Illness benefit problems since new form

idnkph

I put my 3 forms in in August and have heard nothing at all. Not even that they have received them. I'm back working now but still entitled to the 3 weeks I was off.

BohsCeltic

hattoncracker wrote: »

No i got to 1:02 and it dropped.... this is very stressful!!!! I'm waiting to get ramps in my house (which they declined the grant for) and I need this money... I've anxiety and this is pushing me over the edge because I always am so diligent with paperwork.

Sorry to hear this. I have anxiety and depression too and this is not helping one bit.
I as you say it's just more stress and things to worry about.

Domie

Only got 33 last week. Got my normal payment for this week on Tuesday and the extra 165 missing from last week yesterday.

Seems so hit and miss.

hattoncracker

ciara37 wrote: »

Don't get excited...I've done the Twitter thing too since last Friday and they haven't rang me....I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news

Yikes!!!! What the hell is happening in there?!

ciara37

hattoncracker wrote: »

Yikes!!!! What the hell is happening in there?!

NOTHING!

SJF84

Finally got through to the 071 number helpdesk after waiting and waiting on phone to illness benefit and giving up. He has told me that there is any issue with certs! The problem is Im MEANT to get paid on a Tuesday!!!
Havent got paid in 2 weeks and its to do with certs, i told him im on a weekly cert and I get it on a Tuesday and it will be with them in Dublin on a wednesday and he said to get a longer duration one... well my docs arent giving me a longer one. And tbh i want to stick to the format i have had all along. So all that he really told me was that he'd log my call and took my number and hopefully someone will contact me back. This country is a joke. Always been backwards and never will progress!
Sorry for the rant! Oh and left them a message on twitter and sent a dm.

splinter65

Fagashlil wrote: »

I'm just back from my local INTREO office, the CWOs have been told tha emergency payments are now to be means tested, so no money for me till this complete **** up is resolved.

Emergency payments have always been means tested.

splinter65

idnkph wrote: »

I put my 3 forms in in August and have heard nothing at all. Not even that they have received them. I'm back working now but still entitled to the 3 weeks I was off.

You don’t get anything at all for the first 6 days

hattoncracker

SJF84 wrote: »

Finally got through to the 071 number helpdesk after waiting and waiting on phone to illness benefit and giving up. He has told me that there is any issue with certs! The problem is Im MEANT to get paid on a Tuesday!!!
Havent got paid in 2 weeks and its to do with certs, i told him im on a weekly cert and I get it on a Tuesday and it will be with them in Dublin on a wednesday and he said to get a longer duration one... well my docs arent giving me a longer one. And tbh i want to stick to the format i have had all along. So all that he really told me was that he'd log my call and took my number and hopefully someone will contact me back. This country is a joke. Always been backwards and never will progress!
Sorry for the rant! Oh and left them a message on twitter and sent a dm.

It's like purgatory. I'm lucky we can live on hubbies pension. But I really need this moolah to come in soon because we won't last for long on it!

Fagashlil

splinter65 wrote: »

Emergency payments have always been means tested.

No for missed payments they haven't, I got one from the CWO a few weeks after the issues started, and because of the delay they were being granted to everyone.

Hesthea

swpb wrote: »

What do we need to bring with when going to cwo

They will give you a form to fill in. Then they will request you 3 months of bank statements, a letter from your employer saying that you are working there but you are not receiving anything while on sick leave and duplicates of your medical certificates.

This is what they asked from me but i haven't delivered anything since IB told me i would receive my payments in 3 working days.

If you ring IB from the welfare direct phone line, you will get through in less than 5 minutes. If they pass your call to someone else, do not turn it off. Some call transfers have no sound and might feel like they turned the call off on you. I almost did that because i couldn't hear anything at all and the person didn't even warned me that he would pass the phone call to someone else.

