Disability Allowance appeal query

tony glenn

I know this question has been asked before, but I'm looking for an up-to-date response in case things have changed over the last few years.
I've appealed a DA claim refusal, and just received a letter from the Social Welfare Appeals Office stating 'The appeals officer's decision is as follows: The appeal is allowed. The role of the appeals officer is now complete in this matter'.
So, the obvious question is, have I been approved for the allowance, or are they just saying I can proceeed with the appeal?
I'd really appreciate some input from anyone who's been down this road. Also,
what kind of backlog there is currently, with either decisions or payments?
Many thanks in advance!

eastbono

You have won your appeal. If the only reason you were turned down was the one you were appealing on then you have been approved for payment. They will probably put you into payment fairly quickly but you may be waiting for arrears.

tony glenn

Thanks for the response. I was hoping it was an 'OK' but just needed to hear it from someone else! The refusal was based on a single reason, more documentation was submitted to counter this, and it seems to have proved the point.
Thanks again, enjoy your weekend.

olliesgirl55

tony glenn wrote: »

Thanks for the response. I was hoping it was an 'OK' but just needed to hear it from someone else! The refusal was based on a single reason, more documentation was submitted to counter this, and it seems to have proved the point.
Thanks again, enjoy your weekend.

I am so happy for you. I have an appeal pending right now for the same reason as you so if you could be so kind and tell me how long did your appeal take before you got the letter? Also did you have to have an oral hearing?

Thanks so much:)

tony glenn

Hi, the complete timescale was:
Original application Sept. 2013
First refusal Nov. 13, I then appealed.
Second refusal Jan 2014, I appealed to the Chief Appeals Officer (Dublin)
Appeal allowed letter 7th May.
Now waiting for payment (fingers crossed, don't count your chickens etc)

My one tip would be, send any documentation you have to Dublin, including maybe a letter from your spouse/partner confirming your situation. Anything and everything you have! Good luck, keep positive.

olliesgirl55

tony glenn wrote: »

Hi, the complete timescale was:
Original application Sept. 2013
First refusal Nov. 13, I then appealed.
Second refusal Jan 2014, I appealed to the Chief Appeals Officer (Dublin)
Appeal allowed letter 7th May.
Now waiting for payment (fingers crossed, don't count your chickens etc)

My one tip would be, send any documentation you have to Dublin, including maybe a letter from your spouse/partner confirming your situation. Anything and everything you have! Good luck, keep positive.

I sent my appeal to Dublin and put in a personal letter along with supporting documents from my GP and Consultant. I applied Jan refused in March and appealed right away. Last time I checked Dublin had received my full file from Longford at the end of March. Everytime the post comes I am dreading it will be a refusal or hoping it will be a good letter. It's a rollercoaster so I guess the longer you don't hear something the better it is?

You will get your payment don't worry cause when they say appeal is allowed they mean granted. Why they don't say that in the first place is beyond me:)
Thanks for the information. It is greatly appreciated.

tony glenn

Best of luck with it, I know what you mean about the postman, especially Bank Holidays when you know there'll be no post for a few days lol !
Let me know how you get on (if you want), I'll do likewise.
One thing is for sure...I've found Boards.ie is a blessing in most situations, there's always someone out there willing to advise and help. Always a comfort....and a reminder, that there's still a pile of good people around!

olliesgirl55

tony glenn wrote: »

Best of luck with it, I know what you mean about the postman, especially Bank Holidays when you know there'll be no post for a few days lol !
Let me know how you get on (if you want), I'll do likewise.
One thing is for sure...I've found Boards.ie is a blessing in most situations, there's always someone out there willing to advise and help. Always a comfort....and a reminder, that there's still a pile of good people around!

I will update. Yeah the board has some great people. They just get a little nuts over there in the AH thread:D I enjoy spending time on the boards. Great information here and assistance:)

Gatling

Glad to hear people's applications are finally getting sorted and approved for DA ,

tipperaryboy

Im in a similar situation to the OP received my letter April end, didn't believe it at first had to call the appeals office. Just wondering how long is the wait between appeal allowed letter and implementation of payment?

olliesgirl55

tipperaryboy wrote: »

Im in a similar situation to the OP received my letter April end, didn't believe it at first had to call the appeals office. Just wondering how long is the wait between appeal allowed letter and implementation of payment?

