What are my entitlements?

Gus Ivey

Hi all,

I broke my leg and was in hospital for 3 weeks. When I was released I received 4 weeks of back dated social welfare illness benefit certs to hand in.

I handed in the certs, rang a few days later and they said my benefit should be ready to collect this week. Nothing there.

I rang up DSP and they said I am not entitled to Illness benefit. I had been out of the country between June 2010 - August 2013, so all the stamps I had before that count for absolutely nothing.

He said I need to contact my Community Welfare Officer, which I did. He cannot see me until Tuesday, where I need to apply for Supplements. It is means tested. I have no assets or no other income so I should get something from him, but how much is the full benefit? Will any money from him be backdated from the time of the accident?? How long does it take to come through?

I'm afraid that it may take weeks. This is so frustrating, especially after being told that it would be ready to collect today. I thought I would be collecting 4 x €188, but instead, I am not sure where my next income is coming from. On top of this I have a hospital bill which I cannot pay. Not a good start to my bank holiday weekend.

danjo-xx

He said I need to contact my Community Welfare Officer, which I did. He cannot see me until Tuesday, where I need to apply for Supplements. It is means tested. I have no assets or no other income so I should get something from him, but how much is the full benefit? Will any money from him be backdated from the time of the accident?? How long does it take to come through?

You can have up to 5k in savings and get the full rate of SWA which is €186
When u go down on Tuesday explain your situation and you may get an urgent needs payment.

Bring as much i.d. etc as you can to avoid any potential delays with paperwork.

xxtippchickxx

you do the first week for nothing so youll only recieve 3weeks of 188e and apppeal your decision also

wmpdd3

I think it's the first 6 days they don't pay for.

Gus Ivey

Thanks for the replies.

Hopefully I will be entitled to the full amount as I do not have any other income/savings.

What should I bring tomorrow apart from ID? Maybe a bank statement, but I have a good few transactions to Paddy Power (boredom got the better of me in hospital) so maybe that might not look good.

Anything else I could bring with me?

Gus Ivey

I have just been down with the Community Welfare Officer.

She said I won't be getting anything backdated and I will only receive payments from when I make the application.

I feel I should be entitled to be backdated - I was in hospital for 3 weeks and 2 weeks after that I was waiting to hear back from the DSP after sending in sick certs only to be told that I am not elligible for Illness benefit.

I will get all to documentation together and go in on Thursday. If she stands firm on not back dating my payments I will definitely go ahead and appeal it.

Do you think I would be successful in my appeal?

TheBeach

Gus Ivey wrote: »

I have just been down with the Community Welfare Officer.

She said I won't be getting anything backdated and I will only receive payments from when I make the application.

I feel I should be entitled to be backdated - I was in hospital for 3 weeks and 2 weeks after that I was waiting to hear back from the DSP after sending in sick certs only to be told that I am not elligible for Illness benefit.

I will get all to documentation together and go in on Thursday. If she stands firm on not back dating my payments I will definitely go ahead and appeal it.

Do you think I would be successful in my appeal?

Were where you when you where out of the country? You could take your stamps from that country if it was another EU country? This process would take a while and you'd be backdated to the date you made your claim.

Gus Ivey

No I was working in Australia and New Zealand.

I think it's completely backwards that previous PRSI contributions (more than two years old) count for absolutely nothing.

I have always worked, excluding the last 10 months when I returned to Ireland and struggled to find work. I was unfortunate to break my leg and now I am entitled to nothing. Such a joke!

TheBeach

Your previous prsi contributions do count for something in that IF you qualify you would receive a longer payment e.g. 9 months Jobseeker's Benefit rather than 6 months. Either way, the governing year for claims made in 2014 is 2012 and unfortunately for you, you where in another non eu member state.

What's your current situation? - where you working in Ireland when the accident happened? Could you employer pay illness benefit? Did the accident happen at work - could you apply for Occupational Injuries Benefit?

Or are you in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance? If you are, could you apply to the community welfare officer for an interim payment called Supplementary Welfare Allowance until such time as you are fit for work again?

maryk123

Wait for your community welfare officer to pay you from the date you applied. Then appeal the decision based on the fact that you thought you had the stamps to cover your sick leave and that you have no money and you needed that money to pay for bills etc. your Cwo could back pay you but they are choosing not to. Appeal and see what happens.