Sunshine lollipop

Hi,

I was without payment today, & under paid last week. I phoned a bunch of times to general enquiries who all told me they would send an email over on my behalf. One gentleman today said he would escalate it as I have a small child. I was told I would receive a phone call from the manager in the department to release payment which never transpired. I called again & spoke to someone new who was quite bunt in saying I have gone to credits & no money will be paid. I have 15 paid contributions according to the system & don’t understand why when my circumstances haven’t changed.

Sunshine lollipop

Has anyone wrongly been put into credits as an error?

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

Has anyone wrongly been put into credits as an error?

I don't even know what that is.

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

I don't even know what that is.

Basically, I get no more money. Apparently, illness was paid to me in error when I sent everything they asked of me since January.

According to one guy I spoke to, he said, oh, you’re gone into credit, I had to ask him too what it meant & he was blunt about it. I don’t understand that if it’s true, why was it ever awarded.

SJF84

hattoncracker wrote: »

It's like purgatory. I'm lucky we can live on hubbies pension. But I really need this moolah to come in soon because we won't last for long on it!

I'm sorry to hear that, I really hope it comes through for you soon and for everyone. I don't know what has to happen for them to get their act in order.
Just fed up after the last few weeks trying and trying to get through to someone who has some idea and whatever they released on social media to help people understand... it's an absolute joke of a q&a, has made no sense whatsoever to me.
If the welfare poltician didnt get her money on a weekly basis, I say heaven and earth would be moved for her but for the people of Ireland who need this benefit, we dont get anything. This is an absolute farce.

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

Basically, I get no more money. Apparently, illness was paid to me in error when I sent everything they asked of me since January.

According to one guy I spoke to, he said, oh, you’re gone into credit, I had to ask him too what it meant & he was blunt about it. I don’t understand that if it’s true, why was it ever awarded.

Can't you return the excess so that you don't have any credits?

Hesthea

splinter65 wrote: »

You don’t get anything at all for the first 6 days

"You must apply for Illness Benefit within 6 weeks of becoming ill. No payment is made for the first 6 days of illness, which are known as waiting days. (Note that Sunday is not counted as a waiting day.) The only time that the 6 waiting days are not applied is if you were getting certain other social welfare payments within 3 days of the start of your illness."

taken from the citizensinformation.ie


Have you read this? It was released on the 17th of October

Illness Benefit - Customer Update

splinter65

Hesthea wrote: »

"You must apply for Illness Benefit within 6 weeks of becoming ill. No payment is made for the first 6 days of illness, which are known as waiting days. (Note that Sunday is not counted as a waiting day.) The only time that the 6 waiting days are not applied is if you were getting certain other social welfare payments within 3 days of the start of your illness."

taken from the citizensinformation.ie


Have you read this? It was released on the 17th of October

Illness Benefit - Customer Update

Yes I’ve read it. There’s no change to the rule that no payment is made for the first 6 days of illness.

Hesthea

"The only time that the 6 waiting days are not applied is if you were getting certain other social welfare payments within 3 days of the start of your illness."

Then what is this referring to?

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

Can't you return the excess so that you don't have any credits?

I can’t get through to illness department & only have general enquiries to answer to. They can’t tell me any more. No letter in advance sent to say my PRSI was running out, just continued to over pay me & who’s at fault, me.

splinter65

Hesthea wrote: »

"The only time that the 6 waiting days are not applied is if you were getting certain other social welfare payments within 3 days of the start of your illness."

Then what is this referring to?

For example If you were getting JSB or JSA and you got the flu and a chest infection or you broke your leg then you would not be “fit for work” so you would have to apply for Illness Benefit instead.Then you would not have to wait any days to be paid IB.
Whereas, if you were working and had to go out sick with the chest infection or broken leg then you do not get any payment in respect of the first 6 days out sick. So, if you are out sick for a fortnight then you are really only getting IB for 4 days.
If the IB is your only source of income in that period then the CWO will give you an SWA to tide you over.

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

I can’t get through to illness department & only have general enquiries to answer to. They can’t tell me any more. No letter in advance sent to say my PRSI was running out, just continued to over pay me & who’s at fault, me.

Can't you make a complaint?

