Disability allowance allowed

John225

So basically I applied for disability allowance around about the 8th August.Sadly, my application was refused as they said that I was not suitable for this type of allowance. I appealed to the appeals office and they wrote back to me at around the 16th January and told that my appeal was allowed. I have been waiting for around a month with no payment from the disability section. When will they give me my arrears and my free travel card? Also, I have to say that after I got rejected the first time for disability allowance, I then got the basic supplementary welfare allowance. Will that cause any problems? Thanks!

Grab All Association

John225 wrote: »

So basically I applied for disability allowance around about the 8th August.Sadly, my application was refused as they said that I was not suitable for this type of allowance. I appealed to the appeals office and they wrote back to me at around the 16th January and told that my appeal was allowed. I have been waiting for around a month with no payment from the disability section. When will they give me my arrears and my free travel card? Also, I have to say that after I got rejected the first time for disability allowance, I then got the basic supplementary welfare allowance. Will that cause any problems? Thanks!

Should hear back sometime in the next fortnight. They sometimes run an internal means test going back over what you submitted and you know the efficiency of the public service here. Glad to hear you’re getting what you’re entitled to. You’ve got it and it’s just a matter of sending you out a letter with your first payment date.

If you have a PSC already this will be replaced automatically so expect it to arrive too.

As for SWA. You’ll be back paid to August but the SWA will be deducted. It’s only €2 more DA so you’ll get a small few quid of arrears in about 4 weeks after the first payment.

Be ready for the sporadic review in 2.5 years time. Keep records of all appointments/medical history etc

John225

Grab All Association wrote: »

Should hear back sometime in the next fortnight. They sometimes run an internal means test going back over what you submitted and you know the efficiency of the public service here. Glad to hear you’re getting what you’re entitled to. You’ve got it and it’s just a matter of sending you out a letter with your first payment date.

If you have a PSC already this will be replaced automatically so expect it to arrive too.

As for SWA. You’ll be back paid to August but the SWA will be deducted. It’s only €2 more DA so you’ll get a small few quid of arrears in about 4 weeks after the first payment.

Be ready for the sporadic review in 2.5 years time. Keep records of all appointments/medical history etc

Thanks for the reply! Just one more question: Will I get the free travel card first or the payment?

Grab All Association

John225 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply! Just one more question: Will I get the free travel card first or the payment?

That’s dependent on the postal system. It used to be with the paper passes that they’d send the letter informing you of the first payment date and pass on the same day. Most likely it will come first but anything can happen with An Post or the printing of these cards.

BlueRoom63

I got my appeal acceptance letter on the 2nd of January and just yesterday received my letter from social welfare about when payments will start.

bassy

friend of mine sent in he,s appeal the 1st week of august and a week later he received the letter stating the have received he,s appeal and thats over 27 weeks ago now and has heard nothing.
i know a neighbour who appealed in october and got word earlier this week that the were refused,so my friend appealed in august and still has not received a decision,whys he waiting so long compared to others?.

BlueRoom63

bassy wrote: »

friend of mine sent in he,s appeal the 1st week of august and a week later he received the letter stating the have received he,s appeal and thats over 27 weeks ago now and has heard nothing.
i know a neighbour who appealed in october and got word earlier this week that the were refused,so my friend appealed in august and still has not received a decision,whys he waiting so long compared to others?.

That’s very strange, has he called the appeals office to see if they’re working on it? I sent my appeals letter around the 15th October and got my appeal acceptance letter January 2nd, but there was another letter addressed to a man I do not know at my address as well. I called them up and let them know. So since they’re making mistakes maybe they sent his somewhere else by accident?

bassy

BlueRoom63 wrote: »

That’s very strange, has he called the appeals office to see if they’re working on it? I sent my appeals letter around the 15th October and got my appeal acceptance letter January 2nd, but there was another letter addressed to a man I do not know at my address as well. I called them up and let them know. So since they’re making mistakes maybe they sent his somewhere else by accident?

well he has been emailing the appeals office with hospital letters and reports and the have acknowledged hes emails and said its in a que to be looked at and the last contact he had from them was by email on 25th january,so i don,t think a letter was mistakenly sent out because of the last email replie on 25th january.

BlueRoom63

bassy wrote: »

well he has been emailing the appeals office with hospital letters and reports and the have acknowledged hes emails and said its in a que to be looked at and the last contact he had from them was by email on 25th january,so i don,t think a letter was mistakenly sent out because of the last email replie on 25th january.

