Feeling deeply angry and demoralised

miec

I want to rant here and maybe some online sympathy as well, but mainly the ranting as I am sure many of you have faced or face similar walls. To cut to the chase basically I applied for JSA (job seekers allowance, the one that is means tested), I didn't have enough recent credits for JSB and I live with my partner, therefore it needed to be means tested. I went in with all the documents and necessary paperwork. I live in a rural area between two counties, I sign on in one county, but, the dole inspector came from the other county. I heard nothing from the inspector until I rang the dole office asking about my claim. It turned out that the office dealing with my claim had not sent down my paperwork to the inspector so he knew nothing about me. He came out to see me very promptly once he got the paperwork (I wish that office was dealing with my claim) and was grand, I am now waiting four weeks since he came out even though I was told I'll get a letter within two to three weeks. I rang the office that is dealing with my claim but I got fobbed off with a lame answer of we don't know when your claim will be dealt with, there is a backlog, although in fairness the person said he'll look at my file.

Then I rang up citizens advice bureau to get some information on making a complaint and the daft ****ing bitch annoyed me so much. I almost expect to get fobbed of by the dole but not citizens advice bureau, she gives me the spiel of, they have a backlog, etc, and I said Im waiting four months and she says its not that long. I said we can't buy oil for the heating and at this rate we will have to sell the car because things are just getting tighter and tighter, we've maxed the credit card and don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, and we are struggling by the end of the month to buy food its getting that bad. Yes my partner works but we are just over the limit to get any form of assistance other than a medical card. I believe I'll get a half payment from the dole but I am not fully sure. I've been applying for jobs every day but no joy (sure there's thousands out there like me). The woman in the citizens advice bureau kept passing out platitudes of just be patient, they're very busy etc, etc and I eventually said Im hanging up now because you are seriously annoying me with your pat answers, I am looking for advice not your opinions and I then hung up. I rang a general social welfare number asking about who I can complain to and the male receptionist said four months isn't that long, there are people waiting longer, and I felt like screaming at this point. Oh yes the daft bint in citizens advice bureau said there was no point in complaining because it will take three months for them to respond. Anyhow dickhead in the social welfare office put me through to a phone that didn't answer and I eventually hung up in frustration. I almost feel like crying at the moment, I don't want to be in this situation, I mainly try to keep positive and count my blessings but today I feel dragged down by it all. I just want to know either way will I get the jsa or not, at least then there is no more uncertainty and I am so angry at being told four months is not long. It is when you have no money at all, and my partner has to support me and my child on a small amount of money. Thanks for listening.

tommy21

miec wrote: »

I want to rant here and maybe some online sympathy as well, but mainly the ranting as I am sure many of you have faced or face similar walls. To cut to the chase basically I applied for JSA (job seekers allowance, the one that is means tested), I didn't have enough recent credits for JSB and I live with my partner, therefore it needed to be means tested. I went in with all the documents and necessary paperwork. I live in a rural area between two counties, I sign on in one county, but, the dole inspector came from the other county. I heard nothing from the inspector until I rang the dole office asking about my claim. It turned out that the office dealing with my claim had not sent down my paperwork to the inspector so he knew nothing about me. He came out to see me very promptly once he got the paperwork (I wish that office was dealing with my claim) and was grand, I am now waiting four weeks since he came out even though I was told I'll get a letter within two to three weeks. I rang the office that is dealing with my claim but I got fobbed off with a lame answer of we don't know when your claim will be dealt with, there is a backlog, although in fairness the person said he'll look at my file.

Then I rang up citizens advice bureau to get some information on making a complaint and the daft ****ing bitch annoyed me so much. I almost expect to get fobbed of by the dole but not citizens advice bureau, she gives me the spiel of, they have a backlog, etc, and I said Im waiting four months and she says its not that long. I said we can't buy oil for the heating and at this rate we will have to sell the car because things are just getting tighter and tighter, we've maxed the credit card and don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, and we are struggling by the end of the month to buy food its getting that bad. Yes my partner works but we are just over the limit to get any form of assistance other than a medical card. I believe I'll get a half payment from the dole but I am not fully sure. I've been applying for jobs every day but no joy (sure there's thousands out there like me). The woman in the citizens advice bureau kept passing out platitudes of just be patient, they're very busy etc, etc and I eventually said Im hanging up now because you are seriously annoying me with your pat answers, I am looking for advice not your opinions and I then hung up. I rang a general social welfare number asking about who I can complain to and the male receptionist said four months isn't that long, there are people waiting longer, and I felt like screaming at this point. Oh yes the daft bint in citizens advice bureau said there was no point in complaining because it will take three months for them to respond. Anyhow dickhead in the social welfare office put me through to a phone that didn't answer and I eventually hung up in frustration. I almost feel like crying at the moment, I don't want to be in this situation, I mainly try to keep positive and count my blessings but today I feel dragged down by it all. I just want to know either way will I get the jsa or not, at least then there is no more uncertainty and I am so angry at being told four months is not long. It is when you have no money at all, and my partner has to support me and my child on a small amount of money. Thanks for listening.

