After a 14 week wait...where do I stand?

Yrag2E

so I waited 14 weeks only to find out my claim had been closed a week after it was open.
I put in a claim in Jan but I needed to proof I didn't have control of my bank account. My bank or its head office would not deal with me at all. They would put me on to the debt collection agency. I return the letter from the collection agency stating they were going to seek the money. I was given the all clear that this was completely fine by the welfare that this would suffice. Thats it, all I had to produce, payslips from my Dad and proof I had no bank account.

I went over at 7 weeks to be told it may take up to 12 weeks. So I left it until 14 weeks and I return only to be told my claim was closed 7 days after I put it in because I hadn't returned the documentation they requested! so 14 weeks with zero money. Sick, Depressed, tension at home. So I argue a little but realise it will get me nowhere.

I had to put in a new claim. I explain that my last claim shouldn't have been closed because I returned the correct documents the next day. She checks my folder and finds the documents, runs off to ask a supervisor if they will do. Returns to tell me the supervisor would accept them. I ask her to make a note of it on the machine but it is treated like a new claim and I wont be backdated money from Jan and will probably have to wait another 12 weeks. She makes me write out what happened with the last claim. I'm getting treated like **** in that place.

This time I was requested to return a payslip for my dad and a mortgage statement, stating how much monthly repayments are. I get those and bring them over an hour later.
I'm 25 in less than a week. Do I still get means tested on my parents when I'm 25 and do I have any leg to stand on with regards the first claim.

Also I have one of those "looking for work forms" - I have applied for tons of jobs but I dont ever get replies or get an automated reply..should I stick those in??

any help, cheers

Looking for work form is retarded and should be half assed by you. They don't seem to care (they gave me one before).


As for your other issue, get contact information for someone above the people at the counters. It's a public service, so there's no doubt a copious amount of administration staffers that deal with this kind of thing.

Get an email address, phone number or address and write/type/ring/whatever to get in touch with someone.


You should get the payments backdated to your original claim. If they still have the documentation as you say they do, then the people in the ofice also know that you created a prior claim and have dated paperwork to prove such.


Get on their back and ride them hard about it, but be pleasant to them. Arguing with them will do you no good whatsoever (no matter how frustrated you are).


If/when you write to them, make sure you have your PPS number, etc. on any letters you send. Last thing you need is them having to contact you back to get trivial information you forgot to give them. Also try to get the dates you went to Welfare and the date of the original claim and the second one.

I don't see there being much issue with you getting sorted out by them and being backdated. It's possible that they did genuinely make a mistake and if so, that's understandable. The amount of paperwork they keep in their offices is ridiculous and I'd imagine they're under a lot of pressure as of late.


Have you visited a local health clinic or whatever they are. There are usually welfare officers assigned to these places that will pay you your dole money on behalf of welfare, pending your claim. When your claim is approved, the clinic take whatever amount they've given you out of your welfare back-dated payment (so you don't get anything extra, obviously).

OmeGar

Also Put it in Writing that you wish your claim to be Backdated to the original date. Then if they don't pay it, ask for it in writing from them on an official disqualification form so you can appeal it to the appeals office.

It might take a while if you have ot go that route, but it means you might get that money owed. But you need it in Writing. accept Nothing verbal. if you are submitting a letter ask them to photo copy it, and stamp the copy and get the person accepting it to sign it, in case it gets lost.

Yrag2E

cheers for the repsonse. My claim came through today but was not back dated from my original claim.

I did absolutely nothing different this time and they accepted the same documents as first time. I rang citizens advice and they advised me to write a letter outlining the circumstances of the first and second claim. Why I waited so long, documents etc etc..

F**king joke if you ask me.