That’s very strange and ridiculous to be taking so long. Really hope your friend is sorted soon, he must be under so much stress from this

Emilee

I’ve been awarded this allowance was told over the phone, how long does the first payment take to be paid?

BlueRoom63

Emilee wrote: »

I’ve been awarded this allowance was told over the phone, how long does the first payment take to be paid?

You’ll receive a letter with the exact date, but I was told it’s a week as long as you’re not on any social welfare payments already

Sunshine lollipop

Hi, I’m sorry to jump on your post but I have a question regards the appeal of DA.

I was refused yesterday. Told I was not substantially restricted from taking up work despite my illness.

I must have written 4 A4 pages explaining in detail how it affects me on a daily basis but sadly, I was refused.

How do you write an appeal when you’ve said so much already for it to be successful?

Many thanks

Grab All Association

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

Hi, I’m sorry to jump on your post but I have a question regards the appeal of DA.

I was refused yesterday. Told I was not substantially restricted from taking up work despite my illness.

I must have written 4 A4 pages explaining in detail how it affects me on a daily basis but sadly, I was refused.

How do you write an appeal when you’ve said so much already for it to be successful?

Many thanks

I assume what you provided is black and white and there’s very little else to supply them with. Just send what you have provided already, underline it and register it to them within 21 days
Be sure to demand that you be examined by the departments own doctor/medical accessor. Would also contact the ombudsman’s office, Regina O’Doherty etc

Sunshine lollipop

Grab All Association wrote: »

I assume what you provided is black and white and there’s very little else to supply them with. Just send what you have provided already, underline it and register it to them within 21 days
Be sure to demand that you be examined by the departments own doctor/medical accessor. Would also contact the ombudsman’s office, Regina O’Doherty etc

How do I go about contacting the ombudsman? Is it in the case my appeal is refused or now? I have a GP appointment next week to provide a letter to state as what he’s written already clearly isn’t enough. I don’t know how much more I can say to them to help them understand how hard it is for me. I phoned citizens advice, they said that on average 70% of claims are refused, they don’t know the reason why but encourage to appeal. She said supply a doctors letter to state that I’m substantially restricted from working. She feels that I should be successful based on the tremors in my hands alone. I don’t know what to do. What could the ombudsman do? I didn’t make copies of what I sent, foolishly but I know how it feels if I have to write another long winded letter.

splinter65

Grab All Association wrote: »

I assume what you provided is black and white and there’s very little else to supply them with. Just send what you have provided already, underline it and register it to them within 21 days
Be sure to demand that you be examined by the departments own doctor/medical accessor. Would also contact the ombudsman’s office, Regina O’Doherty etc

You can’t contact the Ombudsman because a desicion didn’t go your way. You can only contact the Ombudsman if you have been wrongly treated and you have exhausted the complaints procedure.
Resending the same information again won’t work either. The OP needs further medical evidence of how exactly her illness prevents her from being available for work.

splinter65

Sunshine lollipop wrote: »

How do I go about contacting the ombudsman? Is it in the case my appeal is refused or now? I have a GP appointment next week to provide a letter to state as what he’s written already clearly isn’t enough. I don’t know how much more I can say to them to help them understand how hard it is for me. I phoned citizens advice, they said that on average 70% of claims are refused, they don’t know the reason why but encourage to appeal. She said supply a doctors letter to state that I’m substantially restricted from working. She feels that I should be successful based on the tremors in my hands alone. I don’t know what to do. What could the ombudsman do? I didn’t make copies of what I sent, foolishly but I know how it feels if I have to write another long winded letter.

You can only go to the Ombudsman if you have been mistreated by the dept in some way ie they ignored your application, you were treated with discourtesy or most importantly they did not apply their own legislation when processing your claim.
You must also have exhausted their appeals system AND complaints procedure. The Ombudsman is not there to overturn a desicion that went against you, that is what the appeals office is for.
You have 21 days to make an appeal to D’Olier St but if you can’t get a letter of support from a specialist in that short time you should write them anyway stating that you wish to appeal and notifying them that further evidence will be forthcoming.
You can tell the appeals office in that letter why your illness prevents you from taking a full time job.

