Carers Allowance

Hi Aileach and Linda Dub

Just wanted to wish you both the best and I am glad to see that you are continuing your fight for this. Don't give up because I know you will both get there in the end. There is no harm to be ringing to find out how your claim is going and if you have anything at all that you feel may be relevant just post it in to them. You could even e-mail it for the attention of whoever is looking after your reviews. Also ask if you can get acknowledgement of receipt of anything you send.

Keep it up. Not easy I know but just hang in there.:rolleyes:

aileach wrote: »

I didn't get an acknowledgement of my review request - should I ring in to request that? Have you heard anything since Linda?

Neither did i aileach but then again never got one for first time i applied! 9 weeks since i sent mine in every time i ring i talk to different person and tell me something different ! Sooo fed up at this stage . Tried ring again today but couldnt get through at all ... Its a joke now but nobodys laughing 

aileach wrote: »

Hi Linda, have you heard anything since??

Nothing aileach ring every week but still with doctors they say ... They recieved all
The additioal info doc letters hosp reports on 30 may n still nothing 3 months later:(( how bout you did you send off any additional info when you requested reveiw? Have you had any news back at all? Sooo frustrating altogether ((

I'm waiting since Nov 1st 2011!!! They say they are dealing with OCT 2011'S Applications now.
My apparent hold up is caused by lack of doctors to look at medical evidence!
The deciding officer has passed me but the medical evidence is sitting on a desk...!!
No way to speed up the process, no other "in-between" money available. You just have to wait on them!

I will check their calculations.
I was awarded OPF last year after waiting 10 months on that.
They miscalculated/ mis-read my file.
Months later they wrote out to me saying my back money was overpaid by over €900 so they now take €5 per week off my payment while i wait 11 months on another payment.


Its a joke innit?

aileach wrote: »

waiting over a year now and living on fresh air!!

So unfair. Anyone with DCA know if CA application is processed any quicker, or is there a backlog across the board?

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could give me some information about how long it takes for the inspector to call out.. i have applied for CA about 9 mts ago and still waiting, when i rang the other day they told me i would have to wait for an inspector to call out and see me,( seemly he has my file now for the last 2 weeks) i also got a social service card in the post last week which i thought meant i was getting my payment but no such thing. any idea on the time lenght it takes for him to call...so hard financially to stay going..

hi all i was refused c/a last month sent in for a review but got a letter this morning from the appeals office so does that means my review was not granted ? also how long roughly does an appeal take ? my mothers doctor wrote a great letter stating all of her problems and i contacted joan burtons office to ask for help which was replied to in two day saying they would look into it. other than that i dont think there is anything i can do except wait

Shalamar wrote: »

Hi all,

Its great to find a thread on waiting times. I didnt realise it would be so long! My husband is disabled (broke his leg 3 years ago several surgeries etc) we got approved for disability in November and I applied for Carers in December. I rang a few times and I was told 8 weeks more to wait so that was like the end of march. So I rang again in March and I was told it was with the deciding officer and I would hear in two weeks. Two weeks were up and I rang again to be told that a letter I sent in in February from an occupational therapist (out about the house being unsuitable), in it she just explains what I do for my husband so I thought it would help. But now I'm being told this letter will hold up my application for 2-3 months now as the medical examiner is backed up. I'm so frustrated, I find that when I call them I almost hear a different story every time I call. One person said it was with the deciding officer, the next person says 2-3 months wait! I know my wait is small in comparison to a lot of people but were stressing it out now. Anybody else have this happen? I feel like telling them ignore the letter so we can have an answer but I do think it might help just frustrated that it will take so long

Its so frustrating when you are waiting for CA. Its like sometimes you are begging for money and telling lies. Caring for someone isn't always easy. I'm in the system as I was on carers benefit but it still takes ages. The only thing is they are using a new system that is supposed to put claims through quicker. But as you can see from this thread that a lot of people are months and months waiting. I got a letter from the CA section asking for more information, up to date stuff. I hope this means my claim is moving!! You can go to the community welfare officer for a supplementary payment if you're stuck, you might be entitled to that depending on your circumstances

Shalamar wrote: »

Hi Nelly, any update with your claim? I've been ringing shamelessly the past few weeks and I finally caved and went to a local TD's clinic office 2 weeks ago where he told me he'd make a few calls about my case. Rang today then and was told its finally with the medical examiner but its a private doc they send it to so no telling how long it'll take from there and as soon as they would know they would contact me on the phone... at least I think he said phone lol Does everyone get a welfare visit? I was hoping it would be a simple matter of if its approved then I get a scheduled payment, now I'm wondering if I'll get an inspector out to visit or if its different seeing as my husband got approved for disability and that's who I'm claiming for. And as for CWO's, they closed all the local clinics in my area and I think I could be waiting forever to go visit them! Such a nightmare. I suppose I should just be happy its moving a bit forward! Baby steps!

Hi Shalamar, I've been ringing every week myself and a lot of the time I get different information. I think my claim went in a month after yours, mine went in January. They looked for updated information a few weeks ago and I was told that once that was received they would look into it. That obviously didn't happen. Last week they told me I should hear something by the middle of May so I just chanced my arm ringing today, they told me today that the claim is just with the medical examiner this week and is in the queue (the told me 3 months ago, 2 months ago, last week etc..... that my claim was with the medical examiner!) Today I said nothing as I don't want to piss anyone off!!! Its obviously in a queue and they just want to give you some sort of information. I'll ring again next week.

With regards to the inspectors visit, I asked about that in one of my calls and they told me that the inspector doesn't call out for all claims, maybe ones that need to be questioned eg self employment, caring for someone you don't live with etc so a lot of means tests are done in house.

I hope you hear some good news soon and its very difficult to wait for a decision knowing that you re doing all you are meant to do (caring for someone and supplying all information etc) and still to hear nothing! Best of luck!!

jacqui c wrote: »

hi all i was refused c/a last month sent in for a review but got a letter this morning from the appeals office so does that means my review was not granted ? also how long roughly does an appeal take ? my mothers doctor wrote a great letter stating all of her problems and i contacted joan burtons office to ask for help which was replied to in two day saying they would look into it. other than that i dont think there is anything i can do except wait

Any word on your review Jacqui

Sounds like you have been accepted although the Travel Pass is looked after in a different section to the Carer's Allowance. Try ringing the Travel Pass section instead.