Illness benefit problems since new form

One More Toy · 15-08-2018 10:53am #1

Hello

I'm wondering has anyone had any issue receiving the above after the introduction of the new form?

I'm missing 3 weeks illness benefit but know the forms have been received due to sending by registered post

On hold now for half an hour to the illness benefit line

NickD · 15-08-2018 12:09pm

I applied for illness benefit three weeks ago and have heard nothing. I'm not sure if this is normal.

ruger2012 · 15-08-2018 4:04pm

I received 3 payments in the same week haven't been able to get through to illness benefit but it's something to do with them changing the payment dates to match your sick line dates and apparently there's quite a load of people didn't get paid

One More Toy · 15-08-2018 5:14pm

ruger2012 wrote: »

I received 3 payments in the same week haven't been able to get through to illness benefit but it's something to do with them changing the payment dates to match your sick line dates and apparently there's quite a load of people didn't get paid

Saw that on twitter, took an hour on hold to get through to the phone line today

Turnipman · 16-08-2018 10:04am

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Illness-Benefit-Customer-Update.aspx

"Wednesday 15 August 4.15pm - Update for Customers regarding some Illness Benefit Payment delay:

We are experiencing further delays in making payments to Illness Benefit customers this week. We are working to resolve these issues as soon as possible. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience and we thank our customers for their patience and understanding.
Those affected by this delay, who may be in need of urgent financial assistance, are welcome to contact their local Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre.
We will continue to assist and inform customers during this period via Social media - Twitter (@Welfare_ie), our website www.welfare.ie and our staff-operated customer phone-lines."

missymunchkin · 16-08-2018 3:02pm

I haven’t received this weeks payment bb2 hours on hold to them.

missymunchkin · 16-08-2018 3:05pm

I haven’t received this weeks payment bb2 hours on hold to them.

splinter65 · 16-08-2018 4:12pm

missymunchkin wrote: »

I haven’t received this weeks payment bb2 hours on hold to them.

There are massive problems with Illness Benefit this week. You need to hang up and try to make an appointment tomorrow with the CWO to get an SWA because your probably not going to get sorted out by tomorrow close of business if you don’t.

banie01 · 17-08-2018 10:26am

Illness benefit really is screwed up over the last couple of weeks.
I received a full rate payment on the 7/8, then received a payment for 5 days on the 9/8 and a payment for 1 day on the 14/8.
Currently on monthly certs and up to date on those.
To date I have spent 8hrs on the Illness Benefit phone system without speaking to an agent

NickD · 17-08-2018 10:47am

I spoke to a lady today after forty minutes on hold, she said they've only received the initial cert that I sent in not the following two. Now I don't know where I am

splinter65 · 17-08-2018 12:36pm

You all need to see the CWO today if you can.

ruger2012 · 17-08-2018 5:08pm

I messaged them via Twitter the other day and was assured a call back but nothing yet

cobhguy28 · 17-08-2018 7:29pm

My Girlfriend has the same issue, Should of been paid Wednesday Still nothing, Went into the local Social Welfare office today. They said wait till TUESDAY and if not paid come back then. They said they had a stream of people into them all week about it.
We are lucky as we don't need to rely on it for bills, but for most people it is totally unacceptable to be casually waved off and told return next week.

splinter65 · 17-08-2018 7:55pm

cobhguy28 wrote: »

My Girlfriend has the same issue, Should of been paid Wednesday Still nothing, Went into the local Social Welfare office today. They said wait till TUESDAY and if not paid come back then. They said they had a stream of people into them all week about it.
We are lucky as we don't need to rely on it for bills, but for most people it is totally unacceptable to be casually waved off and told return next week.

The customers with no income at all would have been offered SWA at the SW office you see. You didn’t get it because you have an income.

cobhguy28 · 17-08-2018 9:15pm

splinter65 wrote: »

cobhguy28 wrote: »

My Girlfriend has the same issue, Should of been paid Wednesday Still nothing, Went into the local Social Welfare office today. They said wait till TUESDAY and if not paid come back then. They said they had a stream of people into them all week about it.
We are lucky as we don't need to rely on it for bills, but for most people it is totally unacceptable to be casually waved off and told return next week.

