Disability Allowance?

tomtom926a

hello. i am applying for DA and wondered would it be worth sending in letters from my doc, 2 physios and a sport injury therapist and a doc iv seen a few times when i couldn't see my own. is there anything i could do to increase my chances of getting accepted. my doc signed the form yesterday.

livemusic4life

tomtom926a wrote: »

hello. i am applying for DA and wondered would it be worth sending in letters from my doc, 2 physios and a sport injury therapist and a doc iv seen a few times when i couldn't see my own. is there anything i could do to increase my chances of getting accepted. my doc signed the form yesterday.

I'd recommend getting letters from absolutely everyone you've seen all saying that in their opinion you are going to be unfit for work for at least 12 months. I'm a trained sports injury therapist, so I'm not sure they'd be allowed to comment on how long you'll be unable to work, but get them to list the treatments you've had and for what. The higher their qualification, obviously the more weight it has. If you want to drop me a message, I'll see if I can help.

I'd also do a diary sample of how your illness/injury affects your daily life. 3 days should be enough.

WhiteWalls

How much is disability allowance for an adult?

Conas

I'm on disability allowance. The only person you'll need to visit is your doctor, and get him to fill out part of the DA form that is required from him, and he'll have to stamp it too. Then give it back to Social Welfare who will send it away to be assessed for approval.

This could take a few months to be approved, so you could be waiting a while.

You'll then get your payment into your bank account every week from then on, if you get accepted. You'll automatically get a 'Free Travel Pass' too.

Conas

WhiteWalls wrote: »

How much is disability allowance for an adult?

Same as Jobseekers €188.

WhiteWalls

Conas wrote: »

Same as Jobseekers €188.

Thanks, I was always of the opinion it was more

tomtom926a

livemusic4life wrote: »

I'd recommend getting letters from absolutely everyone you've seen all saying that in their opinion you are going to be unfit for work for at least 12 months. I'm a trained sports injury therapist, so I'm not sure they'd be allowed to comment on how long you'll be unable to work, but get them to list the treatments you've had and for what. The higher their qualification, obviously the more weight it has. If you want to drop me a message, I'll see if I can help.

I'd also do a diary sample of how your illness/injury affects your daily life. 3 days should be enough.

thank you for your reply. i am currently on a waiting list for hospital physio and the pain clinic and am now on a waiting list for a neurologist.

Dobs71

Conas wrote: »

I'm on disability allowance. The only person you'll need to visit is your doctor, and get him to fill out part of the DA form that is required from him, and he'll have to stamp it too. Then give it back to Social Welfare who will send it away to be assessed for approval.

Conas it was one of the frontline staff at my local social welfare office handed me a Disability Allowance application form to get filled out by my Doctor and I duly posted it off. I wish it was as simple as that for myself, Degenerative Osteoarthritis in both hips and one knee that require full replacements. I have this problem and is on going for twenty five years and may I add this is the first time I ever had been certified out of work due to OA. However my other knee is not really that good that it will also require surgery in the near future. I also have wicked pain in my back at times, I am also overweight and have other medical issues that I am on medication for.
Even after the required surgeries, in his words this should relieve the pain and improve my mobility and what shocked me was when he said that I should consider to retrain for suitable employment as I cant return to my previous job, the doctor I think was empathetic and wanted me to remain positive as he knows my financial status and I have to work to pay my Mortgage.
Did anybody ever get on disability with Degenerative Osteoarthritis?

livemusic4life

Dobs71 wrote: »

Conas wrote: »

I'm on disability allowance. The only person you'll need to visit is your doctor, and get him to fill out part of the DA form that is required from him, and he'll have to stamp it too. Then give it back to Social Welfare who will send it away to be assessed for approval.

Conas it was one of the frontline staff at my local social welfare office handed me a Disability Allowance application form to get filled out by my Doctor and I duly posted it off. I wish it was as simple as that for myself, Degenerative Osteoarthritis in both hips and one knee that require full replacements. I have this problem and is on going for twenty five years and may I add this is the first time I ever had been certified out of work due to OA. However my other knee is not really that good that it will also require surgery in the near future. I also have wicked pain in my back at times, I am also overweight and have other medical issues that I am on medication for.
Even after the required surgeries, in his words this should relieve the pain and improve my mobility and what shocked me was when he said that I should consider to retrain for suitable employment as I cant return to my previous job, the doctor I think was empathetic and wanted me to remain positive as he knows my financial status and I have to work to pay my Mortgage.
Did anybody ever get on disability with Degenerative Osteoarthritis?