They were the ones who created this mess so they should be the ones to find a way to fix it that won't create problems to you.

Hesthea

splinter65 wrote: »

For example If you were getting JSB or JSA and you got the flu and a chest infection or you broke your leg then you would not be “fit for work” so you would have to apply for Illness Benefit instead.Then you would not have to wait any days to be paid IB.
Whereas, if you were working and had to go out sick with the chest infection or broken leg then you do not get any payment in respect of the first 6 days out sick. So, if you are out sick for a fortnight then you are really only getting IB for 4 days.
If the IB is your only source of income in that period then the CWO will give you an SWA to tide you over.

Didn't know that. Thank you.

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

Can't you make a complaint?

They were the ones who created this mess so they should be the ones to find a way to fix it that won't create problems to you.

The manager was supposed to call me Friday to sort it out. I didn’t receive a call. I’m sick of calling & getting cut off an hour in, racking up a bill I can’t afford to pay to fix someone’s mistake so I don’t suffer. I just want it sorted out so I can begin to look for something else. A lady I’m citizens advice said I should apply for invalidity pension but if I’m not entitled to illness, then surely I’m not entitled to this as it works off PRSI too.

FloatingVoter

Hesthea wrote: »

Can't you make a complaint?

They were the ones who created this mess so they should be the ones to find a way to fix it that won't create problems to you.

Yeah, this and / or wait until this blows over and ask for a review. It sounds like a Departmental error - in which case they have to take liability and not pursue any monies paid out in error. In an ongoing cluster**** like this, mistakes are going to happen as new untrained staff start rushing things through under pressure.

splinter65

Hesthea wrote: »

Can't you make a complaint?

They were the ones who created this mess so they should be the ones to find a way to fix it that won't create problems to you.

If the money was overpaid then it has to be paid back because the money is belonging to the State which is you and I.
It doesn’t matter who’s fault it was really.
What I would do is still make a complaint though.
What you’d have to do in this case is see the CWO and if there is no other household income then you can ask for an SWA and ask for €10 per week to be deducted to pay of the overpayment.

Sunshine lollipop

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Yeah, this and / or wait until this blows over and ask for a review. It sounds like a Departmental error - in which case they have to take liability and not pursue any monies paid out in error. In an ongoing cluster**** like this, mistakes are going to happen as new untrained staff start rushing things through under pressure.

The last guy I spoke to that day said that he has seen many people put into credit that shouldn’t be there, that everything is messed up with the new IT system. He said he could see 15 paid contributions on my file & couldn’t see why I was stopped payment. He’s not illness department & said to take everything he said with a pinch of salt. God only knows how long I’ve gone under the radar as a clerical error if what this one person said is true.

Sunshine lollipop

splinter65 wrote: »

If the money was overpaid then it has to be paid back because the money is belonging to the State which is you and I.
It doesn’t matter who’s fault it was really.
What I would do is still make a complaint though.
What you’d have to do in this case is see the CWO and if there is no other household income then you can ask for an SWA and ask for €10 per week to be deducted to pay of the overpayment.

If only I could get through. I’ve made requests via Twitter, (had to join just to get some sort of communication) general enquiries. All promised me a call back. Nothing!

splinter65

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Yeah, this and / or wait until this blows over and ask for a review. It sounds like a Departmental error - in which case they have to take liability and not pursue any monies paid out in error. In an ongoing cluster**** like this, mistakes are going to happen as new untrained staff start rushing things through under pressure.

No that’s not how that works at all. It doesn’t matter how the debt occurred. You can make a case for it to reduced or even wiped out and the Dept will consider it but “it’s not my fault so I’m not paying it” is not a case.
Heres the nitty gritty instructions from the Dept to SW staff dealing with overpayments :
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Overpayment-Recovery---Guidelines-on-the-Recovery-of-Debt-by.aspx#2

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

The manager was supposed to call me Friday to sort it out. I didn’t receive a call. I’m sick of calling & getting cut off an hour in, racking up a bill I can’t afford to pay to fix someone’s mistake so I don’t suffer. I just want it sorted out so I can begin to look for something else. A lady I’m citizens advice said I should apply for invalidity pension but if I’m not entitled to illness, then surely I’m not entitled to this as it works off PRSI too.