The customers with no income at all would have been offered SWA at the SW office you see. You didn’t get it because you have an income.

The person behind the counter would not of know that I support my girlfriend while she is out of work injured. He told her as it was Friday afternoon that the person who can write a check in an emergency would not be back till Tuesday.

Lefty Bicek · 20-08-2018 1:30am

In the same boat myself here. Stressed out.

No payment in over a week.

Left on hold for half an hour, half a dozen times, still haven't gotten through. Nobody replying to the email inquiry either.

Can anyone advise on how best I can get someone to address my query ? Was left short a day's pay on one of my certs due to the GP's secretary getting the date wrong on the intermed. cert. She corrected it on the face of the cert, but obviously it was missed by whoever processed it.

Thanks for any advice...

LegacyUser · 20-08-2018 2:16pm

hi all,
I'm 3 weeks without illness payment. can't get through to the 1890 number so rang 017043000 and got through to an operator who passed me onto a complaints officer.
our district cwo is on holiday until Sept (handy for her) so I've been trying every other cwo in leinster and no one answers.
hopefully the complaints department will get the stick out and get them to call me...

cobhguy28 · 22-08-2018 6:36am

Lefty Bicek wrote: »

In the same boat myself here. Stressed out.

No payment in over a week.

Left on hold for half an hour, half a dozen times, still haven't gotten through. Nobody replying to the email inquiry either.

Can anyone advise on how best I can get someone to address my query ? Was left short a day's pay on one of my certs due to the GP's secretary getting the date wrong on the intermed. cert. She corrected it on the face of the cert, but obviously it was missed by whoever processed it.

Thanks for any advice...

Same here now, no payment for a week. Went down to the Social office only to be told, It is nothing to do with them, you must ring the number. That no one answers

BohsCeltic · 22-08-2018 6:50am

Same problem here.
Took me nearly 2 hours to get through to them. My payment usually goes in Friday or Monday at the latest.
I just checked there and it has gone in now but i am missing one day's pay.

Their statement on their news update advises you to contact your local office if you need an urgent payment so i tried that yesterday but they never answered.

ckd · 23-08-2018 9:10am

Today is the 23rd and last update they gave on Twitter was the 13th? Nothing since and still major problems. My payment isn’t in again this week! CWO no good to us because husband has an income but that covers food and most bills only. Less urgent bills will have to go unpaid until I get paid and I’v still a few bits to get for back to school so I may borrow from my dad.

Anybody get any decent answer when talking to them on the phone??

ckd · 23-08-2018 9:13am

Today is the 23rd and last update they gave on Twitter was the 13th? Nothing since and still major problems. My payment isn’t in again this week! CWO no good to us because husband has an income but that covers food and most bills only. Less urgent bills will have to go unpaid until I get paid and I’v still a few bits to get for back to school so I may borrow from my dad.

Anybody get any decent answer when talking to them in the phone??

Lefty Bicek · 24-08-2018 2:12am

Lefty Bicek wrote: »

In the same boat myself here. Stressed out.

No payment in over a week.

Left on hold for half an hour, half a dozen times, still haven't gotten through. Nobody replying to the email inquiry either.

Can anyone advise on how best I can get someone to address my query ? Was left short a day's pay on one of my certs due to the GP's secretary getting the date wrong on the intermed. cert. She corrected it on the face of the cert, but obviously it was missed by whoever processed it.

Thanks for any advice...

Just to update - got a normal payment within 48 hrs.

Still no reply to my email. Still being left on hold forever.

This week I sent my cert as per usual, but with a written request attached to look into my previous query. Sent by registered post is... 8 :eek: Euro

Tonight have received my payment of 198, but in two separate amounts ? ? ?

I don't understand what the actual f is going on.

Well, at least I have something. I hope you all get a speedy resolution, without too much more stress. Good luck.

NickD · 24-08-2018 9:20am

Just to update, it's now 5 weeks since I've applied. I'm still no further along. I've called numerous times and been on hold for over an hour and then cut off repeatedly. I have a meeting with the Community Welfare Officer this morning but I'm not sure how much he'll be able to help as the lady in social welfare office said they hadn't made a decision in my case.

