Social Welfare Cock-Up.

Yzf R6

Was made redundant about 8 months ago and started receiving the dole a short time later after a lot of hassle and paperwork.Just so you know,I was never unemployed in my life and even worked throughout my school years,always paid my taxes correctly and on time and now to my embarrassment I was told while signing on today that I would no longer receive anymore payments as I was means tested in April and based on the fact that my wife works and we have no kids I'm no longer eligible.I was told I should have received a letter in the post explaining the means test.I did receive a letter last week adressed to me but with someone eles personal details inside and when I queried SW about this I was told I would continue getting dole but to post back that letter immediately and they would in turn post out my details.Did someone eles get my details?Still haven't received details and no dole either,is there anything I can do,they seem more concerned about me sending them back that letter before they deal with me.Apologies for rant and long confusing essay.Thanks.

eastbono

Yzf R6 wrote: »

Was made redundant about 8 months ago and started receiving the dole a short time later after a lot of hassle and paperwork.Just so you know,I was never unemployed in my life and even worked throughout my school years,always paid my taxes correctly and on time and now to my embarrassment I was told while signing on today that I would no longer receive anymore payments as I was means tested in April and based on the fact that my wife works and we have no kids I'm no longer eligible.I was told I should have received a letter in the post explaining the means test.I did receive a letter last week adressed to me but with someone eles personal details inside and when I queried SW about this I was told I would continue getting dole but to post back that letter immediately and they would in turn post out my details.Did someone eles get my details?Still haven't received details and no dole either,is there anything I can do,they seem more concerned about me sending them back that letter before they deal with me.Apologies for rant and long confusing essay.Thanks.

If you have always worked and have paid "a" class contribution your jobseekers benefit should last for 312 days. When your benefit exhausts you then apply for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment and your wifes earnings will be assessed for this. It appears that you have been deemed means in excess for jsa because of your wifes earnings and you will not receive jsa but you should make a credit claim which is very important for pension purposes etc. You can appeal the means in excess decision when you receive it.
With regard to you receiving someone elses details you can make a complaint about this.http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW104/Pages/Aboutthisleaflet.aspx

Fuh Q

You can appeal all decisions made by welfare.. When I applied for JSA I was refused a payment from the CWO while I was waiting for my claim to be assest due to the fact that my wife works 30 hours a week.
Its important that you keep at them, if you dont want to appeal it just open a new claim. Even if you only get awarded €10 a week it will entitle you to a medical card, some other benefits and you can only do a FAS course if you are receiving a payment.
If you get nowhere then have a look at FIS, it might help out depending on your wifes income.

Yzf R6

eastbono wrote: »

If you have always worked and have paid "a" class contribution your jobseekers benefit should last for 312 days. When your benefit exhausts you then apply for jobseekers allowance which is a means tested payment and your wifes earnings will be assessed for this. It appears that you have been deemed means in excess for jsa because of your wifes earnings and you will not receive jsa but you should make a credit claim which is very important for pension purposes etc. You can appeal the means in excess decision when you receive it.
With regard to you receiving someone elses details you can make a complaint about this.http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW104/Pages/Aboutthisleaflet.aspx

Thanks for the info,would the 312 days have included me being on a 3 day week for most of 2011 and claiming for 2 days?

eastbono

Fuh Q wrote: »

You can appeal all decisions made by welfare.. When I applied for JSA I was refused a payment from the CWO while I was waiting for my claim to be assest due to the fact that my wife works 30 hours a week.
Its important that you keep at them, if you dont want to appeal it just open a new claim. Even if you only get awarded €10 a week it will entitle you to a medical card, some other benefits and you can only do a FAS course if you are receiving a payment.
If you get nowhere then have a look at FIS, it might help out depending on your wifes income.

Medical cards are also means tested and not automatic if you have a sw payment. FIS does not apply to OP as OP states they do not have any children.

eastbono

Yzf R6 wrote: »

Thanks for the info,would the 312 days have included me being on a 3 day week for most of 2011 and claiming for 2 days?

Yes indeed it would. When did you become fully unemployed because if you had 13 "a" contributions at day 156 of your claim and you are now fully unemployed you may re-qualify for jobseekers benefit.

wmpdd3

Yes, if you were on short time and claiming JSB for the days not worked thats where your JSb went.


With regard to means testing, if your wife earns much more than €400 per week there probably isnt much point in appealing, but if its less there may be wiggle room.

eastbono

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Yes, if you were on short time and claiming JSB for the days not worked thats where your JSb went.


With regard to means testing, if your wife earns much more than €400 per week there probably isnt much point in appealing, but if its less there may be wiggle room.

Dong the sums his wife must be earning somewhere in the region of €600 or above to deem him means in excess.

Yzf R6

eastbono wrote: »

Yes indeed it would. When did you become fully unemployed because if you had 13 "a" contributions at day 156 of your claim and you are now fully unemployed you may re-qualify for jobseekers benefit.

Was made redundant at the end of October and had to apply for dole and come off 3 day week.Not looking for for med card/dole if I'm not due it but I'm amazed at how some people have been on the dole for years now and continue getting it when I was means tested and wasn't even given a breakdown of my assessment and how they calculated.Im just wondering if there was a mistake as I'm by no means wealthy and have a large mortgage as I bought in 2005.Goes to show that if you do thing the correct way in this country(pay all your bills etc) you get sweet fa.

Yzf R6

Wife is earning more than 400 per week but our mortgage isn't far off that and banks don't want to give us interest only,best call them again and tell them that's all they will be getting,with me not getting dole.

eastbono

Yzf R6 wrote: »

Was made redundant at the end of October and had to apply for dole and come off 3 day week.Not looking for for med card/dole if I'm not due it but I'm amazed at how some people have been on the dole for years now and continue getting it when I was means tested and wasn't even given a breakdown of my assessment and how they calculated.Im just wondering if there was a mistake as I'm by no means wealthy and have a large mortgage as I bought in 2005.Goes to show that if you do thing the correct way in this country(pay all your bills etc) you get sweet fa.

You should have received a breakdown of your means assessment in the post and appeal it if you are not happy with the outcome. Unfortunately your mortgage is not offset against means for jsa. From what you have said about being fully unemployed since october it is unlikely you would re-qualify for jsb but you should make a credits claim for pension purposes.
From my calculations as you were deemed means in excess it would appear your spouse is earning €600 pw or over that.... if this is not the case then appeal their decision... also any capital you may have >€20,000 is also assessed.

eastbono

You should also get your wife to claim your tax credits if she is not already doing so and also look for a balancing statement for 2011 as you may not have used all your tax credits (remember that a portion of jsb is taxable).

Yzf R6

eastbono wrote: »

You should also get your wife to claim your tax credits if she is not already doing so.

Will do thanks.

eastbono

Yzf R6 wrote: »

Will do thanks.

BTW you should go onto welfare.ie and then online services and request a statement for 2011 and 2012 for tax purposes so your wife will have all necessary details when transferring tax credits you may not have used in 2011 and also transferring your tax credits for 2012.

Fuh Q

eastbono wrote: »

Medical cards are also means tested and not automatic if you have a sw payment. FIS does not apply to OP as OP states they do not have any children.

Didnt know that, good info.. thanks.