happened in this case to prompt it to be closed.