Send emails. At least you will have written proof that you got into contact with them.

If you can, go to the welfare office near you and make the phone call from there. The most you will wait is 5 minutes and that way you won't have to increase your phone bills.

Unless, you can't. Which sucks =(

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

Send emails. At least you will have written proof that you got into contact with them.

If you can, go to the welfare office near you and make the phone call from there. The most you will wait is 5 minutes and that way you won't have to increase your phone bills.

Unless, you can't. Which sucks =(

All the calls I’ve made over the last week must have been logged, they sent off several emails to the manager so when they’re read, they’ll see the extent of my communication with them. I sent a letter with my last cert because I was underpaid the week before, hoping someone would pick it up & give me a call but that didn’t happen either. This was before I knew of this.

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

All the calls I’ve made over the last week must have been logged, they sent off several emails to the manager so when they’re read, they’ll see the extent of my communication with them. I sent a letter with my last cert because I was underpaid the week before, hoping someone would pick it up & give me a call but that didn’t happen either. This was before I knew of this.

After almost 6 weeks, only last Thursday i was able to talk with someone that was able to fix (partially) my problem and to be honest i thought it would end the same as the other times. In nothing being solved.

And all this, after almost 6 weeks telling IB that i did send the certificates. That they were the new ones. That i also made phones calls (in which they told me they would ring back but never did), sent emails, send documents by registered post to them more than once. All of them, always told me the same thing, that they had nothing in their system which was the same as not having done anything at all. I am sure you all can relate to the frustration/ anger i felt about all of it.

And the only difference about the person that picked my call regarding the others was that he looked for the docs and my email. He only found my email in which i had sent the photos of the certs and the tracking number of the registered post as well the print screen to confirm that someone from IB got my letter since they signed for it. I still had to send once again, this week, by (registered) post another form for the IB because they couldn't find the one i sent initially.

So, the bottom line is, ring them and tell them exactly that and that since then you've got no answer to anything regarding your situation. Tell them when you sent the emails so that they can find it and give you an answer on the spot. That's how i managed to get something out of all this mess.

Ring them from your local welfare. Ring them everyday if needed until you get through someone who can give you an answer.

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

After almost 6 weeks, only last Thursday i was able to talk with someone that was able to fix (partially) my problem and to be honest i thought it would end the same as the other times. In nothing being solved.

And all this, after almost 6 weeks telling IB that i did send the certificates. That they were the new ones. That i also made phones calls (in which they told me they would ring back but never did), sent emails, send documents by registered post to them more than once. All of them, always told me the same thing, that they had nothing in their system which was the same as not having done anything at all. I am sure you all can relate to the frustration/ anger i felt about all of it.

And the only difference about the person that picked my call regarding the others was that he looked for the docs and my email. He only found my email in which i had sent the photos of the certs and the tracking number of the registered post as well the print screen to confirm that someone from IB got my letter since they signed for it. I still had to send once again, this week, by (registered) post another form for the IB because they couldn't find the one i sent initially.

So, the bottom line is, ring them and tell them exactly that and that since then you've got no answer to anything regarding your situation. Tell them when you sent the emails so that they can find it and give you an answer on the spot. That's how i managed to get something out of all this mess.

Ring them from your local welfare. Ring them everyday if needed until you get through someone who can give you an answer.

I was waiting 6 weeks for my first payment, had to go through all the same rigmarole as my Certs were getting lost. I eventually got through to someone who gave me her name & said to send them to her desk & she’d pass them on. No payment issues since then until now. I think I’m still holding onto hope it’s a f**k up on their side but there’s nothing I can do now until Monday as much as it kills me because I’m very proactive. Im glad it’s sorted out for you & long may it last. I will call again Monday & if I hear nothing, I will send an email off/post. Thank you.

splinter65

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

If only I could get through. I’ve made requests via Twitter, (had to join just to get some sort of communication) general enquiries. All promised me a call back. Nothing!

