Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

mrsbyrne

From todays Sunday Independent
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/extra-staff-needed-to-process-huge-volume-of-back-to-school-applications-2853859.html

Tinkerbell4484

mrsbyrne wrote: »

From todays Sunday Independent
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/extra-staff-needed-to-process-huge-volume-of-back-to-school-applications-2853859.html

I think there going to need more then 14 people

gerryandliza

im a believer wrote: »

i sent mine in on 2nd/3rd july, rang last friday still not processed, and to make it even worse it takes 3 or 4 working days for payment to go through! so even if it is dealt with on monday morning i wont get payment untill wed or thurs, talk about cutting it fine. ill tell you what though even when everyone gets payment eventually we need to ensure this does not happen next year, living on a low income or on social welfare is hard enough without this extra pressure.

It is indeed very stressful, I havent received my payment yet and I am not even showing on their system. My first child goes back this wednesday.

mrsbyrne

Tinkerbell4484 wrote: »

I think there going to need more then 14 people

At the best of times the Department wouldnt have been 14 people to spare, at this time of the year in particular. I think if they are going to run this scheme next year that they need to start processing it before 30 June. Thats if they run the scheme:(

kline64

Hi I put in my form for the BSCF Allowance on the 1st of july and have just rang them and was told its not even on their system yet & when i asked how long i could be waiting for she had no idea !! she said it could take maybe another 4 weeks!!! have to say i was very polite with her but her attitude sucked !!

lankz92

rang up today and there machine says there dealing with applications from the 12th
so id suggest anyone who sent them in befor that and havnt recieved payment to send the forms again

Tinkerbell4484

lankz92 wrote: »

rang up today and there machine says there dealing with applications from the 12th
so id suggest anyone who sent them in befor that and havnt recieved payment to send the forms again

Sent mine in on 12th... Hopefully I'll hear something soon.

cee_jay

There's currently an 8 week turnaround. If you haven't heard 8 weeks after you apply, then you should ring. However, they aren't actually able to tell you if they have received your application as they did not log them on receipt.

Shelli2

So if you sent them in with less than 8wks till the deadline, then you don't hear anything and they 'haven't received them' when the deadline arrives......???

They've really made a dogs dinner of this!

lucy2010

lankz92 wrote: »

rang up today and there machine says there dealing with applications from the 12th
so id suggest anyone who sent them in befor that and havnt recieved payment to send the forms again

I sent mine in the 6th & when I suggested resending she nearly diied at the horror that I would block up the system with a duplicate application.... So guess im waiting to see if I hear something by 6th september. To wait all this time to be told they lost it - wonder how many they " lost" ! Not a happy bunny ! Back to school next Tuesday - Thank christ for wonderful Grandparents !

im a believer

cant believe it just off the phone, they are now dealing with second week of july applications, she said if i sent it before this to re apply! RE APPLY!!!! oh my god im so fed up, i have done what i can over the last few weeks but that meant my bills were not being paid, so now i still dont have everything kids need and im in arrears with my esb etc. i feckin give up

Tinkerbell4484

im a believer wrote: »

cant believe it just off the phone, they are now dealing with second week of july applications, she said if i sent it before this to re apply! RE APPLY!!!! oh my god im so fed up, i have done what i can over the last few weeks but that meant my bills were not being paid, so now i still dont have everything kids need and im in arrears with my esb etc. i feckin give up

I'm in exactly the same situation as this regarding bills ect.. I rang yest & he told me to ring back in a week but I sent mine 12th July. It's gone beyond a joke at this stage

LegacyUser

whats the number to ring? i just keep getting answer machine

leannejoshua

Just got off the phone with good news ..... Finally !!!! My payment will be in my account 2moro morning !!! After being told that my form was more than likely lost !!! So maybe others that applied the first week will get some good news 2 !!!!

leannejoshua

bubbles 747 wrote: »

whats the number to ring? i just keep getting answer machine

1890662244 but dont press 1 just wait to speak to someone

bubbles747

thanks so much leannejoshua, gonna ring now

cee_jay

http://www.thejournal.ie/departments-six-week-backlog-in-processing-back-to-school-allowance-forms-208640-Aug2011/

