JSA / JSB Waiting times Survey

Podman

Around two months from JSA application to payment, including the Christmas break.
Mid Dec to mid Feb.


I had returned from being abroad on a visitor's visa, and while my claim was being processed by SW, I had to go to the Community Warfare Officer because I didn't have a bean to live on.

She wouldn't process my application that day, even though I had all the documents I needed. She got the form and stuck it in a drawer, I couldn't believe it. She didn't want to bother with it in her last week before Christmas, too inconvenient I suppose.

All through January I returned every week, she didn't believe any of my story and went so far as to self-righteously suggest that American Airlines "don't even fly into Dublin", even though I had the tickets in front of me. I knew everything I wanted to know about her at that point.

Eventually she did her job and everything was fine, but not before I had to fill out an Immigrant form and queue up again. In the section that says "how long have you been in Ireland?" I wrote 39 years. I hope her boss sees it

A few years ago in Finglas..

tommy21

chompy wrote: »

Community Warfare Officer

That just about describes it!

oglaigh

Got the letter today saying JSA will be in the post office tomorrow.
9 week wait. Long but had been told it would be about a 12 week wait.
That was in Bishops square.

Catscar

8 weeks to the day that I signed on for jobseekers benefit I got my 1st cheque, but it was less than half what I was expecting. They didnt give me anything for my children or husband. I rang and was told it was gone to the social welfare officer for assessment.

My husband has not worked or claimed for six years as he was self employed and has been out of work since 04 due to illness. All they need do is check his PPS number and they can clearly see he was neither claiming or working.

satory

Got my letter today saying I was accepted for JSA, and it will be paid by cheque. Rang the office to see if I need to go in and collect the cheque each week or will it be posted out, and the guy hung up on me.

So does the cheque come in the post each week, or do I actually have to go in and collect it(which I could probably do each week with the slip hand up)?

Dempo1

I assume you have been waiting a while, they normally pay into your designated post office, kinda surprised they are paying you by cheque, when you applied, did they not ask where your nearest post office was? if they are paying by cheque, i presume it will take a few days. Also, amazed you actually got someone to ansewer a phone at a swo, albeit they they predictably hang up, god bless them, it must have been coffee break. Anyway its good news your application was processed!

Dempo1

Catscar wrote: »

8 weeks to the day that I signed on for jobseekers benefit I got my 1st cheque, but it was less than half what I was expecting. They didnt give me anything for my children or husband. I rang and was told it was gone to the social welfare officer for assessment.

My husband has not worked or claimed for six years as he was self employed and has been out of work since 04 due to illness. All they need do is check his PPS number and they can clearly see he was neither claiming or working.

Unfortunately this is not the case, self employed people are treated very differently and his PPS number won't tell the SW very much. I fear one major question that will be asked is why your husband has neither worked or indeed claimed anything since 04, the question will then lead to how you both survived, what where his means etc.

satory

Dempo1 wrote: »

I assume you have been waiting a while, they normally pay into your designated post office, kinda surprised they are paying you by cheque, when you applied, did they not ask where your nearest post office was? if they are paying by cheque, i presume it will take a few days. Also, amazed you actually got someone to ansewer a phone at a swo, albeit they they predictably hang up, god bless them, it must have been coffee break. Anyway its good news your application was processed!

Yeah I assumed the post office as well but when I returned for my meeting with them with all the documentation I was told I didn't need to fill out the post office section.


Yeah I'm kind of lucky, had my meeting 1st July so all in all not too long like a mate who's been waiting approx 10 weeks and was told last week it could even be another 4 before he hears anything.

johnbon1963

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has a rough estimate on the waiting time for job seekers allowance in the Navan social Welfare branch? I have been waiting for 5 weeks now, and tried to call them loads of times to ask how long is the waiting list, however they refuse to answer there phones.

Thanks guys

Edgedinblue

satory wrote: »

Yeah I'm kind of lucky, had my meeting 1st July so all in all not too long like a mate who's been waiting approx 10 weeks and was told last week it could even be another 4 before he hears anything.

Just wondering where abouts you are?! waiting on mine 6weeks now!

simba

I've been waiting 10 weeks so far. Think it's a 16 week wait though.

johnbon1963

Thanks, I was considering going down to them, and asking where i am on the list, but dont know if it is worth it... calling them is a lost cause! 8 times i rang last friday and got nothing :mad:

notsobusy

They don't answer the phones in Navan. I have been waiting since April and before that I had applied to the Ardee office back in October, we moved so I had to move my claim to Navan. Anytime I went in they couldn't tell anything except that my claim was with the inspector. I have been getting payments from the CWO since April.

30H!3

That's a disgraceful amount of time to have to wait, is it like that all over the country now ?

rockape

applied for jsa 1st may and still haven't got it. getting paid a reduced rate from welfare officer. rang every office i could think of and was told i just have to wait for a call from the inspector. god knows when that will be. i'm due to start a degree course in sept but if my jsa isn't sorted i won't be eligible for the btea and will have to give up the course as welfare officer wont pay you when you're in full time education and i cant live on fresh air. :mad:

the GALL

waiting 6 weeks for jsa
applied to gorey office on the 26 of may
shower of whores

notsobusy

After waiting for 9 months I finally got a letter from the SW telling me I have been denied JSA. They said that I've not been there when they have called several times, this is untrue, they have never called as far as I am aware and that I haven't been able to prove that my weekly means are less than €204. I am furious, going in to have it out with them this morning.

Lux23

Applied for JSB on 3rd August and I am will be picking up my first payment tomorrow. I applied in the Navan Road dole office.