I can understand why exhausting the procedures before going to the Ombudsman is very advisable but, nevertheless, it stands that it is the right of all of us to go to the Ombudsman and particularly so in the case of the minefield of Disability Allowance processing where people have to hunt for the relevant information and, if they are lucky, chance upon sites such as this one. It could well do with improvement.

The main duty of the Irish Ombudsman is to investigate complaints made by members of the public about how they have been treated by public bodies in Ireland. The Ombudsman can examine decisions, refusals to take action and administrative procedures of public bodies. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/national_government/standards_and_accountability/office_of_the_ombudsman.html

splinter65

Balagan1 wrote: »

I can understand why exhausting the procedures before going to the Ombudsman is very advisable but, nevertheless, it stands that it is the right of all of us to go to the Ombudsman and particularly so in the case of the minefield of Disability Allowance processing where people have to hunt for the relevant information and, if they are lucky, chance upon sites such as this one. It could well do with improvement.

The main duty of the Irish Ombudsman is to investigate complaints made by members of the public about how they have been treated by public bodies in Ireland. The Ombudsman can examine decisions, refusals to take action and administrative procedures of public bodies. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/national_government/standards_and_accountability/office_of_the_ombudsman.html

Yes everyone can go to the Ombudsman but only when certain criteria have been met. You can’t bypass the Appeals office or the complaints procedure.

See below from the Ombudsman’s Casebook.

About the Office of the Ombudsman
The role of the Ombudsman is to investigate complaints from members of the public who believe that they have been unfairly treated by certain public service providers.
At present, the service providers whose actions may be investigated by the Ombudsman include: „ All Government Departments
„ The Health Service Executive (HSE) (and public hospitals and health agencies providing services on behalf of the HSE)
„ Local Authorities
„ Publicly-funded third level education institutions and educational bodies such as the Central
Applications Office (CAO) and Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) „ Public and private nursing homes
The Ombudsman also examines complaints about failures by public bodies to provide accessible buildings, services and information, as required under Part 3 of the Disability Act 2005.
Making a Complaint to the Ombudsman
Before the Ombudsman can investigate a complaint, the person affected must try to solve their problem with the service provider concerned. In some cases there may be formal local appeals systems which they will have to go through before coming to the Ombudsman - for example,
the Agriculture Appeals Office, the Social Welfare Appeals Office etc. If they fail to resolve their problem and they still feel the provider concerned has not treated them fairly, they can contact the Ombudsman.
Further details on making a complaint can be found on our website
https://www.ombudsman.ie/making-a-complaint/make-a-complaint/
Contacting the Ombudsman
The Ombudsman’s Office is located at 18 Lower Leeson Street in Dublin 2, D02 HE97. Lo-call: 1890 223030 Tel: 01 639 5600 Fax: 01 639 5674
Website: www.ombudsman.ie Email: info@ombudsman.ie
Twitter: @OfficeOmbudsman
Feedback on the Casebook
We appreciate any feedback about the Ombudsman’s Casebook. Please email us at casebook@ombudsman.ie with any comments.

redrover19

I currently am applying for da allowance for severe depression/stress/anxiety. I have several health problems at the moment too. I am on jobseekers allowance and currently attending seetec. I am unfit for work and it's just a struggle to even get out of bed most days. is there a point to going to my local social welfare office to say I feel I am on the wrong payment or do i go to my doctors for sick certs? and if so who do I go to see first? and does this interfere with seetec appointments? I'm so sick of my life at present and dont know what else to do. would you have more knowledge splinter? or anyone for that matter as I'm at my lowest ebb right now. thanks

splinter65

redrover19 wrote: »

I currently am applying for da allowance for severe depression/stress/anxiety. I have several health problems at the moment too. I am on jobseekers allowance and currently attending seetec. I am unfit for work and it's just a struggle to even get out of bed most days. is there a point to going to my local social welfare office to say I feel I am on the wrong payment or do i go to my doctors for sick certs? and if so who do I go to see first? and does this interfere with seetec appointments? I'm so sick of my life at present and dont know what else to do. would you have more knowledge splinter? or anyone for that matter as I'm at my lowest ebb right now. thanks

Sorry your so unwell at the moment. The most important thing is to get your DA application in with lots of evidence and a letter from yourself explaining how your conditions prevent you from going to work.
Then you have to go to your GP and get an illness benefit cert and bring it to your CWO so you can get SWA instead of Jobseekers while your DA application is being heard. You won’t qualify for illness benefit I expect but the illness benefit application is the only way to establish to SW that your not fit for work.
You’ll have to send in a cert every week.
You’ll be taken off Jobseekers so you’ll be finished with Seetec for the time being.