No if you want to complain you’ll have to put your complaint in writing. Just address the envelope to “the manager” at Illness Benefit section. Ask them to respond to you within 10 working days.
You’ll find the CWO at your local INTREO office.

Always Be Closing

How does one go about getting off Illness to jobseekers

I start a new job 19th November, and am certified up until 15th November. Should I just leave it as it is instead of going through the rigmarole of the switchover bull****.

Do I need my GP to sign me off as fir for work?

Thanks

splinter65

You need to get a final cert from your GP that says you will be fit for work on the 19 November.
Send that in any time you like now so you can continue on IB until the day you start work .

Always Be Closing

splinter65 wrote: »

You need to get a final cert from your GP that says you will be fit for work on the 19 November.
Send that in any time you like now so you can continue on IB until the day you start work .

That’s great, thanks so much, it’s been a long road

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

I was waiting 6 weeks for my first payment, had to go through all the same rigmarole as my Certs were getting lost. I eventually got through to someone who gave me her name & said to send them to her desk & she’d pass them on. No payment issues since then until now. I think I’m still holding onto hope it’s a f**k up on their side but there’s nothing I can do now until Monday as much as it kills me because I’m very proactive. Im glad it’s sorted out for you & long may it last. I will call again Monday & if I hear nothing, I will send an email off/post. Thank you.

I am the same way as you. That is the only way to make sure things are (properly) done.

Ring them from your local welfare if you can. Its faster. And if the person you talked with tells you the same things as all others, ring them again until you get someone who will look into it.

Fagashlil

I got through finally to someone helpful on 071 9193302-department of social protection. She looked into my claim and seeing as I'd an emergency payment from the CWO in August, my claim had gone to credits only, meaning I got the credit for the claim, but the payment didn't go through as it freezes when you get a manual payment. She was able to live chat with someone in IB and apparently it's reauthorised now and I'll be paid arrears plus my current payment on Wednesday. Hopefully!

Jonathon W

Finally got through and now they are telling me they only have certs up until the 10th of the month which is bollox I have sent in 3 since then and must go back to my doctor to get them redone even though I know they wr sent and an post has one of the best records in Europe for not losing post yet I’m supposed to believe that they didn’t bother for the last 3 weeks,

Whiplashy

I joined twitter on Friday to send them a message and have had no response. My local office is about half an hours drive away. I had to borrow money to get blood tests done last week, never mind having the money to put petrol in the car. It’s an absolute joke.

Flippyfloppy

Just been told that all certs prior to October 10th were wiped from the system

tempura

Finally got through to IB, told that all certs received prior to October 10th are wiped from system. Told to get copy of original cert ( 6 month cert ) and forward to usual PO box address to resume payments.

The guy I spoke to was very nice , obviously not his fault and doing his best to help, but to be honest this whole thing has been a fiasco ! Will probably be another couple of weeks before payment starts by the time cert is posted/received etc.

Got through on 071 9193302.

Hope people start to get sorted soon.

Whiplashy

Should we all be going and getting duplicate certs now? I’m on a monthly cert and my last one would have went in around the 10th.

tempura

I would assume so, if your anywhere around the 10th, it seem you've dropped off their radar completely, Id say it's probably a good idea to send a duplicate .

ciara37

Whiplashy wrote: »

Should we all be going and getting duplicate certs now? I’m on a monthly cert and my last one would have went in around the 10th.

My Dr won't give a duplicate cert

Whiplashy

ciara37 wrote: »

My Dr won't give a duplicate cert

I’m pretty sure they have to if the department is looking for it. I had to get one before and they did out a new cert for me and just wrote duplicate on the top.

BohsCeltic

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Just been told that all certs prior to October 10th were wiped from the system

Back to the doctor to see if I can get the certs. You would have thought they would have let us know.

nl2803

Has any1 got an email address for partial benefit section. Thanks