What happens after Illness Benefit?

teggers5

Hi, I've been on illness benefit for ptsd since November 2016. I received a letter today from the Medical review and assessment section and 2 forms to fill out. One by me and one by my doctor.
I presume I will be called to see their doctor for a review. I haven't had one as yet.
Any idea what happens after that if they agree that I am still unfit to work?
Am I right in thinking that illness benefit is paid for 2 years max?

Nomis21

I was granted illness benefit for one year. After that I applied for Disability Allowance. While I was waiting for a decision I was on Supplementary allowance. Turned down for DA. Appealed then lost again. Went back on jobseekers then appealed DA again and got awarded DA. Whole process took 3 years. Good luck!

teggers5

Thanks Nomis21. I didn't think it'd be such a drawn out procedure!
Did they just stop your illness benefit after a year then? Or did you need to go see their doctor?

hawthorne

teggers5 wrote: »

Hi, I've been on illness benefit for ptsd since November 2016. I received a letter today from the Medical review and assessment section and 2 forms to fill out. One by me and one by my doctor.
I presume I will be called to see their doctor for a review. I haven't had one as yet.
Any idea what happens after that if they agree that I am still unfit to work?
Am I right in thinking that illness benefit is paid for 2 years max?

Your IB runs out after 2 years. The only way left to you is to apply for DA. As stated by another poster this is a long and thorny way.

splinter65

hawthorne wrote: »

Your IB runs out after 2 years. The only way left to you is to apply for DA. As stated by another poster this is a long and thorny way.

Actually the claimant should apply for invalidity pension too.

teggers5

Great! Sounds like plenty of form-filling to be done in the next few weeks!

Nomis21

I think you need 4 years of stamps to get invalidity benefit.

I was only allowed illness benefit for one year because I only had enough stamps for one year.

When I was turned down for DA I was put back on Jobseekers allowance while I appealed the decision unccesfully. Later I was actually in hospital when I was summoned by Terus Nua and was advised by intreo to make another new DA claim just to escape from Terus Nua. This third attempt was succesful.

teggers5

God, it all sounds like such a nightmare!
Should I be applying for invalidity pension and disability allowance now or should I wait to hear what happens after the review?
My two years are not up until November.

Wanderer78

teggers5 wrote:

God, it all sounds like such a nightmare! Should I be applying for invalidity pension and disability allowance now or should I wait to hear what happens after the review? My two years are not up until November.

Apply for both now, and be careful what info you put on both forms, in particular financial information. As others have said, the process can be long and frustrating, and may require a couple of attempts to apply. It's very likely the social welfares doctor will be a normal gp, and may have poor understanding of complex mental health issues such as yours, I've heard that the process seems more a physical health check that a physiological one, it also seems like the process desperately requires mental health professionals to be a part of the process, in order to deal with such cases. As others have said, the whole process could indeed take a couple of years, as I believe there's a large back log of applications. Best of luck

teggers5

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll get those forms on Monday and things started.

Wanderer78

teggers5 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll get those forms on Monday and things started.

might be worth a visit to your local citizens information office to, they can be very helpful in such situations

splinter65

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Apply for both now, and be careful what info you put on both forms, in particular financial information. As others have said, the process can be long and frustrating, and may require a couple of attempts to apply. It's very likely the social welfares doctor will be a normal gp, and may have poor understanding of complex mental health issues such as yours, I've heard that the process seems more a physical health check that a physiological one, it also seems like the process desperately requires mental health professionals to be a part of the process, in order to deal with such cases. As others have said, the whole process could indeed take a couple of years, as I believe there's a large back log of applications. Best of luck

There is no means test of Invalidity Pension Wanderer. Only if you are applying for an increase for your spouse and partner.

Wanderer78

splinter65 wrote:

There is no means test of Invalidity Pension Wanderer. Only if you are applying for an increase for your spouse and partner.

I'm aware of that, my comment above was truly related to disability application, thank you

Wanderer78

teggers5 wrote:

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll get those forms on Monday and things started.

Photocopy all documents before sending in forms

jjjrd

Hi

I’ve been reading through the comments on this thread. I’ve been on illness benefit for last two years and refused invalidity even though I will not be back in work in the next 12 months.

Can you sign on jobseekers while appealing the decision on invalidity??? I didn’t I could do this I still need to hand unfit to work certs into social welfare even if not getting payment.

I cannot apply for disability as it will be mean tested and will end up with no payment.