John225

I got the disability allowance appeal allowed on the 16th of january so should I be expecting it to come next week? Btw I am receiving basic supplementary welfare allowance. Thanks for the support!

splinter65

John225 wrote: »

I got the disability allowance appeal allowed on the 16th of january so should I be expecting it to come next week? Btw I am receiving basic supplementary welfare allowance. Thanks for the support!

You should hear from DA very soon giving you a date for your payment to start. Hang in there with your SWA till then. As you’re getting SWA I’d guess your going to get the full €198. Are you living alone with no other income?

redrover19

thanks splinter for your kind support and explanation on my questions. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow so will talk to her about the form you mentioned. I wont qualify for illness benefit like you mentioned but perhaps swa like you also said. I am due to go in to sign with the social welfare office on Tuesday so will bring this form in and tell them I am unable to work and see myself on the wrong payment and this is why I have brought this form from my gp alongside me? I dont know if I have to contact seetec if I am put on swa but I will cross that bridge. I'm just so mentally exhausted and needed some advice so once again thank you

John225

splinter65 wrote: »

You should hear from DA very soon giving you a date for your payment to start. Hang in there with your SWA till then. As you’re getting SWA I’d guess your going to get the full €198. Are you living alone with no other income?

I am living with my wife and son with no other income. I am hoping DA will arrive next week because i need the free travel card. Will that come with the letter from DA?

wifey28

John225 wrote: »

I am living with my wife and son with no other income. I am hoping DA will arrive next week because i need the free travel card. Will that come with the letter from DA?

the free travel card comes separate. do you already have a new pps card? if not youll have to go in and apply for one after you get the letter from DA to show your eligible for free travel

John225

I've just received a letter from DA. They said that I will get all payments in 2 weeks time. Although nothing was said about free travel.I have a public services card. What should I do? Also, will i get free tv license. Thanks for your help!!!

splinter65

John225 wrote: »

I've just received a letter from DA. They said that I will get all payments in 2 weeks time. Although nothing was said about free travel.I have a public services card. What should I do? Also, will i get free tv license. Thanks for your help!!!

Are your wife and son going to be included on your payment as dependents? If you already have a PSC then they will automatically send you a new one with your FT on it.
If your wife and son are the dependents on your payment then you can go ahead right now and apply for the household benefits package which is the free TV licence and free electricity units.

John225

splinter65 wrote: »

Are your wife and son going to be included on your payment as dependents? If you already have a PSC then they will automatically send you a new one with your FT on it.
If your wife and son are the dependents on your payment then you can go ahead right now and apply for the household benefits package which is the free TV licence and free electricity units.

Yes, my wife and son are dependents. I forgot to say that it also says on one of the pages i got that i am rejected for fuel allowance. I have no idea why.

bassy

splinter65 i,ve a friend who sent in he,s appeal back in august and still has not reeived a decision,this is strange when you look at the people who sent in there appeal in october and got a decision in january.

my friend is 30 weeks waiting now and has been emailing in reports doctors letters and hospital appointments to the appeals office,so last week i gave him the number of the appeals office and he rang them and enquired as to why he has,nt had a decision yet after 30 weeks and the told him every appeal case can be different,then he said to them that he knows some people who sent in there appeals in october and got word in january and the said to him every case is different.

now i dunno but come on 30 weeks is a very long time to still be waiting on a decision,average time is suppose to be 18 to 21 weeks yet my friend is heading for 31 weeks.

splinter65 have you any heads up on it or is this normal?.

wifey28

does your wife work? if yes then your prob over the limit for fuel allowance, its only given if the entire family income is benifits, same may go for the tv license (altho im not 100% sure on that)

John225

I've received my free travel card today! I did not expect it to come so fast. In regards to the fuel allowance, I'll just get the household benefits package and we will see. Thanks for all the help.

Gatling

John225 wrote: »

I've received my free travel card today! I did not expect it to come so fast. In regards to the fuel allowance, I'll just get the household benefits package and we will see. Thanks for all the help.