AFAICT from the file would have to go back to Longford for them to process the claim and set up the payment. So I guess it depends on how fast they send the info. You could always give Longford a call to see if they have any info for you.

Congrats on your appeal being allowed by the way.

tipperaryboy

Forgot to say that i called Longford several times kept on hold for ever they don't appear to answer the phone at all.

olliesgirl55

tipperaryboy wrote: »

Forgot to say that i called Longford several times kept on hold for ever they don't appear to answer the phone at all.

Maybe it depends on the time of day? I have had good luck calling after two or before 11:)

I was always on hold for an awful long time, but they do eventually get round to the call!

Dobs71

Just wondering what documentation would I need to submit on an appeal process, I am expecting to be turned down for disability allowance in the next few weeks. I was informed by my GP that I can no longer do the work that I studied for 4 years as I have osteoarthritis in both knees and a hip and my GP is also the company doctor. I have not seen any surgeon as yet, I have no private medical insurance so I will be in for a long wait. I am currently on illness benefit (IB) €121.40 because I was working part time while I was in college, I am married with two kids and better off on anything rather than IB. just wondering about documentation when submitting on the appeal, I have others medical problems and do I need to submit documents for them as well as I have that Irritable Bowel Syndrome, very poor hearing and I am also dyslexic very bad at that, and it was only through the college disability office that I got my degree. sorry about the hijack just need information to put me in the right direction, any help is greatly appreciated.

olliesgirl55

Had my Oral hearing this week so now I am just waiting on a decision. They said around 5 weeks. The waiting is the worst part I can tell you. I will update when I get a response.

tony glenn

I had two refusals, and appealed each time, eventually it went to Dublin. The only advice I can give is to submit every detail you can, clearly and honestly. Focus on your main grounds for claiming, and send as much written evidence as possible. Pester any professionals involved into sending you documentation, it's not enough to say 'so and so said this' etc. Also, a letter from your partner detailing how your disability is affecting him/her and the family. Appeal within the time-frame, but don't hesitate to send more documentation if it arrives later. Give it 100% and keep an up-to-date record of what you send and when. When it gets to the 'Dublin' level, you only have one chance, so give it everything, but be honest and open all the way. Good luck!

tony glenn

olliesgirl55 wrote: »

Had my Oral hearing this week so now I am just waiting on a decision. They said around 5 weeks. The waiting is the worst part I can tell you. I will update when I get a response.

Just saw your post after I'd replied to 'Dobs'......best of luck with your decision, let me know etc. Enjoy the weekend anyway!!!

olliesgirl55

tony glenn wrote: »

Just saw your post after I'd replied to 'Dobs'......best of luck with your decision, let me know etc. Enjoy the weekend anyway!!!

I posted my update in the wrong thread;) Anyway got a letter from Appeals office that stated I met the criteria which is code for won my appeal. Called Longford and was told that I just won on the medical portion and now will have to be means tested. They have all that info since Jan. Not worried about it though cause I'm flat broke anyway. She stated they are currently processing first time payments for people who won their appeals in March so I am looking at least 3 months before my claim gets processed which sucks.

I am currently on JSA so she told me I will have to keep signing on which is a pain since I have mobility issues and the journey to the Dole Office and wait in the queue each month can be a real challenge.

So in the end I am very happy and frustrated at the same time

Also I found out that I am entitled to the living alone increase since I live alone (thought it was only for the over 65's) and sent that form off. Does anybody know will that get backdated back to Jan (my original application date)? Thanks for any info guys

mrsbyrne

olliesgirl55 wrote: »

I posted my update in the wrong thread;) Anyway got a letter from Appeals office that stated I met the criteria which is code for won my appeal. Called Longford and was told that I just won on the medical portion and now will have to be means tested. They have all that info since Jan. Not worried about it though cause I'm flat broke anyway. She stated they are currently processing first time payments for people who won their appeals in March so I am looking at least 3 months before my claim gets processed which sucks.

I am currently on JSA so she told me I will have to keep signing on which is a pain since I have mobility issues and the journey to the Dole Office and wait in the queue each month can be a real challenge.

