Was sick.... And now officer won't pay

Moonriver99

Ok, il make this as simple as I can.

Currently receiving supplementary allowance due to the fact I couldn't work because I was sick.i basically get doctors cert each Tuesday from the doctor and hand it in the the officer each week and then collect my money each Thursday. Because I wasn't entitled to illness benefit cos I lost an appeal I was told by this officer that I would have to be seen by a medical assessment officer at end of April. This was so I could keep receiving the allowance each week.

To cut it short I fell sick with shingles that week and rang the medical assessment team who were to see me and I was put through to someone. They told me not to come in I case there were pregnant people or sick people so said I would be called again. I said should I email a doctors note and this woman said no. The following day I rang the officer who gives me the allowance and she said that I needed to send her and the medical team a letter stating this(despite being told I didn't need to). So the following day I ring the doctor who sAy they will send me out the letter, I wait a few days. I try to contact the office to let her know for fear she would stop payment but as she's only there two hours two day a week I cannot locTe her. All this time I've terrible pain, with my shingles. And a week later I go to collect money. I'm still waiting for letter and I realise my payments were stopped. I go back in and I'm told she's on holidays this week and to ring another number but I cannot get through which means I will miss two weeks. I finally get the letter but Ive no money and I know when I go in she will refuse to back pay me cos she has done before.

If she refuses, Am I entitled to fight for the missing payments? after all, she never sent me a letter warning she would cut me off, but now cos she's on holidays it leaves me without another payment for a week?

Can I appeal to an ombudsman? I was sick after all. I would have went but was told not to. This is not fair, and is shouldn't have to fight for money considering I'm not a fighter but I'm so broke now, I've had to live on hardly anything. Please help.

ABajaninCork

Get on to your TD. Let them earn their money for once...