Can an Illness Benefit Claim be backdated?

AlphaMull

My wife was overpaid salary this year because she was retrospectively determined to be not entitled to pay while she was out sick for the summer months. She has agreed a repayment schedule with her employer via small salary deduction which will take 2 to 3 years to repay the full amount.

My question is where does that leave her in terms of Illness Benefit? If she was not entitled to salary over the summer she would have been entitled to Illness Benefit. She’s now going to have to try claiming this retrospectively? Does she have to wait until she has repaid the full overpayment of salary before she is entitled to claim the Illness Benefit? Is there a deadline by which you can back date an Illness Benefit Claim? Can you even backdate an Illness Benefit claim?

Revenue can’t answer any of this for me as it’s up to the Dept of Social Protection. She will of course be following up with the DSP but if anyone can offer any guidance it would be much appreciated.

mp22

If you wish to make a backdated claim for Illness Benefit you need to supply a First Medical Certificate (MC1) stating the date the illness began, a letter from your doctor giving details of your illness and treatment and a current MC2 certificate

From here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/disability_benefit.html

AlphaMull

Thanks for the link. This answers it...

"You should apply for Illness Benefit within 7 days of becoming ill. A delay of more than 7 days may cause you to lose some of your payment. If there is a good reason for a delay in applying, your payment may be backdated."