Family Income Supplement - can the awarded amount be challenged?

Kotek Besar

Asking on behalf of one of my family members..

She started work (24 hours per week) at the end of November 2009 and immediately applied for Family Income Supplement. Application took 12 weeks to process, as expected.

Thing is, for the 12 weeks from starting work in November 2009 until end of Feb 2010, she did a lot of overtime, including Christmas Day (3x pay), and her pay for this 12 weeks was much higher than will be "normal". There will no longer be overtime available and she'll be working just her contracted 24 hours per week.

Her FIS application was approved and she was awarded a figure based on the average weekly earnings for the past 12 weeks, by dividing the total earned by 12. This, I feel, is unfair because for the next 40 weeks of the 52 week period for which FIS will be paid, the payable figure is fixed and will not change, even though this figure was calculated based on abnormally high earnings which were only temporary.

Can she contest the figure that was awarded? Or can she ask for her FIS claim to be stopped and then immediately re-apply? Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Eoineo

No, AFAIK it's awarded for a year and won't change for a year regardless of whether your circumstances change or not. If she is in financial hardship she can talk to the CWO about a one-off special needs payment.

yabadabado

they have the right to appeal the decision within 21days of recieving the award letter.they can send in any info that can back up the reason they are appealing the decision (payslips ,letter from employer etc).

tfromkerry

yabadabado wrote: »

they have the right to appeal the decision within 21days of recieving the award letter.they can send in any info that can back up the reason they are appealing the decision (payslips ,letter from employer etc).

Hi any idea why our fis payment was stopped . We got payment on the 10th of dec and nothing since . Our hours or wages have not changed so fis should,nt have been stopped . Any ideas as to why this has happened

SCOOP 64

This thread is 3 yrs old ,there are more up to date threads on here for FIS.

tfromkerry

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

This thread is 3 yrs old ,there are more up to date threads on here for FIS.

Yea i just started one myself

mrsbyrne

There could be any number of reasons why your payment stopped but the only way your going to sort it is by ringing them. Allow for at least 20 minutes on the phone

SCOOP 64

Might be better starting a new post in state benefits, you will get a better response
and some good advice.

tfromkerry

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Might be better starting a new post in state benefits, you will get a better response
and some good advice.

I have but still waiting on a reply :eek::eek:

tfromkerry

mrsbyrne wrote: »

There could be any number of reasons why your payment stopped but the only way your going to sort it is by ringing them. Allow for at least 20 minutes on the phone

But thats the thing there cant be no reason why is has been stopped , nothing has changed since we applied

SCOOP 64

Was it up for renewal?