JSA claim closed because I missed appointment

2qk4u

I got an appointment for 12pm last Tuesday in relation to my claim for JSA which I applied for at the end of February. On the Friday before it I got offered a full time job and I had to go for induction training on the Friday, by the time I got out the local welfare office was closed, the Monday was a bank holiday, the job started with a night shift on Tuesday night so I had to stay in bed as late on Tuesday as I could which meant I missed my appointment, I had no way of contacting the welfare office as they dont answer the phone. I arrived 2 hours late for the appointment and explained about the new job.
A couple of days later I got a letter saying the my claim was closed as I had missed the appointment.
Why would they close a claim because someone cant make it to an appointment and cant contact them because they wont answer the phone ?
I feel I am entitled to get paid for the period of my claim.
What do I do now ?

snubbleste

Lodge an appeal in writing.

2qk4u

Is there any point going into the office ? If I lodge an appeal I could be waiting a long time for them to deal with it.

I still cant believe they get away with treating people like this, they make you wait months with no income, they dont answer the phone and then when I miss the appointment my claim is just closed.
Surely they should get in touch and ask why I missed or even give me a chance to explain.
Should I go to my local TD ? I really feel that this is a very unfair way to treat people.

yabadabado

Could you not have gone to the appointment at 12 and then gone back to bed?

cee_jay

You applied for a means tested payment - if you don't make your appointment with an inspector to establish your means, your means cannot be determined and payment cannot issue.

2qk4u wrote: »

the job started with a night shift on Tuesday night so I had to stay in bed as late on Tuesday as I could which meant I missed my appointment

You need to take some responsibility here. You could have gone to the appointment and back to bed after.
There are many ways of contacting the office - all which can be found on www.welfare.ie.
You are best to put your situation in writing to your local office, explaining you are now working. But you will have to be available for interview at some stage. As the claim was closed, and not disallowed, you do not have any grounds for appeal - you need to get your means determined firstly.

2qk4u

Thanks guys, I know I should have been there but I didnt want to turn up tired for my first night and fall asleep half way through, I know its my own fault for not being there but its a bit harsh to close a claim.
I dont sleep well and can not go back to sleep once im up so going back to bed is no good to me..

Ill put it in writing and go to the local office and ask for it to be given to the inspector.

yabadabado

2qk4u wrote: »

Thanks guys, I know I should have been there but I didnt want to turn up tired for my first night and fall asleep half way through, I know its my own fault for not being there but its a bit harsh to close a claim.
I dont sleep well and can not go back to sleep once im up so going back to bed is no good to me..

Ill put it in writing and go to the local office and ask for it to be given to the inspector.

Basically you knew you should have been there at 12 and didnt turn up and now your claim is closed your on here whinging about social welfare being unfair to you.You dont sleep well yet you were afraid to get out of bed to go to your interview incase you fell asleep on the job later on that night.Man up ffs,your not a child anymore.
Could you have gone to bed early on monday night?Interview at 12pm is hardly early either would you have needed to get up before half 10 to be there on time.

Lugh Ildanach

They are not supposed to close your claim for not attending an appointment. They are supposed to give you the opportunity to explain your reason and then make a decision based on all the facts.

You can go back and ask them to review the decision to close your file. If they won't do that, then you have no option but to appeal. I would also threaten to go to Ombudsman, as there is a chance that technically speaking that the decision is not one which attracts a right of appeal. I would submit the appeal to cover yourself, you would have a good chance of winning it, or even of having the decision reversed after they conduct their post-appeal review.

Even if it wasn't for a huge amount of money, it could be xmas before its sorted out, and a few extra quid over xmas could be very useful.

2qk4u

Here is an update on this if anyone is interested..
I went to the local office and explained my situation, I had to put it in writing which was fine. I explained the facts and that I had been advised the they can not close the claim for missing an appointment.
After about 10 days I received a letter offering me another appointment but it was in the middle of the day again and I was still working nights, I had explained this to them twice before and left my mobile number with them to help making a suitable appointment, I went back to the office and asked to change the time on the appointment and after a bit of negotiation I was asked to wait while she spoke to a supervisor, to my surprise she came back to me telling me that an inspector with see me now.
Im now just waiting on them to make a decision on what im owed..