Illness benefit problems since new form

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

The manager was supposed to call me Friday to sort it out. I didn’t receive a call. I’m sick of calling & getting cut off an hour in, racking up a bill I can’t afford to pay to fix someone’s mistake so I don’t suffer. I just want it sorted out so I can begin to look for something else. A lady I’m citizens advice said I should apply for invalidity pension but if I’m not entitled to illness, then surely I’m not entitled to this as it works off PRSI too.

Send emails. At least you will have written proof that you got into contact with them.

If you can, go to the welfare office near you and make the phone call from there. The most you will wait is 5 minutes and that way you won't have to increase your phone bills.

Unless, you can't. Which sucks =(

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

Send emails. At least you will have written proof that you got into contact with them.

If you can, go to the welfare office near you and make the phone call from there. The most you will wait is 5 minutes and that way you won't have to increase your phone bills.

Unless, you can't. Which sucks =(

All the calls I’ve made over the last week must have been logged, they sent off several emails to the manager so when they’re read, they’ll see the extent of my communication with them. I sent a letter with my last cert because I was underpaid the week before, hoping someone would pick it up & give me a call but that didn’t happen either. This was before I knew of this.

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

All the calls I’ve made over the last week must have been logged, they sent off several emails to the manager so when they’re read, they’ll see the extent of my communication with them. I sent a letter with my last cert because I was underpaid the week before, hoping someone would pick it up & give me a call but that didn’t happen either. This was before I knew of this.

After almost 6 weeks, only last Thursday i was able to talk with someone that was able to fix (partially) my problem and to be honest i thought it would end the same as the other times. In nothing being solved.

And all this, after almost 6 weeks telling IB that i did send the certificates. That they were the new ones. That i also made phones calls (in which they told me they would ring back but never did), sent emails, send documents by registered post to them more than once. All of them, always told me the same thing, that they had nothing in their system which was the same as not having done anything at all. I am sure you all can relate to the frustration/ anger i felt about all of it.

And the only difference about the person that picked my call regarding the others was that he looked for the docs and my email. He only found my email in which i had sent the photos of the certs and the tracking number of the registered post as well the print screen to confirm that someone from IB got my letter since they signed for it. I still had to send once again, this week, by (registered) post another form for the IB because they couldn't find the one i sent initially.

So, the bottom line is, ring them and tell them exactly that and that since then you've got no answer to anything regarding your situation. Tell them when you sent the emails so that they can find it and give you an answer on the spot. That's how i managed to get something out of all this mess.

Ring them from your local welfare. Ring them everyday if needed until you get through someone who can give you an answer.

Sunshine lollipop

Hesthea wrote: »

After almost 6 weeks, only last Thursday i was able to talk with someone that was able to fix (partially) my problem and to be honest i thought it would end the same as the other times. In nothing being solved.

And all this, after almost 6 weeks telling IB that i did send the certificates. That they were the new ones. That i also made phones calls (in which they told me they would ring back but never did), sent emails, send documents by registered post to them more than once. All of them, always told me the same thing, that they had nothing in their system which was the same as not having done anything at all. I am sure you all can relate to the frustration/ anger i felt about all of it.

And the only difference about the person that picked my call regarding the others was that he looked for the docs and my email. He only found my email in which i had sent the photos of the certs and the tracking number of the registered post as well the print screen to confirm that someone from IB got my letter since they signed for it. I still had to send once again, this week, by (registered) post another form for the IB because they couldn't find the one i sent initially.

So, the bottom line is, ring them and tell them exactly that and that since then you've got no answer to anything regarding your situation. Tell them when you sent the emails so that they can find it and give you an answer on the spot. That's how i managed to get something out of all this mess.

Ring them from your local welfare. Ring them everyday if needed until you get through someone who can give you an answer.

I was waiting 6 weeks for my first payment, had to go through all the same rigmarole as my Certs were getting lost. I eventually got through to someone who gave me her name & said to send them to her desk & she’d pass them on. No payment issues since then until now. I think I’m still holding onto hope it’s a f**k up on their side but there’s nothing I can do now until Monday as much as it kills me because I’m very proactive. Im glad it’s sorted out for you & long may it last. I will call again Monday & if I hear nothing, I will send an email off/post. Thank you.

splinter65

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

If only I could get through. I’ve made requests via Twitter, (had to join just to get some sort of communication) general enquiries. All promised me a call back. Nothing!

No if you want to complain you’ll have to put your complaint in writing. Just address the envelope to “the manager” at Illness Benefit section. Ask them to respond to you within 10 working days.
You’ll find the CWO at your local INTREO office.

Always Be Closing

How does one go about getting off Illness to jobseekers

I start a new job 19th November, and am certified up until 15th November. Should I just leave it as it is instead of going through the rigmarole of the switchover bull****.

Do I need my GP to sign me off as fir for work?

Thanks

splinter65

You need to get a final cert from your GP that says you will be fit for work on the 19 November.
Send that in any time you like now so you can continue on IB until the day you start work .

Always Be Closing

splinter65 wrote: »

You need to get a final cert from your GP that says you will be fit for work on the 19 November.
Send that in any time you like now so you can continue on IB until the day you start work .

