FIS renewal advice

OsZa

Hello! Got my FIS renewal letter yesterday. I had some questions to Department of Social Protection FIS section. Here is conversation I had with them. Please read that and you will understand my situation.

ME:
Dear Sir/Madam
I am writing to enquire about FIS renewal.
My name is OsZA, PPS number xxxxxxx. I received renewal letter today and my current payment expires 31/12/14.
I wish that FIS for next 52 weeks is calculated using my income for 2014. What documents should I enclose with my application form? Should I wait until December before applying, when i will have my last payslip before Christmas?
I look forward to hearing from you.

From: FISSection
It would be advisable to apply in December 2014.
You will need to send in a copy of your 2013 P60, it is a requirement for FIS.
We would have to assess on your 2013 P60 this is the fairest way of assessing.

ME:
Thank you for reply!
I would normally do like you suggested, but this year my working hours are cut. My net salary for year 2013 is 27580 EUR, but this year as for now October 2014 my net salary is just EUR 16635. My total net earnings for 2014 could be just little over 20000 EUR. I cannot wait for one more year, because I don`t think things in work will improve next year. If I send in 2013 P60, FIS will be calculated using that, not my December 2014 payslip.
Last payslip of the year contain same information as P60. I think that would be fairest way of assessing in my situation.
Is my only option wait for 2014 P60 and apply new FIS form?

From: FISSection
No, you should send in your most recent payslip with your renewal application along with your 2013 P60 BUT also send in a note explaining what you have said to me in email that your hours have gone down etc.

ME:
Ok, please explain this. On the back of Renewal application is note "If you don`t have a P60, please enclose your last payslip for the last tax year i. e. Week 52 last year."
If i`m receiving FIS payment based on last year net income, which will be year 2014 soon, last payslip of year 2014 should do just fine for getting payment all year 2015?
Why should I send 2013 P60?
That last payslip shows my current situation, not 2013 P60.

From: FISSection
I have already explained to you what you should send in, if you don’t have 2013 P60 send in week 52 payslip for 2013.
...End of e-mail...

I`m confused what to do now. If I send P60 2013, they will calculate next 52 weeks using that. Why they keep requesting P60 2013? Because renewal date is 31/12/14? Should I wait until January 2015 and apply then? I`m married, two kids.
Any ideas? Thanks.

Cushie Butterfield

From DSP Operational Guidelines:

''Calculation of average assessable earnings.

To determine average assessable earnings, it is normal practice to look at an applicant’s and their spouse / civil partner’s / cohabitant’s earnings over a long period of time. If you (both of you) have been working for over a year, we calculate the average earnings from the latest P60.

However, if you / your spouse / civil partner / cohabitant have only recently commenced/changed employment or had a change to the conditions of your employment (e.g. reduced hours) we would normally calculate the average assessable earnings on the earnings since the start of the employment / tax year / date conditions changed.

However, we reserve the right to calculate the average assessable earnings over a different period if we deem it more appropriate.''

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Family-Income-Supplement-FIS---SW-22.aspx

You may be causing yourself unnecessary grief. No decision has been made as yet so there's no point in worrying over something that hasn't yet happened & is likely not to happen. Don't fixate on the 2013 P60.

You have to comply with their requests. If they are requesting a P60 for 2013 this is what you'll have to submit. There is nothing stopping you submitting as much additional information along with what they have requested with your renewal application & asking that they take this into account. It seems that this has already been explained to you by FIS in their email.

My advice is:

1) Submit the required information (including P60 for 2013). You have to do this as it's what they require you to do.
2) Ask your payroll dept/employer to issue you with a Statement of Earnings for 2014 (this is a standard form & gives basically the same information as a P60). This isn't altogether necessary but it is extra proof/supporting evidence.
3) Gather as many payslips as you can for 2014 - the more recent the better.
4) Write a letter stating that your hours & income have been greatly reduced since 2013 & that you'd be grateful if they would take this into account.
5) Staple or attach all the above to the renewal form with the letter on top.
6) Wait & see what decision is made.


I'd be very surprised if they didn't take your change in circumstances into account, especially considering that you were already instructed by FIS section as to what to do in order for your reduced hours/income to be taken into account. In the event that it's not & your FIS payment is not increased write again attaching copies of the additional information & request your payment to be reviewed.

OsZa

Thank you Cushie Butterfield for advise, but I will not risk getting smaller payment. I thought lot about this yesterday. I will send them new application form January 2015 with my last 2 payslips of 2014. Everything should be clear about my last year (2014) earnings and easy to understand my situation. There will be gap in payments, but that`s worry me less.

Gatling

If there requesting the required P 60 you don't have any option other than submit the information there asking for ..

OsZa

Problem is renewal date! 2013 Last FIS payment expiry date was 02/01/14. I send to FIS Section my P60 2012 and 2 latest payslips in November or December 2013, because i was not thinking much and my income was good that time. So they calculated FIS for 2014 using P60 2012.
Is it not fair that weekly FIS payment is calculated using last year income, not 2 years back income?
This year things go crazy in work, max 25 hours per week, good i have contract, that guarantees get paid even if i`m undertime. If FIS for 2015 will be calculated using P60 2013 i`m in big trouble. How this reflect my current situation? Social welfare will look for any reason cut my payment, sure about this.
I just ignore renewal application and apply again with fresh FIS application January 2015. They want see my income for past 12 months and they will see. I don`t see any problem doing that, just gap in payments for a while.

Bebek91

Hi. I'm currently waiting on my renewal to go through. The renewal date was last week. As said in the letter I forwarded on last year's p60 tho I did think it was silly since my hours and wage have increased since. Last week I should have had payment. Nothing. The end of last week I had a letter to send my latest payslip to Donegal, I did by return. Early this week I received a letter... With blanks where they should have filled in information saying to send the payslip to Sligo or Leitrim .. sorry I can't remember exactly where. I did not as the one for Donegal was direct mail with a lady's name and department on it. So being hopefully that I would receive payment this week and unfortunately nothing. Last week was fine I had a little extra I could dip into. Not this week. Does anyone know if you ring can they give you the status of your claim??

LegacyUser

Wondering if anyone can help me here, I am waiting on my FIS renewal and have sent all the supporting documents. However for a number of weeks late last year my hours per week were cut from 21 to 14. This was only supposed to last a short time but ran longer & so I never notified the FIS department as i couldn't afford to lose the payment & thought if I had to reapply when I got my hours back it would take a long time to come through. Now FIS have requested a FIS 5B form to be completed by my employer & 2 recent payslips. They are seeking an employment pattern back to January 2015! Does anyone know if I will lose my FIS if they realise this or what would happen? Thanks.

mp22

Bump

ash23

mp22 wrote: »

Bump

You have to be working 19 hours or more per week to be eligible for the FIS payment so yes, if they see you are working less than an average of 19 hours they can stop your payment. It's not clear from your post how many hours you work now or for how long you were working less than 19 hours.

LegacyUser

mp22 wrote: »

Bump

Did you find out what the 5B form is for?