Grim_Wreeper

Applied over 2 months ago, means test scheduled for the end of Auguest but got moved up to two weeks ago. Then was told that it could take 7-8 weeks to process it! North Tipp.

Recon

I applied early June, had my meeting and was means tested 2 weeks later. I was told I was eligible for around €156 a week on the one where you don't have to be means tested (is that benefit?) and to get means tested to see if I would be entitled to the full €196 on allowance.

Haven't heard anything since then.

Jafin

I went in to my local office in Ennis on the 6th/7th of July, not 100% sure, and just told them that I my hours had been cut so that I was only working 3 days per week. I had a meeting the next week, just in one of the hatches, not with an inspector (I don't think), and still haven't gotten any payment.


I have to fill out white slips every week with the days I work, but every Wednesday I get a green slip in the post asking me to write out the days I worked for the week previous, even though I have already left in the slips they gave me!


Does anyone know is this normal or should I be going into them? I absolutely hate talking to people in situations like this so would much rather not having to go into them, but if it has to be done it has to be done. I know that another girl at work is on the same thing, and she was waiting over two months, but that was because she had never left in a form that she was supposed to.

Thanks in advance.

Cocolola

Social Welfare Office: Limerick
Social Welfare Payment: JB
Application Date: 10th August 2010
Weeks from Application to Payment: 1 week
Backdated to 10th June 2010

A V A

waiting 6 weeks for jsa
applied to gorey office on the 26 of may
shower of whores

i applied last january for job seekers allowance after loosing my job , i only got it at the start of july so thats 7 motnhs i had to wait

it was ridiculous !!!!

metamorphosis

There seems to be a huge discrepancy between waiting times for Benefits versus allowance. People on JSA seem to be waiting much longer. Is that because it is means tested?

AnnyHallsal

Yeah, it's because you're not automatically entitled, I think. The process has to be more thorough.

Dempo1

ULstudent wrote: »

There seems to be a huge discrepancy between waiting times for Benefits versus allowance. People on JSA seem to be waiting much longer. Is that because it is means tested?

No there is no Bias when it comes to the Dept of SW, Sadly they appear not to discriminate between JSB & JSA, Whilst the means test does take a little time the delays are being put down to staff shortages. It also very much appears to depend on where you live. There are horrific stories, some streching back 9 months on claims being processed, albeit some of these claims may have had complications such as a previously self employed person applying or a partner working etc. Its quite extraordinary some of the delays and there little anyone can do.

Podman

notsobusy wrote: »

After waiting for 9 months I finally got a letter from the SW telling me I have been denied JSA. They said that I've not been there when they have called several times, this is untrue, they have never called as far as I am aware and that I haven't been able to prove that my weekly means are less than €204. I am furious, going in to have it out with them this morning.

9 months? **** ****

That happened to me once, it turned out that the inspector got my address wrong

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055978873

Peter Abs

Jesus.. some serious horror stories on here.. i have no idea what to do now at this stage myself, i've been waiting over 3 months, handed in everything straight away done my interview 2 months ago, went in and asked several times and keep gettin treated very badly! this is in limerick and everytime i go in they say it hasn't been processed yet and a load of crap really. I've absolutely 0 income at the moment and worked only 4 days since the 17th may. I really don't understand how they expect us to survive like! And can anybody please kindly tell me if going to the clinic slows down OR speeds up the process?? If anybody knows for definite.

Cheers.

Podman

Peter Abs wrote: »

Jesus.. some serious horror stories on here.. i have no idea what to do now at this stage myself, i've been waiting over 3 months, handed in everything straight away done my interview 2 months ago, went in and asked several times and keep gettin treated very badly! this is in limerick and everytime i go in they say it hasn't been processed yet and a load of crap really. I've absolutely 0 income at the moment and worked only 4 days since the 17th may. I really don't understand how they expect us to survive like! And can anybody please kindly tell me if going to the clinic slows down OR speeds up the process?? If anybody knows for definite.

Cheers.

As far as I know, a support application at the health clinic has no bearing on the speed of your claim being processed. They do use the same computer system though, and it's linked, so they will know whether you have put in a claim or not.
You need to have made a sw claim before they will consider giving you anything from the clinic.

You should go to the clinic and get a weekly amount to survive on until your claim gets sorted out. There is a form to fill out so bring your documents.

They usually only operate on certain days, so get there early, like 9.30 or 10am as they only stay open for a short time. Here is some Limerick info, but these might be the opening times of the general nurse's clinic, rather than the social worker, so make sure yourself.

The health officer you will see at the clinic has to vet you, and will probably ask you a series of leading questions to try to catch you out.
Although some of them relish this, they really are just doing their job, so don't let the stories put you off.

Peter Abs

chompy wrote: »

As far as I know, a support application at the health clinic has no bearing on the speed of your claim being processed. They do use the same computer system though, and it's linked, so they will know whether you have put in a claim or not.
You need to have made a sw claim before they will consider giving you anything from the clinic.

You should go to the clinic and get a weekly amount to survive on until your claim gets sorted out. There is a form to fill out so bring your documents.

They usually only operate on certain days, so get there early, like 9.30 or 10am as they only stay open for a short time. Here is some Limerick info, but these might be the opening times of the general nurse's clinic, rather than the social worker, so make sure yourself.

The health officer you will see at the clinic has to vet you, and will probably ask you a series of leading questions to try to catch you out.
Although some of them relish this, they really are just doing their job, so don't let the stories put you off.

I was thinking since the clinic will be after their money back from the dole this might hurry things along maybe? but i wasn't sure of how logical that actually is... Thanks very much for the info man, will definitely check it out. Cheers.