I don't know but I have DDD degenerative disc disease affecting 4 discs and they didn't class it as sufficient. The amount of hoops you have to jump through is insane, along with the refusals, I got 4 and I couldn't even walk!

livemusic4life

tomtom926a wrote: »

thank you for your reply. i am currently on a waiting list for hospital physio and the pain clinic and am now on a waiting list for a neurologist.

Definitely write them a letter and explain that. They probably won't entertain your claim until after you have letters from the neurologist or pain management clinic.I'm not trying to be the voice of doom and gloom, just trying to prepare you for the horrible process that's before you. And despite the cost, register post everything. You would not believe how much get lost.....

tomtom926a

livemusic4life wrote: »

Definitely write them a letter and explain that. They probably won't entertain your claim until after you have letters from the neurologist or pain management clinic.I'm not trying to be the voice of doom and gloom, just trying to prepare you for the horrible process that's before you. And despite the cost, register post everything. You would not believe how much get lost.....

i could be waiting 6 months+ for my neurologist .. hse is so slow

livemusic4life

tomtom926a wrote: »

i could be waiting 6 months+ for my neurologist .. hse is so slow

that doesn't really matter to the DA people but you can apply and add stuff as you go. You'll be 4 months waiting for the DA to look at your stuff anyway. Best to have one specialist letter anyway before you apply. You shouldn't be that long waiting for pain management. (the DA people will just say you haven't proved you are a deserving case for the DA payment because you don't have sufficient evidence that you will be unfit for work for 12 months) honestly, i'm not trying to be horrible, just trying to let you know what they're like.

tomtom926a

livemusic4life wrote: »

that doesn't really matter to the DA people but you can apply and add stuff as you go. You'll be 4 months waiting for the DA to look at your stuff anyway. Best to have one specialist letter anyway before you apply. You shouldn't be that long waiting for pain management. (the DA people will just say you haven't proved you are a deserving case for the DA payment because you don't have sufficient evidence that you will be unfit for work for 12 months) honestly, i'm not trying to be horrible, just trying to let you know what they're like.

the waiting list for DA is a joke. my doctor referred me to the pain clinic late November last year .. im still waiting. it was late December when i asked him to refer me for hospital physio and still no letter from them. iv been waiting since October for a letter from the surgical day unit and only got a letter last week. my doctor ticked the indefinitely box in the how long is the condition expected to last section. i no your not trying to be horrible and i appreciate your help i really do. i have had to hand in my notice because i can no longer afford to pay my rent. i have to give up my home the only place i have felt at home for nearly 3 and a half years.

livemusic4life

tomtom926a wrote: »

the waiting list for DA is a joke. my doctor referred me to the pain clinic late November last year .. im still waiting. it was late December when i asked him to refer me for hospital physio and still no letter from them. iv been waiting since October for a letter from the surgical day unit and only got a letter last week. my doctor ticked the indefinitely box in the how long is the condition expected to last section. i no your not trying to be horrible and i appreciate your help i really do. i have had to hand in my notice because i can no longer afford to pay my rent. i have to give up my home the only place i have felt at home for nearly 3 and a half years.

I'm 32, had to leave my job and move home with my mother. Thankfully we get along well, but who wants to be living at home with their mother at 32, but i need someone for the days when i can't even put my socks on or get myself out of bed. Really, supplementary welfare, as inconvenient as it is, is the way forward financially, unless you're lucky enough to be on illness/ occupational injuries.

you may have to do what i did to be seen by the pain or neurologist. On the unofficial and completely off the books advice from a health care professional, the next time i got a flare up i admitted myself through a&e, stayed in for 3 days and eventually got an mri confirming the damage. While i was there i cried and begged to see anyone from neurology or PM. My pain was severe and real, but if they don't play a fair game then sometimes you don't either. I'm not proud of what i did and taking up a bed but it got my foot in the door to be pushed up the ladder for neurology and PM. Desperate times call for desperate measures....