That’s great, thanks so much, it’s been a long road

Hesthea

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

I was waiting 6 weeks for my first payment, had to go through all the same rigmarole as my Certs were getting lost. I eventually got through to someone who gave me her name & said to send them to her desk & she’d pass them on. No payment issues since then until now. I think I’m still holding onto hope it’s a f**k up on their side but there’s nothing I can do now until Monday as much as it kills me because I’m very proactive. Im glad it’s sorted out for you & long may it last. I will call again Monday & if I hear nothing, I will send an email off/post. Thank you.

I am the same way as you. That is the only way to make sure things are (properly) done.

Ring them from your local welfare if you can. Its faster. And if the person you talked with tells you the same things as all others, ring them again until you get someone who will look into it.

Fagashlil

I got through finally to someone helpful on 071 9193302-department of social protection. She looked into my claim and seeing as I'd an emergency payment from the CWO in August, my claim had gone to credits only, meaning I got the credit for the claim, but the payment didn't go through as it freezes when you get a manual payment. She was able to live chat with someone in IB and apparently it's reauthorised now and I'll be paid arrears plus my current payment on Wednesday. Hopefully!

Jonathon W

Finally got through and now they are telling me they only have certs up until the 10th of the month which is bollox I have sent in 3 since then and must go back to my doctor to get them redone even though I know they wr sent and an post has one of the best records in Europe for not losing post yet I’m supposed to believe that they didn’t bother for the last 3 weeks,

Whiplashy

I joined twitter on Friday to send them a message and have had no response. My local office is about half an hours drive away. I had to borrow money to get blood tests done last week, never mind having the money to put petrol in the car. It’s an absolute joke.

Flippyfloppy

Just been told that all certs prior to October 10th were wiped from the system

tempura

Finally got through to IB, told that all certs received prior to October 10th are wiped from system. Told to get copy of original cert ( 6 month cert ) and forward to usual PO box address to resume payments.

The guy I spoke to was very nice , obviously not his fault and doing his best to help, but to be honest this whole thing has been a fiasco ! Will probably be another couple of weeks before payment starts by the time cert is posted/received etc.

Got through on 071 9193302.

Hope people start to get sorted soon.

Whiplashy

Should we all be going and getting duplicate certs now? I’m on a monthly cert and my last one would have went in around the 10th.

tempura

I would assume so, if your anywhere around the 10th, it seem you've dropped off their radar completely, Id say it's probably a good idea to send a duplicate .

ciara37

Whiplashy wrote: »

Should we all be going and getting duplicate certs now? I’m on a monthly cert and my last one would have went in around the 10th.

My Dr won't give a duplicate cert

Whiplashy

ciara37 wrote: »

My Dr won't give a duplicate cert

I’m pretty sure they have to if the department is looking for it. I had to get one before and they did out a new cert for me and just wrote duplicate on the top.

BohsCeltic

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Just been told that all certs prior to October 10th were wiped from the system

Back to the doctor to see if I can get the certs. You would have thought they would have let us know.

nl2803

Has any1 got an email address for partial benefit section. Thanks

splinter65

nl2803 wrote: »

Has any1 got an email address for partial benefit section. Thanks

https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/GENENQ.aspx?subject=Partial%20Capacity%20Benefit

Jbubs

Hi all, been on illness benefit about 6 weeks. Last payment was €99 on October 8th and nothing since. I wasnt aware of these issues until today. Can someone please advise what's going on if possible?

Thanks

hawthorne

Jbubs wrote: »

Hi all, been on illness benefit about 6 weeks. Last payment was €99 on October 8th and nothing since. I wasnt aware of these issues until today. Can someone please advise what's going on if possible?

Thanks

Start reading on page one of this thread and follow all the given links.
You should get a good idea of what is going on.

wonski

To be honest I don't buy the missing certs story.
They first blamed the new certs, then the new payment system and now they blame the new cert scanning system or whatever.

I don't even understand how the whole bank of certs up to 10th October could have been wiped out of the system.

They would not disclose this to customers over the phone so I will now blame incompetent employees of IB drpartment who keep talking ****e to people on the phone.

This is getting to the stage where it could become a legal case.

hawthorne

It is surely getting worse every day.
Has anybody seen a TD about this?

Hesthea

Flippyfloppy wrote: »

Just been told that all certs prior to October 10th were wiped from the system

That must be the reason why they asked me to send duplicates of my certificates and a new form...


@ciara37
You doctor should be able to give you duplicates or ate least photocopies of it. Mine had no issues about giving it to me.

banie01

Hesthea wrote: »

That must be the reason why they asked me to send duplicates of my certificates and a new form...


@ciara37
You doctor should be able to give you duplicates or ate least photocopies of it. Mine had no issues about giving it to me.

Received a weeks payment this morning, still missing the payment due last week and 1day from the week before.

Bannasidhe

Got a general letter in the post just now from IB explaining and apologising for the delays - still not received a brass farthing from them mind.

Flippyfloppy

banie01 wrote: »

Received a weeks payment this morning, still missing the payment due last week and 1day from the week before.

How have you worked out it’s one day missing? Are the weekly payments over 5 days or 6 days or 7 days?

SJF84

Bannasidhe wrote: »

Got a general letter in the post just now from IB explaining and apologising for the delays - still not received a brass farthing from them mind.

I got the same one yesterday, still no payment mind you. Tweeted a message about the wiped certs on twitter this morning... nothing back yet!!