The fuel allowence is paid once you meet the criteria and apply for it , likely next year's

John225

I was just wondering when will my arrears be paid back to me? I'm still waiting for them and I'm kind of getting annoyed.

wifey28

John225 wrote: »

I was just wondering when will my arrears be paid back to me? I'm still waiting for them and I'm kind of getting annoyed.

were you getting a swa payment or other payment while you waited? if so then it takes longer as one dept hasto inform the other how much you were paid weekly, and theres a chance youll not be owed much at all


can take up to12 weeks

John225

wifey28 wrote: »

were you getting a swa payment or other payment while you waited? if so then it takes longer as one dept hasto inform the other how much you were paid weekly, and theres a chance youll not be owed much at all


can take up to12 weeks

Yes, I was on SWA but I think that they have to pay me back 3 months of arrears because I wasn't on SWA for those three months. To simplify, I applied for DA, waited 2 and a half months, got rejected and then was waiting another 15 days before applying for SWA. So do you think it will take 12 weeks? And will they send a letter outlining all the information about the arrears or will they just put it in my bank account. Thanks!

splinter65

John225 wrote: »

Yes, I was on SWA but I think that they have to pay me back 3 months of arrears because I wasn't on SWA for those three months. To simplify, I applied for DA, waited 2 and a half months, got rejected and then was waiting another 15 days before applying for SWA. So do you think it will take 12 weeks? And will they send a letter outlining all the information about the arrears or will they just put it in my bank account. Thanks!

Yes it could well take 12 weeks or even more. Arrears are not a priority and as already mentioned DA may be waiting on a response from the CWO who awarded you SWA.

John225

Oh and I just want to ask whether DA will send me a letter telling me how much arrears they owe me or will it just arrive into my bank account? Thanks for the help!

jen09

John225 wrote: »

I was just wondering when will my arrears be paid back to me? I'm still waiting for them and I'm kind of getting annoyed.

My daughter got her DA around the same time as yourself, she’s still waiting on her arrears also

John225

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2019-02-26/608/

Are these the average waiting times for arrears? I just found it on the internet.

lulu1

John225 wrote: »

Oh and I just want to ask whether DA will send me a letter telling me how much arrears they owe me or will it just arrive into my bank account? Thanks for the help!

Yes The dept will send you a letter stating the amount you are due and breaking it down say from

1st of feb -1st march
1st of march- 10 aprli

just an example

John225

Just want to note that I have received my DA arrears.

But, today, I have run into a problem. DA only paid me 337.70e instead of the usual 374.70e. They probably took away the 37e which was paid to me because i have a child. My child recently finished his leaving cert. Is this why they took away 37e? And what is the age limit for child dependant? Thanks!

splinter65

John225 wrote: »

Just want to note that I have received my DA arrears.

But, today, I have run into a problem. DA only paid me 337.70e instead of the usual 374.70e. They probably took away the 37e which was paid to me because i have a child. My child recently finished his leaving cert. Is this why they took away 37e? And what is the age limit for child dependant? Thanks!

You were entitled to get the 37 for 3 months after his LC, even if he is over 18. Give them a ring tomorrow, it could be a mistake.

Children under 18
A child dependant is usually a child up to 18 years of age who lives with you.

Children aged 18 and over
If your child is 18 years of age or over, you can continue to get an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) for three months after he or she leaves second level education or finishes the Leaving Certificate (provided that they are not getting a social welfare payment in their own right). Note that an IQC can continue to be paid if your child starts work immediately after finishing school.

If you are getting a long-term social welfare payment and your child is in full-time education, an IQC will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22.

If you are getting a short-term social welfare payment for at least 156 days and your child is in full-time education, an IQC will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22. Time spent on other social welfare payments can be combined to meet the 156 days but the period between any two payments must not be more than 26 weeks. The period between Jobseeker's Allowance payments must not be more than 52 weeks.

Full-time education does not include training provided by SOLAS where an allowance is paid or where the period of work experience is greater than the period of training or instruction or where the training forms part of an employment or work experience programme. One exception to this is YouthReach.

Tarzann

Is it possible to fail the means test for DA (due to spouses income), but as you qualified medically for it, to be granted a travel pass?

splinter65

Tarzann wrote: »

Is it possible to fail the means test for DA (due to spouses income), but as you qualified medically for it, to be granted a travel pass?

No. If you don’t get DA you don’t get the free travel.