And i really am sorry to hear you have to give up your home. Thats gut-wrenching sadly this is the process. Make sure you get a letter from the landlord. Because that will show you have no other option than DA. They seem to think we're all out to screw the system.

tomtom926a

livemusic4life wrote: »

I'm 32, had to leave my job and move home with my mother. Thankfully we get along well, but who wants to be living at home with their mother at 32, but i need someone for the days when i can't even put my socks on or get myself out of bed. Really, supplementary welfare, as inconvenient as it is, is the way forward financially, unless you're lucky enough to be on illness/ occupational injuries.

you may have to do what i did to be seen by the pain or neurologist. On the unofficial and completely off the books advice from a health care professional, the next time i got a flare up i admitted myself through a&e, stayed in for 3 days and eventually got an mri confirming the damage. While i was there i cried and begged to see anyone from neurology or PM. My pain was severe and real, but if they don't play a fair game then sometimes you don't either. I'm not proud of what i did and taking up a bed but it got my foot in the door to be pushed up the ladder for neurology and PM. Desperate times call for desperate measures....

And i really am sorry to hear you have to give up your home. Thats gut-wrenching sadly this is the process. Make sure you get a letter from the landlord. Because that will show you have no other option than DA. They seem to think we're all out to screw the system.

i feel your pain .. i have days where it takes a half hour to just get out of bed. if i dont have 2 crutches when im out and about i will fall over or my knees will buckle. my pains gotten to the point where il get shakes in my hands when its really bad. i dont get along with my family at all. me and my mother aint talking. have not spoken to her in 9 months said she doesnt care that im in pain .. she only cares about herself and money. i have no choice but to ask my uncle if i can stay with him. never thought i would get to the stage where the dole office would just look at me and say "why are you looking for work in your condition". i now have to pack 3 and a half years of my life into cardboard boxes and be moved out by aug 4th

tomtom926a

people stare at me when im out and about probably wondering why iv got crutches .. i cant make 1 flight of stairs without having to take a breather. iv been accused of faking my pain ... pretending just to get benefits .. doing it because im lazy but nobody gets the toll constant pain has on your health both emotionally physically mentally. it can strain friendships,relationships,your job. its the people that judge that don't have to cry themselves to sleep because there in so much pain AND CANT GET ANY COMFORT. THE ONLY ONES WHO TRULY GET IT ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME BOAT.

Forest Demon

tomtom926a wrote: »

people stare at me when im out and about probably wondering why iv got crutches .. i cant make 1 flight of stairs without having to take a breather. iv been accused of faking my pain ... pretending just to get benefits .. doing it because im lazy but nobody gets the toll constant pain has on your health both emotionally physically mentally. it can strain friendships,relationships,your job. its the people that judge that don't have to cry themselves to sleep because there in so much pain AND CANT GET ANY COMFORT. THE ONLY ONES WHO TRULY GET IT ARE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME BOAT.

You are right. I think we are all a bit guilty of judging others unless we go through the same ourselves. I used to get impatient with my Mother because I felt she should just get on with it and there was always something wrong with her etc. I actually used to resent her for being sick and felt she milked it. I have been crippled with pain over the past 5 years with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. I was already Bipolar and exercise was the only thing that helped me for this. Its like my body knew the perfect combination of conditions to **** up my life. I now can't work and have been abandoned my previous friends. I now know exactly what it is like and do not judge anyone in pain or otherwise. I am lucky to have a loving wife and family that support me as otherwise I don't think I would bother going on. Having worked for 18 years and studying in the evenings to get a degree and then masters I do feel hard done by sometimes but I am trying to focus on what quality of life I can have and what I can do. To some people when they see me on some days I look like there is not a thing wrong with me and I am sure they look at me and think I am a lazy bastard. Little do they know that I have not slept in days and I am dealing with excruciating pain in my joints and spine. They don't see the storm in my head that I am battling with the bipolar. You have to live it to know.

tomtom926a

that's so true .. i battled clinical depression for years and it almost got the better of me. there is nothing worse then your own imaginings.

Cyvad

Had my oral hearing a few weeks back. Got a letter this morning saying that the appeal was allowed. Am I right in saying that they have to give me DA now? Or is there some other hoop that they will try and make jump through. I'm so tired of it all at this stage.

livemusic4life

Cyvad wrote: »

Had my oral hearing a few weeks back. Got a letter this morning saying that the appeal was allowed. Am I right in saying that they have to give me DA now? Or is there some other hoop that they will try and make jump through. I'm so tired of it all at this stage.

I think its just the means test now that you have to satisfy. If you've got no earnings and not much savings then you'll be fine. It wasn't an issue for me anyway. You should get another letter soon with your means on it, and then another letter stating the date of your first payment. Should all be sorted in about 4 weeks. Might take a while for your arrears to be sorted though.