That's really tough, sorry to hear. Sounds like you've cut everything to the bone. Your probably have, but have you tried contacting MABS? Have you any credit union savings you could use to apply for a long-term loan (on the basis that you think you have a fair to middling chance of getting a payment) to get you through the waiting period, though speak to MABS first. As for citizens advice bureau, you may have got unlucky with the person. I find its better to go in in person if you can (maybe try a different office though), they can't fob you off then. There is a citizens advice member after signing up officially, Graham is his name (sticky in main forum). Perhaps contact him?

uoluol

I can totally understand how frustrated you are, but really try not to take it out on the staff in the social welfare office or citizens advice centres - just because they aren't giving you the answers you want/deserve to hear.

The reality is that social welfare offices are in crisis, they can't cope. Any organisation that had it's workload doubled (and in many cases tripled) in less than a year with less staff is not going to be able to provide the service that the public deserves. The unfortunate reality of this is that massive backlogs have built up, and even the little amounts of overtime given is not even making a dent in this backlog.

I'm sure the staff in Citizen Advice are under just as much pressure, trying to deal with frustrated and understandably angry people.

But the sad reality is that you really will have to wait. If you are entitled to any payment, it will be backdated. There is no point in wasting your time contacting the Community Welfare Officer, as you probably won't get any payment as there is some income coming into your household.

Complain by all means, but I would advise you to direct your complaints to the politicians, because they might listen. I'm sorry that may not be the news you want to hear, but no point in telling you anything else other than the truth.

tommy21

tommy21 wrote: »

That's really tough, sorry to hear. Sounds like you've cut everything to the bone. Your probably have, but have you tried contacting MABS? Have you any credit union savings you could use to apply for a long-term loan (on the basis that you think you have a fair to middling chance of getting a payment) to get you through the waiting period, though speak to MABS first. As for citizens advice bureau, you may have got unlucky with the person. I find its better to go in in person if you can (maybe try a different office though), they can't fob you off then. There is a citizens advice member after signing up officially, Graham is his name (sticky in main forum). Perhaps contact him?

edit: just to add when I said "fob you off" I don't mean this is the normal response they would give you. Most are very helpful and as the poster below me has said, are stretched to their limits already.

SIX PACK

I can just imagine how you feel its unacceptable to hav to wait that long- but if you go down to your community welfare Officer on monday he will write you a cheque to keep you going while you wait for your jobs seekers benefit to get sorted. thats what i had to do in February when i lost my job the waiting times in Portlaoise was 12 to 16 weeks at the time so after 3 weeks

i went to my community welfare officer he wrote me a cheque to cover 2 weeks had to go back 3 times - then when your claim is accepted they just deduct what they gave you already.
best of luck

Xiney

Six Pack - if your income is over a certain limit the CWO won't give you squat. I was in the same situation as miec for 5 months before I got payment. I think we're both at the Galway office as well. They seem to be the worst one in the country, going by the JSA/JSB waiting time survey thread.

Miec, I'm so sorry that you're having such a hard time right now. I had a bit of a meltdown over my JSA application about a month ago as well - I'd been into the office to find out what the feck was taking so long and I was, I thought, fobbed off by the woman there after waiting for 2.5 hours to talk to her. She said she'd follow up on it and I asked her if I'd get some kind of response as to the outcome of her inquiry and she just about bit my head off! I actually had to duck into a pub and have a cry in the bathroom afterwards because I was just so frustrated and feeling quite hard done by, especially since the woman treated me so poorly. I mean seriously, this isn't exactly a fantastic time for my self esteem, no need to treat me like gum at the bottom of your shoe. Well and fine for you with your job that you hate, I'll take it if you don't want it.

The good news is that she seemed to actually follow it up: I got a phone call from someone within a few days, and within two weeks everything was sorted and I had payment.

So I know right now you just feel awful, but keeping at them does seem to work. Four months is too long to wait and the more people you point out your predicament out to the better chance of something getting done for you. Chin up darling, it'll all work out.

IT Loser

MIEC:

Sorry to hear about your predicament. I am not going to pretend how that feels, because I dont.

However, I think, unfortunately, you are just going to have to sweat it out.

Did you apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance? I cannot conclude from your post whether you did or not.