I cannot sign on jobseekers as genuinely not fit for work.

I have worked all my life up to two years ago when I had an accident. Its so unfair to be fighting for this when I have worked and hope in few years to be back in some sort of work when I get all my health problems under better control.

Some advice would be great as I find this whole welfare system soooo hard to understand and my family cannot help as they do not understand it either.

splinter65

You need to continue sending in certs while appealing and you need to make an appointment to see you local CWO to apply for a SWA payment while your appeal is ongoing. Your local SW office will direct you to how you may do this.
Be aware that the means test for SWA is significantly stiffer then that for JSA.
Have you made your Appeal to the Appeals office or to Longford? Wherever you sent it I would highly recommend that you write a letter explaining exactly how your injuries are preventing you from taking up work.

jjjrd

Thanks splinter.

I am in the middle of trying to write a letter so hard to word it. I am also waiting letter from mental health and physio to send too.

Its sooo much red tape.

Wanderer78

jjjrd wrote:

I cannot apply for disability as it will be mean tested and will end up with no payment.

Have you already supplied financial information?

jjjrd

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Have you already supplied financial information?

Hi.

Yes i supplied it with my invalidity forms.

But from what I read about disability once your husband earns over €400 pw you will not be entitled to DA. so no point even going down that route.

Wanderer78

jjjrd wrote: »

Hi.

Yes i supplied it with my invalidity forms.

But from what I read about disability once your husband earns over €400 pw you will not be entitled to DA. so no point even going down that route.

maybe consult your local citizens information office

splinter65

jjjrd wrote: »

Thanks splinter.

I am in the middle of trying to write a letter so hard to word it. I am also waiting letter from mental health and physio to send too.

Its sooo much red tape.

Don’t worry about the wording at all. It’s not the Leaving Cert!! Just tell them everything in your own way. It will be fine.

splinter65

There is a means test on DA. If you post what your husbands gross wage is and how many children you have I can let you know how much DA if any you would get.

teggers5

Hi, Op here again. Got a letter today saying my illness benefit is due to stop shortly and form INV 2 to complete.
Anyone any idea if this means I will be awarded invalidity pension? (As my circumstances haven't changed)

Ginger83

teggers5 wrote: »

Hi, Op here again. Got a letter today saying my illness benefit is due to stop shortly and form INV 2 to complete.
Anyone any idea if this means I will be awarded invalidity pension? (As my circumstances haven't changed)

What do you mean INV 2 to complete?

I went from IB to INV so its possible.

teggers5

This is the letter I received. There was also a very basic form attached that just needed a contact number and bank details.

splinter65

teggers5 wrote: »

This is the letter I received. There was also a very basic form attached that just needed a contact number and bank details.

I’m not seeing anything

splinter65

teggers5 wrote: »

Hi, Op here again. Got a letter today saying my illness benefit is due to stop shortly and form INV 2 to complete.
Anyone any idea if this means I will be awarded invalidity pension? (As my circumstances haven't changed)

Teggers I see it now.
In the two months since you started this thread you haven’t filled an invalidity pension form so they are inviting you to fill one in now. You had a medical assessment which leads them to think that you will be eligible which is very very good news for you. They are asking you to fill in the form so do that tomorrow and send it in .

teggers5

splinter65 wrote: »

Teggers I see it now.
In the two months since you started this thread you haven’t filled an invalidity pension form so they are inviting you to fill one in now. You had a medical assessment which leads them to think that you will be eligible which is very very good news for you. They are asking you to fill in the form so do that tomorrow and send it in .

Oh, that does sound promising. I didn't realise that last form I sent them was the medical assessment. I thought I'd be called to see their doctor.
I have this form filled in and ready to post first thing in the morning.

Ginger83

teggers5 wrote: »

Oh, that does sound promising. I didn't realise that last form I sent them was the medical assessment. I thought I'd be called to see their doctor.
I have this form filled in and ready to post first thing in the morning.

Excellent, i hope it goes well. There may be a wait, processing can take a while.

One positive though is INV is not means tested.

teggers5

Just a quick update.. Received a letter yesterday saying they have decided I am entitled to Invalidity Pension! I am so so relieved. It's a huge weight of my mind to have this sorted.
Must say, from doing some research on here that I know I am one of the few lucky ones to get this sorted so quickly. Thanks everyone for the advice.

splinter65

That’s great news teggers. What a relief!