LegacyUser

i just called after sending in 3 applications and they were able to tell me they had received mine dated 25th july and that it will probly be 3 weeks untill its processed not much help since the kids are back and going back next week but at least i know they have received it ,that alone was worrying me not knowing it if had been lost in the post i have already spent 800 on my son going to sencondary school and still not finished so im going to discuss with primary school if i can pay a lump and the rest when and if i get the btsca or out of my childrens allowance

Fran79

Hi
I received mine this morning in the bank - no letter as of yet. I sent my application in on the 7th July and its the first time I have ever applied for it.

Hopefully everyone who is entitled to it receives it soon.

Fran

gerryandliza

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0825/breaking14.html

Tinkerbell4484

I'm seriously starting to worry now.. I've still the books to get & 1 jumper.still no word of it.don't want to ring again & be told no..it's not here piss off!! It's all so stressful

jessiejam

If you have applied on or before the 12th of July give them a ring on 1890 662244 don't press any buttons and wait to speak to someone. Give them your pps no and ask them to check if you are on the system yet. If not ask them to send you out another application. The new application will come with a priority envelope to be sent to a specific section in the dept. Your application will then be dealt with quickly.

As there was a PO box number used as the return address for all applications, some of the apps have gone amiss or have not been sorted with an post yet. With so many apps going to the one po box number I'm thinking they weren't as prepared as they thought!

lucy2010

Finally my application is showing on their system. She said they dealing with apps dated 14th. Funnily enough how they are able to tell you know when yiur application was received but they couldnt to up until now. hmm. Anyway said should know in a few days please God .

gerryandliza

lucy2010 wrote: »

Finally my application is showing on their system. She said they dealing with apps dated 14th. Funnily enough how they are able to tell you know when yiur application was received but they couldnt to up until now. hmm. Anyway said should know in a few days please God .

That must be such a relief for you, heres hoping that you get your payment soon

Tinkerbell4484

lucy2010 wrote: »

Finally my application is showing on their system. She said they dealing with apps dated 14th. Funnily enough how they are able to tell you know when yiur application was received but they couldnt to up until now. hmm. Anyway said should know in a few days please God .

Really happy for you... Guna give them a ring tomorrow

heathcliff

Fran79 wrote: »

Hi
I received mine this morning in the bank - no letter as of yet. I sent my application in on the 7th July and its the first time I have ever applied for it.

Hopefully everyone who is entitled to it receives it soon.

Fran

Great to hear you are sorted now!!!
Fingers crossed for everyone else!!

Tinkerbell4484

I phoned them this morning to ask if there was any update,& they said it was in the post office this morning...so happy,went up & got the boys all sorted.
Hopefully the rest of you hear soon..I posted mine on 12th

LegacyUser

hi,maybe someone could give me advise?my DH lost his job on 18th july and than we apply for btscfa on 6th august becouse he was on JB,but he got new job on 9th august.today i got letter from them that i need to send his current payslip,just wondering why- becouse on time when our application was registred he was on JB,and now we dont recive any benefit,so this mean we will not get btscfa or they will look how our circumstances was on 6th august?

lucy2010

Tinkerbell4484 wrote: »

I phoned them this morning to ask if there was any update,& they said it was in the post office this morning...so happy,went up & got the boys all sorted.
Hopefully the rest of you hear soon..I posted mine on 12th

Delighted it arrived. Im hoping mines in Bank Monday or Tuesday. In all my panicing I got the date wrong that they are back to school. My poor little urchins would have been up there on Tuesday - on their tod ! Not back until Thursday so thats giving the SW 2 extra days to get it resolved before term . lol. Best of luck everyone else - starting to hear more & more people now receiving it .

gerryandliza

I phoned the number yet again today and spoke to a really helpful and polite woman. They are now working on applications which were received on the 15th. She also told me that they have the extra staff and are working overtime inc this weekend to clear the backlog. It does seem to be speeding up a bit. So here's hoping that this will be over real soon