That would be worth a try.

Wuggectumondo

If you contact your local health clinic I think they can organise an income until your Dole comes through??

miec

Hi all

Thanks for the lovely replies. In answer to some questions, first of all anyone I have dealt with in the social welfare office I have always been polite, courteous and have thanked them. I know they are under pressure, I know they have a backlog and I know I am expected to wait but financially our backs are up against the wall as the longer we wait the more bills stack up. We have no savings (no credit union etc) as prior to meeting my partner I was in college and was on lone parents. The minute I met him I came of lone parent. He had just come out of a legal seperation so neither of us had much cash. I have been applying for jobs like crazy but no joy yet.

I am not entitled to any money from the community welfare officer, I went to him long ago, he was really, really lovely but he said he could do nothing. When I rang citizens advice bureau all I wanted was information on how to complain about the waiting times for jsa, not her opinion, just information. For those of you who want to know, I found out myself, you can get a form from http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW104/Pages/CommentsorComplaints.aspx
They also outline how to take things further if needed. I am going to wait for another week and see what happens, then ring the office to say I want to make a complaint, I know its not their fault but its not mine either, and I am not willing to wait for five or six months and remain silent about it because we need to buy oil for heating, my partner needs to service his car which gets him to work, I need to buy my son a coat, yes we can pay our rent, just about get food (we buy the cheapest stuff which is fine), petrol for the car and pay our electricity but that is it.

Tommy21 the mabs idea is a good one and I'll go to them and see if they can help or advice us.

Xiney thanks for your advice, maybe the man I spoke with will 'actually look at my file'. Thanks again everyone.

GER12

Just to let you know that there is a waiting list for MABS - your best bet is to try their telephone information service.... I can fully understand how frustrating it is when dealing with certain arms of the public service (or lack thereof) - rude and insensitive behaviour - govt departments now not answering telephones - and as for arguments they are inundated - no excuse as far as I am concerned - they are there to provide a public service and do the job which they are getting paid for - and if these people cant do it - there are many people who are claiming jobseekers who'd be quite willing and able to do their job!

If you feel you want to put in a complaint read the customer charter of the DSFA what it say's.... and how does the service that they delve out to its customers compare???? I have to say your experience of citizens information would be isolated - they are generally most helpful!

As a complete sideline for bedtime reading - I recommend reading the controller and auditor general annual report 2008 for analysis of MABS - the 16.22 million it cost to run the 51 local and 2 national companies in MABS in 2008 and as of May 2009 the fact there was only 252 staff employed in all MABS companies - meaning there was less than two clients being dealt with by each staff member on average per week costing just less than 1000 euros per client.... guess which Dept is responsible for MABS - got it in one the DSFA!

miec

Just to let you know that there is a waiting list for MABS - your best bet is to try their telephone information service....

Why am I not suprised, thanks for that. It seems the whole country is in meltdown at the moment and we are all the poor ****ers dealing with the fall out. My partner just joked there about I'd shoot myself only there's queue for the gun - he appeals to my dark sense of humour.

GER12

You have to see the funny side of things!

And the best of all is that in the current economic environment with staff in the DSFA supposedly being inundated we are now hearing that they are receiving training in suicide prevention to help identify claimants who may be at risk - wonder what genius systems and protocols they are going to come up with or put in place - the Depts genius solution to our unemployment crisis and waiting times - having a bunch of bureaucratic clerical workers - classifying people as being at risk - what next referring you and linking in with psych services on your behalf????

maxwell smart

Miec

You should call into the Citzens Advice Bureau if you can, I was let go a couple of weeks ago and called into them straight away. They told me exactly what I was entitled to and where to go to get it sorted out. I went down to the dole with all my information and got my payment in 4 DAYS! Now that is efficient. I think the office has this trial system going on to speed up payments.
I was also amazed that the wait was only 25 mins to be seen. And there were very few people in the office queueing up. It was not what I was expecting.
Its the Newbridge office for information.
But keep the spirits up, things will turn around.

miec

Hi Maxwell Smart

Oh how I wish I was signing on at the Newbridge office, unfortunately, whilst I live in Co. Kildare, I have to sign on in an office in Portarlington because I live on the border of Co. Laois, when I originally made my claim I had all the paperwork (thanks to the info on boards) so that side was fine, but the office I'm dealing with is notoriously slow.

GER12, why am I not suprised, instead of training the overworked and overstressed staff of the DFSA just take some of us umemployed here and employ extra staff, that will decrease the workload, speed up claims and they won't have to bother with these stupid, stupid ideas, just employ more people then we don't have to wait months and months, ringing up stressed out or worrying how to meet bills.