BohsCeltic · 24-08-2018 10:21am

I was told they would email or call me yesterday but never got nothing.
I'm missing a days pay and I'm pretty sure I will have the same problem again after I sent my cert in on Wednesday.
It's costing me money on phone calls and costing me money because direct debits are being returned.

It's hard enough being out sick from work without the stress of this.
I have to go back to Doctor for a review to get new cert next week which will cost me €60.

It was due last week but I explained the situation and they gave me a cert but that would be the last one.
So basically I have to pay €60 to get €198 which I probably won't even get due to this new system that clearly isn't working.

embee · 24-08-2018 10:41am

Got no payment this morning, their phone number isn't working. Rang local employment office who told me to ring a TD immediately, that no one seems to be able to get through. She said there were huge problems with the illness benefit since the form changed. Can't get answers from anyone as to where the hell my money is.

NickD · 24-08-2018 11:13am

The Community Welfare Officer told me they think this will be sorted out by next week, he said he's not very hopeful though

BohsCeltic · 24-08-2018 11:52am

NickD wrote: »

The Community Welfare Officer told me they think this will be sorted out by next week, he said he's not very hopeful though

I don't understand why they change something that isn't broken as it is causing a lot of people much stress now, probably the people who work there too.

Whiplashy · 24-08-2018 9:00pm

For anyone close to there local office, I was told I could go into the office and use there phone to try and call the illness benefit department, rather than using my credit. I was also told though that very few people are actually having calls answered. I’m about half an hour away from my office, and so far I’m over paid so not going to be clogging up the phone line when I know loads of people have had no money at all.

BohsCeltic · 27-08-2018 6:42am

Nothing in today again and still waiting on payment from 2 weeks ago. It's a disgrace. Can't pay for nothing and getting charged by bank again so it's costing me more money.

WDR · 27-08-2018 12:21pm

New update on welfare.ie

This is a total joke.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Illness-Benefit-Customer-Update.aspx

Customer Update 27 August 2018: Delays to Some Illness Benefit Payments

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection recently introduced a new claim form (called “IB1”) and a new medical certificate (called “MED1”) to replace the previous MC1 and MC2 forms for certification of the Department’s Illness and Injury Benefit schemes. This change is part of a programme of modernisation in the Department’s Illness Benefit section which took effect from Monday 6th August.

Some GPs have continued to use the old forms after this changeover date. As the old forms are not compatible with the new system, they are causing significant delays to our application processing times, as each one requires manual inputting into the Department's payment systems.

The Department sincerely apologises to our customers for the impact of payment delays and wants to assure customers that it is doing all it can to bring payments up to date as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, payment delays will likely continue where old forms are used for certification.

Customers affected by a delay in their payment, and who are in need of financial assistance, should contact their local Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. Our Community Welfare staffs are aware of the payment delays and are already assisting customers affected. Customers who are unable to travel, by reason of illness or injury can contact their local Intreo Centre by phone and ask to speak with their Community Welfare Officer, who can make arrangement to assist them.

Further information

The Department would also like to be clear that, as before, patients do not need to pay a fee to receive the these claim forms and medical certificate (IB1 and MED1 forms) from their GP, as the Department pays the doctor an agreed fee to provide them.

Should any person seeking to make a claim for Illness Benefit or another scheme experience a difficulty in getting a claim form or a medical certificate from their GP, we would ask them to notify the Department directly.

The Department’s Illness Benefit section is currently receiving a very high volume of customer calls and we apologise that our phone wait times are very long at present.

Where to send your certificates/forms for Illness and Injury Benefit

Illness Benefit has always been administered centrally and the Department has a dedicated freepost address for customers to send their Illness Benefit forms/certs to “Social Welfare Services, PO Box 1650, Dublin 1”. For efficiency and convenience for our customers we are asking that they send their forms/certs to this address.

However, if forms/certs are sent into a local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare office, they will be forwarded to the Illness Benefit section and will be processed as normal.

