Where to make a complaint?

ShooterSF · 05-10-2011 2:02pm #1

Hi,

I'm writing on behalf of my younger sister. She wants to make a complaint about the lack of communication from social welfare before removing payments.

Some back story, she finished a years course in make up on btea. She found out to get the type of job she wants she also needs to complete some hairdressing course. Applied for it and got it but SW told her it was not a step up from the last course and so couldn't get BTEA. She explained her story and was told she could appeal, she did so and brought a letter from the college explaining why she needed to do the course.
Yesterday with absolutely no correspondence her allowance was stopped. She visited the office today and was told that they wanted a letter prooving she was not doing the course. This issue could have been much better resolved if she had been informed that the appeal was unsuccessful or even a letter stating that she was not to do the course and to provide evidence or her payments would be cut off. As it stands she is now not only being stopped from increasing her chance of getting a job she is being put in financial hardship for trying to do so.
She wants to make a formal complaint in the hope that others after her be treated better but doesn't know who to contact. The staff would not give her a managers name to contact (which again seems wrong).

mp22 · 05-10-2011 2:15pm

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/ContactUs/Pages/commentorcomplaint.aspx

DonalK1981 · 05-10-2011 2:15pm

They told her it wasn't a step up and that she would not get BTEA and she went ahead anyway. One way around this is to do the course part-time and claim jobseekers as normal, and keep looking for a job for herself.

She just has to change her circumstances or appeal, which I doubt will do any good, as they don't seem to use common sense when they take decisions.

ShooterSF · 05-10-2011 2:24pm

DonalK1981 wrote: »

They told her it wasn't a step up and that she would not get BTEA and she went ahead anyway. One way around this is to do the course part-time and claim jobseekers as normal, and keep looking for a job for herself.

She just has to change her circumstances or appeal, which I doubt will do any good, as they don't seem to use common sense when they take decisions.

She didn't just go ahead to be fair. She was told she could appeal and did so with a letter from the college confirming the problem she has (that both courses need to be done to get a job, even if both are at the same "level")

She never got any further correspondance on the appeal and assumed it was still being processed. It now seems it was rejected but she was never informed.

The issue is that method of contact should not be cut em off and make them come to you to find out what is going on.

Edit - She might need to look into finding it part time. Thanks for that skipped advice

Plazaman · 05-10-2011 2:24pm

Ya, bit of a Catch 22 there. The long standing rule for BTEA is if the next course you're doing is not a step up (or higher qualification) from the previous course then BTEA won't be renewed. The fact she presumably told them she was doing the course when reapplying for BTEA, then she's not available for work and not entitled to JSA.

I'm not really sure about the correspondence regarding payments as it should be obvious that BTEA payments stop at the end of the course.
Not giving the name of the Manager is atrocious customer service. He or she would probably say what I just typed there but at least your sister would be afforded to give her side of the story. She could try ringing the office and ask for the fax number and Managers name saying she needs to send on information

Edit : Per website, BTEA is a non-statutory payment so cannot be appealled :eek: definitley someone not doing / doesn't know their job in that Office.

LegacyUser · 05-10-2011 2:39pm

Did she already start the course?

If so, that's why her dole payments were stopped. She was not actively available for employment and seeking employment. Participating in a full-time course of study (even one day) violates the condition for that payment. SW are not required to give you any notice of suspension of payments as the onus is on the claimant to comply with the conditions for payment.

She doesn't have a leg to stand on regarding the BTEA. If one is to continue on BTEA to a new course of study, the new course must be level above the previous course on the national qualifications scale (i.e. Level 5 course progressing to Level 6 course) Yeah, in many circumstances it's a stupid rule that needs to flexible on a case by case basis, Joan Burton is the one who has power over that one.

She should have been provided details for the SW Office manager as that's poor customer service but even then she won't get anywhere with the manager as there is a strict set of regulations that have to adhered to.

ShooterSF · 05-10-2011 2:42pm

Plazaman wrote: »

Ya, bit of a Catch 22 there. The long standing rule for BTEA is if the next course you're doing is not a step up (or higher qualification) from the previous course then BTEA won't be renewed. The fact she presumably told them she was doing the course when reapplying for BTEA, then she's not available for work and not entitled to JSA.

I'm not really sure about the correspondence regarding payments as it should be obvious that BTEA payments stop at the end of the course.
Not giving the name of the Manager is atrocious customer service. He or she would probably say what I just typed there but at least your sister would be afforded to give her side of the story. She could try ringing the office and ask for the fax number and Managers name saying she needs to send on information

Edit : Per website, BTEA is a non-statutory payment so cannot be appealled :eek: definitley someone not doing / doesn't know their job in that Office.

Just to be clear too she had finished the previous course and was on JSA so it was not as if her payments just ran out. I'm getting an understanding though of what went on it appears that when she was refused BTEA they stop JSA too.
Of course ringing is not an option either as they wont pick up the phone! I'm going to go with her tomorrow with a notepad and get the name of who we are speaking to, the name of the person who made the decision and if they wont give it a reason and similar for the manager. All in civil manner of course. I will be taking all this down and will be telling the staff member that it will be used in correspondance with the complaint dept listed above. I have a feeling I'll get the managers name then!

It's a shockingly badly run office and is the last place you need to be awkward when you're having a hard time in life as it is.

Larkenn · 07-10-2011 5:53am

I don't think complaining is going to get you anywhere. Maybe your sister would be better off trying to get her JSA reinstated instead of annoying the social office staff. They hold too much power and can make life very difficult for your sister if they want to. If it was me I would just swallow my pride, get my JSA reinstated and then curse them to high hell after I leave the office.

mp22 · 07-10-2011 9:19am

Closed

Where to make a complaint?

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