Waste of time ?

kingofslaves

I went to see the CWO for this area due to me moving and not getting my renew claim form back in time. They stopped it last friday and I've been borrowing since. I was given a number. But there was no number display so wondered if she would just come out and call the next number. Sat in the waiting area at 10:35 (she sits from 11 to 12) and the security guard asked me to fill out a new claim form, asked why and he said everyone has to do it. There were 2 notices on the wall saying if you've not been there before you're to fill out a new claim form and if you've been there before to fill out a renew claim form.

Weird as never had to do it at the other office and never heard of that before. Makes more paperwork surely ? Anyway then I was asked ot fill out a habitual residence form, although I told him I'd lived here for 6 years, paid PRSI, tax, had my own business for 2 years, lived ta the same address for 6 years, claimed benefit, registered with a dr, attend neurology and physio. He said even Irish people have to do it. I filled one in when I applied for dole, but never had to since. A lady came in and said she was there to see the same CWO and he got her to fill out the renew claim form. She said she was only there yesturday and he said you have to fill one in every time you go. Ridiculous !


So eventually went in to see her about 11:45 and she asked for birth cert or passport - had passport, letter from my landlady saying I lived here and how much rent was paying - nope, letter from Tax office saying I was no longer trading - nope I just stopped trading and didn't fill out a tax return because didn't owe any. A utility bill - I had my O2 bill, dr's form - had that.


She said she would put in for disabilty benefit which is based on how many prsi contributions you have, but I don't think I'll qualify unless you get credits when on benefit. But at least I won't have to wait 17 weeks like disabilty allowance ! She also wants sick notes from the dr every week. She asked me when I last got paid and I said 2 weeks ago, she said she would get my details transferred from the other office and leave a cheque for me at reception at 3pm.


Fine I thought, but no, too easy, when I opened it it was only for one week FFS ! So I'm going to have to go back to her on monday, fill out the forms again, and see why I only got one week. If she says it because haven't got the forms or whatever I'll have to ask for an emergency payment as I owe my landlady €50 for last week's rent, as well as about €40 for food. She's on dialysis and only get's her pension at the start of the month so can't afford to have me stay here for nothing. I know €50 is good seeing as she feeds me and includes gas & electricity, but when you haven't got it you miss it.


Has anyone else experienced this ? seems a waste of resources (forms, time, etc) Surely all my details are on the computer system ? can't they put in my PPS numebr and get the info and transfer it ? I didn't have ot do all this at the other office.

edellc

I dont understand why you have to keep filling out the same form that sounds a bit ridicules, however it may just be because even if you may have been there before you may have missed filling out the form and therefore slow up the CWO's time in needing to fill out form while in with her as they are very busy at the moment.

As for you getting one week pay I seen no issue here, she is not there to back date anything for you just give you payment for the week you are there, if you want to take up the issue of a backpayment then its the social welfare office you go to not the CWO they havent got a bottomless purse.

Op what are you doing with your money surely if you owe 50 rent this week 50 rent last week and 40 for food then you still have 48euro left and that should be enough to cover your shopping for this week...188 should be more than enough for a single person paying 50 rent a week to live on and have pocket money and before you say no its not, I have done it and it is enough, manage your money better as when they cut it again in the budget your going to be in serious trouble

kingofslaves

The form you fill out first time you go is the one with the yellow box at the top, the next time you go you have to fill out the renew SWA form the grey one.

I pay €50 rent & didn't get paid last week so that's €100, plus €40 food. My ex fecked up my UPC account (thought I canceled it when I left so started new acct I got charged €250) so have to pay €20 to that. My phone costs €25 a month and that has to be paid by end of next week so I paid €10 towards it.

I'm dreading the budget actually the country's going to the dogs & the bigwigs spend money like water making the rest of us struggle. But at least I've got a roof over my head & food in my belly. Plenty of people don't have that.

Thanks for the advice & I'll go see her again on Monday (& fill out the forms again !)

kingofslaves

Went to see the CWO yet again after being told Monday there would be a cheque payment for me. I filled out the exact same form with the exact same details as Monday, went in and she asked for the letter form the tax office. I said I emailed them (which I haven't lol) and she said do you have a copy of the email ? um no, I did it on my computer doh ! I then asked her about the cheque.

She said it would be thursday, so I said well the lady I saw yeaturday gave me the wrong information then, she said no she didn't but I said she told me you'd put a note on my file that I could come in today and that she would put a note saying I'd been in. So she said well regardless it'll be thursday and that was it.

Thing is not sure if I can get a letter from the tax office saying I no longer run my business as I never did a tax return as didn't earn enough. I was on the bact to work enterprise allowance scheme and when that finished I claimed disabilty. That was denied and I didn't appeal in time. I've been on social welfare allowance since the application and got a form saying to fill it out and return it in person. But I didn't get it in time so they stopped my money. Now if I get one week's payment thursday I'll still be out of pocket by one week, unless i get onther one friday. But looks like thursday is my weekly payday now.

So hopefully the carer who looks after my ladnlady can sub me a few quid until thursday in the morning then I can pay her back. I think I'm going ot have ot go to the citizen's advice tomorrow and explain what's happening. I could send another complaint to the social welfare complaint dept but that might shoot me in the foot. If there was another community welfare office or officer i could eal with I'm sure I wouldn't have these problems. It's daft filling out the same form every time you go to see them. They even have signs telling you which form to fill out, but what's the point ? sure it's a waste of resources ? I never had to do this when used ot live with my ex, but that was a different office. (but they should all work the same surely ?)

edellc

there is no other welfare office you can go to, you have to go to the one for your area

I just dont understand why you lied in the first place, if you just told the CWO what you said in your last paragraph then surely there would be none of this, and why you have now said that you emailed the tax office and haven't is beyond me and its not a lol......

tbh if I had to deal with you I would definitely think something suss was going on even once you come clean which you will have to do. Also Thursday is not your payday from now on, NOBODY gets supplementary welfare from the CWO indefinitely it doesn't work that way and you have to supply the info required or no cheque will be issued and rightly so