Last modified:27/08/2018

Whiplashy · 27-08-2018 12:30pm

I just checked my bank account. They had already overpaid me on Thursday by €33 and now I see another full payment went in on Friday! It’s an absolute shambles. And my GP is still using the old forms so technically I should be one of the people having delays, rather than having money thrown at me. Going to head to an atm and take out as much of the extra as I can before I lose track and start spending it.

splinter65 · 27-08-2018 12:43pm

The GPs would have had plenty of notice of the change in form. Seems it's their fault

BohsCeltic · 27-08-2018 2:10pm

The last 2 forms i sent in where the new ones. Cannot get through to my local office and haven't got a penny.
Bank taking 15 euro for returned direct debits too.

Going to ring a TD but to be honest i don't expect much help.

WDR · 27-08-2018 3:48pm

I've been ill since the start of August and I haven't been paid yet. My doctor gave me the old certs, I didn't know about the issue until the middle of last week.

Whiplashy · 27-08-2018 4:35pm

BohsCeltic wrote: »

The last 2 forms i sent in where the new ones. Cannot get through to my local office and haven't got a penny.
Bank taking 15 euro for returned direct debits too.

Going to ring a TD but to be honest i don't expect much help.

Have you made an appointment with the CWO? They’ll be able to give you a payment whilst you’re waiting. Your local office will be unable to help you, it’s the illness benefit you want to contact directly. They’re not answering the phones though.

BohsCeltic · 27-08-2018 8:30pm

Whiplashy wrote: »

Have you made an appointment with the CWO? They’ll be able to give you a payment whilst you’re waiting. Your local office will be unable to help you, it’s the illness benefit you want to contact directly. They’re not answering the phones though.

Nearly impossible to get though. When i did get through i was told they would call me back but that was last week.

horse7 · 28-08-2018 10:56am

Are the gp,s looking for extra payment for the new form

BohsCeltic · 28-08-2018 12:03pm

Still can't through to anyone.
I need to pay €60 tomorrow for Doctor review but medical card is still under review.
They just keep asking for more information.

So if i cannot pay the money tomorrow i won't get a cert.

I've been out of work with depression and this joke of a government is not helping me at all despite me working and paying taxes for over 20 years.

splinter65 · 28-08-2018 12:40pm

BohsCeltic wrote: »

Still can't through to anyone.
I need to pay €60 tomorrow for Doctor review but medical card is still under review.
They just keep asking for more information.

So if i cannot pay the money tomorrow i won't get a cert.

I've been out of work with depression and this joke of a government is not helping me at all despite me working and paying taxes for over 20 years.

I hope your not ringing illness benefit about your medical card because they won't be able to help you
Medical cards is 1890 252 919

misstearheus · 28-08-2018 1:53pm

BohsCeltic wrote: »

Still can't through to anyone.
I need to pay €60 tomorrow for Doctor review but medical card is still under review.
They just keep asking for more information.

So if i cannot pay the money tomorrow i won't get a cert.

I've been out of work with depression and this joke of a government is not helping me at all despite me working and paying taxes for over 20 years.

But if your Doctor is charging you a €60 quid Consult/Review Fee to issue you with a Medical Certificate isn't he getting paid twice according to that Notice on previous page that somebody posted where it states the Department pays the Doctor for yielding Forms / Medical Certs? Print out that big Notice and give it to the G.P's Receptionist.

horse7 · 28-08-2018 3:29pm

The fee is for the examination, not the cert.

BohsCeltic · 28-08-2018 3:36pm

splinter65 wrote: »

I hope your not ringing illness benefit about your medical card because they won't be able to help you
Medical cards is 1890 252 919

No I was ringing the medical card number.

BohsCeltic · 28-08-2018 3:44pm

horse7 wrote: »

The fee is for the examination, not the cert.

Yes that's true. If I don't go for exam I won't get cert but still haven't been paid from last 2. Medical card office just told me to call back next week.
At this stage I will owe everything out.

I'm going to leave this country once I save some money when I get back to work.

I have a job offer abroad that will give me a good lifestyle. I love Ireland but the system is always against you. It favours those who never worked a day in their life.

horse7 · 28-08-2018 4:15pm

That is the truth, but most of us prefer to work. Hope it works out for you.

BohsCeltic · 28-08-2018 4:51pm

horse7 wrote: »

That is the truth, but most of us prefer to work. Hope it works out for you.