Cyvad

livemusic4life wrote: »

I think its just the means test now that you have to satisfy. If you've got no earnings and not much savings then you'll be fine. It wasn't an issue for me anyway. You should get another letter soon with your means on it, and then another letter stating the date of your first payment. Should all be sorted in about 4 weeks. Might take a while for your arrears to be sorted though.

Do I need to contact them or will they send the forms out to me?

livemusic4life

Cyvad wrote: »

Do I need to contact them or will they send the forms out to me?

It should have been part of your initial application. If your circumstances have changed since you applied, then you should definitely contact them.

Disability Allowance

Ballinalee Road, Longford

Telephone 043 334 0000
LoCall 1890 927 770

Cyvad

I remember that now you mention it. It's that long ago since I filled the form out that I'd forgotten. Thank you!

livemusic4life

Cyvad wrote: »

I remember that now you mention it. It's that long ago since I filled the form out that I'd forgotten. Thank you!

You're welcome, and best of luck. And I should say congratulations because its not easy to get the successful verdict.

olliesgirl55

livemusic4life wrote: »

I think its just the means test now that you have to satisfy. If you've got no earnings and not much savings then you'll be fine. It wasn't an issue for me anyway. You should get another letter soon with your means on it, and then another letter stating the date of your first payment. Should all be sorted in about 4 weeks. Might take a while for your arrears to be sorted though.

I think they are behind in processing claims for people who won their appeal. I got my letter June 13th and haven't heard anything yet. Called today and was told they are processing the very start of June and it could be another 3 weeks before they get to me. So it looks like it's taking 2.5 weeks to process a week of claims.

My first call to them was the end of June and they told me 4 weeks and then I called the end of July and they said they were on May 23rd so it should be 2 to 3 weeks. Now today they are only on the start of June so it's slow going.

I guess we all have to have patience:( The wait is the hardest part.

livemusic4life

olliesgirl55 wrote: »

I think they are behind in processing claims for people who won their appeal. I got my letter June 13th and haven't heard anything yet. Called today and was told they are processing the very start of June and it could be another 3 weeks before they get to me. So it looks like it's taking 2.5 weeks to process a week of claims.

My first call to them was the end of June and they told me 4 weeks and then I called the end of July and they said they were on May 23rd so it should be 2 to 3 weeks. Now today they are only on the start of June so it's slow going.

I guess we all have to have patience:( The wait is the hardest part.

Thats a pretty stiff wait :eek: hopefully people won't be waiting too long to get their payment or news they've been waiting for.

olliesgirl55

livemusic4life wrote: »

Thats a pretty stiff wait :eek: hopefully people won't be waiting too long to get their payment or news they've been waiting for.

I know my original application was Jan and I was refused and appealed in March and got my oral hearing 6 weeks later. The appeal allowed letter came 3 weeks later. Been waiting for it to be processed since then.
I know the wait had been longer in recent years but I think last year they switched over to a new computer system which was supposed to speed up processing times.
In June they were processing more applications but slowed down in July and now August probably due to employees taking holidays and such. I don't begrudge them that because they work very hard. However to them we are just a file but to us processing our claims means we get the free bus pass and have option to have payment into our banks which is a godsend to people. Also the small extras (household benefits) help us a great deal especially with winter approaching soon.
Hopefully they will start speeding up processing again soon:)

PS currently I think they are taking 10 weeks to process claims for people who won their appeals. That's my guess based on the calls I have made over the last two months

Thewife

Does anyone know if you can claim disability allowance when receiving a state contributory pension?

flutered

Thewife wrote: »

Does anyone know if you can claim disability allowance when receiving a state contributory pension?

one can only claim one welfare payment at the time.

olliesgirl55

Just wanted to let everybody know that I got my letter today saying my disability is processed and will get my first payment on Sep 3rd. So my journey took 9 months to complete. I am so happy. So from lodging my appeal to first payment took 24 weeks. I should have my free travel pass next week (it's the new card version), Also Household Benefits told me I would be paid arrears back to Jan ( I have zero means) I was pleasantly surprised by this news.

I am on JSA right now and obviously will be collecting my regular payment next Monday; however I am not sure what to do the week after. Do I collect my JSA payment on Monday Sep 1 and go to the signing office on the 2nd which is my sign date to let them know I am on disability? I am due the living alone increase arrears back to January so if they pay me the full JSA payment on Sep 1 and that turns out to be an error they will be able to take it out of my arrears. Wish the letter would have explained this. If anybody can answer this I would greatly appreciate this.:)