Getting through to illness benefit (hint, it's not possible)

porqueno

Folks anyone having a different experience with IB? With the current circumstances I'm so glad I got back to work this week because it turns out they have been paying the IB into someone else's account 🤯 I didn't initially have enough stamps so was on a supp payment from the CWO who has been great. But the payments reverted to IB recently and I'd been busy with getting back to work. Just missing two payments but they are enough to stretch me thinner than I can manage for the next few weeks (I'm lucky enough to be able to ask a family member for a dig out until the next pay cheque).

The CWO phoned me the other morning to ask how I was getting on (honestly totally unexpected, I think he was double checking that I got my last payment) and from that I was able to say the payment didn't come through, he checked and it's been going to the wrong bank account number. And I've been trying to get in contact with Illness Benefit since Feb, just kinda gave up, I was able to clarify things via the CWO and the local office. He's been good enough to email them on my behalf (I know I could email them too but was worried it would get lost in the ether and that bit of money would make a huge difference right now).

So I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar situations in trying to contact them? Or have you had success in getting in contact via email? I'm wondering what sort of wait times there are?

A little more context, I was able to see the IB payment via the my welfare portal, otherwise I wouldn't have known about it!

ari101

Now, it's not recent (was last year) but I got through and had no issues using the phone helpline, details below. Is this how you have been trying to contact them, if so I don't have any better advice. 😐

"For all Illness Benefit Queries, including Enhanced Illness Benefit:

Phone: (01) 704 3300 or 0818 928400

E-mail: illnessbenefit@welfare.ie"

porqueno

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829674#Comment_118829674

Thanks for the response, I have emailed them, so lets see how long the response takes there. But otherwise I've been trying to phone them fairly regularly and it's been this pattern of the call being answered by the system, then the message that due to heavy call amounts they can "answer" the call and then it's dropped. It just seems bizarre to me that it's been like this for so long.

And thanks, I kinda wanted to document my experience here for others too in case they are having similar experiences. I don't doubt I'll get so sort of resolution, but how long it'll take....lets see!

TooTired123

Was it the IBAN was wrong? When the application form you completed was opened the pages were scanned in to the system. You need to ask them to send you a copy of the bank details you gave them in the application form so that you can prove that it was their fault and not the fact that you made a mistake.

TheGlossy

I was about to post the exact same thread actually. I have been trying to get through to them for the past couple of days and it's like hitting a wall. I sent them emails as well and no response from their end. I waited on the phone for roughly 30 minutes this morning and hung up.

I submitted my application via MyGovID.ie and it was "under review" for a few weeks. They sent me a letter requesting me to send them my certificate of incapacity (there was a bit of delay from my end), which I did within the prescribed 6 weeks. Now, my application has completely disappeared from the portal and it says I've no ongoing application and no payments.

I was sick for two weeks and my employer deducted the illness benefit portion from my salary. Now I'm out of the money and no answer from the illness benefit services. Better not be sick in this country. This service is a complete joke. It's wasting so much of my time!

There are approximately 20,000+ new cases of covid alone being reported EVERY DAY - and thats on top of normal illnesses. And those cases are the ones being reported..

and you're wondering why Illness Benefit Section is so busy?

They are overwhelmed. Not to mention their own staff also being absent due to Covid.

Have some patience. They will get to everyone, but it may take longer than usual. And yes, email is probably best as phone lines are under pressure.

Necro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118854069#Comment_118854069

Email is as bad unfortunately, they are clearing about 1k emails a day but there's about triple that coming in 😑 It's just absolutely endless at the moment.