If it doesn't i still have a home to come back to. I'm lucky that way but so many other people don't have that option.

Just need to sell my car to finance my flight and stock up on suncream and mosquito repellent.

Hard to leave my family(have no kids) but maybe it will make me feel better.

misstearheus · 28-08-2018 5:58pm

Stop confusing things further by mentionning Medical Card and previous Appointments and issues!! The issue at hand here is to get a Medical Cert for / to go with an Illness Benefit Form is it? And paying the Doctor. And why do you keep referring to previous Appointments!! Do they have anything to do with Illness Benefit?!? It's confusing! A Doctor can gauge in one single Appointment, one single consult/Exam, whether a Patient may need a Cert or need to go on I.B.

horse7 wrote: »

The fee is for the examination, not the cert.

Well my humble opinion but I could be wrong, in-essence the Exam is the Cert!

The O.P.'s post is very all-over-the-shop and mixed-up. But what I'm trying to establish / ask if someone more knowledegeable knows, - is, if the Doctor is getting paid twice by the Patient and also by the Illness Benefit Department. I don't see how a Doctor would just give out a Medical Cert or Illness Benefit Application Forms without first carrying out some sort of Assessment/Review/Consult which would incur a general G.P. Consult of 50/60eur anyways wouldn't it?

I doubt he's just going to willy-nilly give out a Medical Cert or Illness Benefit Forms without first ascertaining whether the Patient may be in need of a Medical Cert or may be necessary to go on Illness Benefit....

And if that Notice is anything to go by, - what I would be gleaning from it is that I can obtain a Medical Cert. or Illness Benefit Application Forms at my G.P. Appointment without incurring a Consult/Assessment/Exam Fee.

LegacyUser · 28-08-2018 9:00pm

I'm only monthly certs. Do I just get a new cert or do I have to fill in a whole new application again. What are new forms like. Do they require same info.

BohsCeltic · 29-08-2018 6:53am

misstearheus wrote: »

Stop confusing things further by mentionning Medical Card and previous Appointments and issues!! The issue at hand here is to get a Medical Cert for / to go with an Illness Benefit Form is it? And paying the Doctor. And why do you keep referring to previous Appointments!! Do they have anything to do with Illness Benefit?!? It's confusing! A Doctor can gauge in one single Appointment, one single consult/Exam, whether a Patient may need a Cert or need to go on I.B.

Well my humble opinion but I could be wrong, in-essence the Exam is the Cert!

The O.P.'s post is very all-over-the-shop and mixed-up. But what I'm trying to establish / ask if someone more knowledegeable knows, - is, if the Doctor is getting paid twice by the Patient and also by the Illness Benefit Department. I don't see how a Doctor would just give out a Medical Cert or Illness Benefit Application Forms without first carrying out some sort of Assessment/Review/Consult which would incur a general G.P. Consult of 50/60eur anyways wouldn't it?

I doubt he's just going to willy-nilly give out a Medical Cert or Illness Benefit Forms without first ascertaining whether the Patient may be in need of a Medical Cert or may be necessary to go on Illness Benefit....

And if that Notice is anything to go by, - what I would be gleaning from it is that I can obtain a Medical Cert. or Illness Benefit Application Forms at my G.P. Appointment without incurring a Consult/Assessment/Exam Fee.

I was signed off for one month initially and I had to have a consultation first. Maybe other doctor's will just issue certs without a consultation . Every month I have to go back for a review which I have to pay 60 euro. I am not sure how it works really as I have never been on it this long.
Emailed Simon Harris but no reply and once again no money in account.

BohsCeltic · 30-08-2018 10:27am

Still no money and no answers. A complete shambles.

splinter65 · 30-08-2018 10:43am

BohsCeltic wrote: »

Still no money and no answers. A complete shambles.

If you've no other income then your entitled to SWA

BohsCeltic · 30-08-2018 5:12pm

splinter65 wrote: »

If you've no other income then your entitled to SWA

I went to local office earlier and they gave me a cheque for €196. Still missing money but at least i got something.
To be fair the man i dealt with was nice and understanding but i don't fancy having to que up every week if the payments keep being delayed.

Illness benefit problems since new form

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