So in the end I am very happy and frustrated at the same time

Also I found out that I am entitled to the living alone increase since I live alone (thought it was only for the over 65's) and sent that form off. Does anybody know will that get backdated back to Jan (my original application date)? Thanks for any info guys

Yes it will be backdated and you will get Free Travel automatically but you have to apply for Fuel Allow and Household Benefits package but not till you get the letter telling you you have got the D A.Have you a medical card? If you have a condition which means you need the house extra warm then you should ask the CWO about a Heating Supplement.

mystic

There was no need to apply for the Living Alone Increase or Fuel Allowance. It's part of the Disability Allowance form (Part 6).

http://www.welfare.ie/en/pdf/da1.pdf

Congrats on winning the apeal.

olliesgirl55

mrsbyrne wrote: »

Yes it will be backdated and you will get Free Travel automatically but you have to apply for Fuel Allow and Household Benefits package but not till you get the letter telling you you have got the D A.Have you a medical card? If you have a condition which means you need the house extra warm then you should ask the CWO about a Heating Supplement.

I think the Fuel Allowance was included in the original application. I remember reading it and marking it. I will be needing a gas heater since I will not be able to afford my rad since landlord installed prepay power. I have arthritis and some nerve damage issues so I will ask CWO about this heating supplement. I do have a medical card. I a on 5 different meds a day so if I didn't have a medical card I'd probably be in dire pain and in psych ward because these are expensive meds.

olliesgirl55

mystic wrote: »

There was no need to apply for the Living Alone Increase or Fuel Allowance. It's part of the Disability Allowance form (Part 6).

http://www.welfare.ie/en/pdf/da1.pdf

Congrats on winning the apeal.

Thanks I put down no for the living alone increase my head was all over the place and I thought it only applied to over 66's but I was wrong. I have sent off that to Longford Friday and they said they will hold it and put it with my file once it gets on their computers.I feel like I have been buried in red tape for months. Does it ever end?

olliesgirl55

Thanks Guys for all the support and well wishing. It makes me feel better:)

mystic

If you have difficulty getting to your local office to sign on you have two options.

1. Ask a supervisor in the local office where you sign to put you on six monthly signing. Bring the letter from the Appeals Office that shows that you have won your DA appeal.

2. Ask your CWO about applying for for Supplementary Welfare Allowance pending your DA payment. This can be paid into a bank account or post office. You'll only get €186 per week though (max. rate of SWA for a single person). When your DA arrears come through you'll get the extra €2.

I'm surprised they didn't do the means part of your claim yet. Normally claims that have two elements to them (in your case, medical and means) are usually done together. You could always contact a T.D. to make an enquiry on your behalf. It might speed up the process.

mrsbyrne

olliesgirl55 wrote: »

I think the Fuel Allowance was included in the original application. I remember reading it and marking it. I will be needing a gas heater since I will not be able to afford my rad since landlord installed prepay power. I have arthritis and some nerve damage issues so I will ask CWO about this heating supplement. I do have a medical card. I a on 5 different meds a day so if I didn't have a medical card I'd probably be in dire pain and in psych ward because these are expensive meds.

You can get €35 per month off your electricity or your gas its your choice. Don't let your accommodation get cold and damp by turning off the rad. The only good thing about the prepay power is at least your not dreading a bill. Definitely fill up the Heating Supplement form. Your GP HSS to fill it too. Your doing great.

olliesgirl55

mystic wrote: »

If you have difficulty getting to your local office to sign on you have two options.

1. Ask a supervisor in the local office where you sign to put you on six monthly signing. Bring the letter from the Appeals Office that shows that you have won your DA appeal.

2. Ask your CWO about applying for for Supplementary Welfare Allowance pending your DA payment. This can be paid into a bank account or post office. You'll only get €186 per week though (max. rate of SWA for a single person). When your DA arrears come through you'll get the extra €2.

I'm surprised they didn't do the means part of your claim yet. Normally claims that have two elements to them (in your case, medical and means) are usually done together. You could always contact a T.D. to make an enquiry on your behalf. It might speed up the process.

Thanks about the means test I thought so too since I did send the paperwork with application. Goes to show my opinion they automatically refuse first application and don't look at anything in your file until you win your appeal. Anyway I am not worried as I am broke so if they need extra paperwork they just need to ask. The girl said they didn't need anything else from me. I'll bring the letter to my next sign on date.

Thanks

olliesgirl55

mrsbyrne wrote: »

You can get €35 per month off your electricity or your gas its your choice. Don't let your accommodation get cold and damp by turning off the rad. The only good thing about the prepay power is at least your not dreading a bill. Definitely fill up the Heating Supplement form. Your GP HSS to fill it too. Your doing great.

Thanks very much for the advice. I will definitely be heeding it:)