Midland 103 Radio Interview

Co Offaly CIS talk with Will Faulkner every second month. Here are this month's questions. Thanks for listening.

Midland 103 Radio Interview

Co Offaly CIS talk with Will Faulkner every second month. Here are this month's questions. Thanks for listening.

 

November 24^th 2011

 

1. Kevin says that his doctor charges 20euro for a prescription but he won’t give a receipt for this, is this legal? 

Whenever you pay for goods or services you are entitled to a receipt.

 

2. How long does it take a medical assesor to look at ure claim for illness

 

There is no set time but if you feel that the application is not moving as quick as it should you can check its status at your Social Welfare Local Office or to Illness Benefit enquiries telephone line: (01) 704 3300.

 

3. How long after getting redundancy can u apply for the dole?

Well listener, this would depend on the amount of redundancy received. If you have received under €50,000 you can apply for jobseekers benefit (provided you satisfy the other criteria/rules) straight away. However if you have received above €50,000 you may be disqualified for up to nine weeks. The length of the disqualification is at the discretion of the deciding officer (who can take your circumstances into account).

 

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_benefit.html

 

4. Mary Bridget in Rahan her husband is on illness disability and she is getting half rate Carer’s allowance for him and she is also getting her old age pension, but she is wondering would she be allowed to fuel allowance.

 

She should put in an application as she should be entitled with her pension, the exemptions are for income/contributory Payments but it is a mean tested payment. The citizen’s information centres would carry the necessary forms and the staff would be more than willing to assist her with her application.

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/fuel_allowance.html

 

 

5. Denise in Birr her son is 8 and has oppositional defiance disorder and she is off work due to stress, she is wondering if she would be entitled to domiciliary allowance?

To qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age.

Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based on the type of impairment or disease, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind which means the child needs extra care and attention. The Department's Medical Assessor will take the following into account before giving his/her opinion on whether the child meets the medical criteria:

• Review the history of the case
• Consider all medical reports received
• Have regard to the description of the care and attention required by the child given by the parent/guardian.

That said if you are off work you should check to see if you are entitled to illness benefit.

 

 

6. A listener wants to know how much can she earn and still keep her to fuel allowance?

A Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating your home. It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs.

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment. If you are getting a non-contributory payment you are accepted as satisfying the means-test unless you are also getting a half-rate contributory payment (such as Illness Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit or Injury Benefit) in addition to the non‑contributory payment (such as One-Parent Family Payment).

The Fuel Allowance means test is linked to the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). You can have a combined weekly income of €100 above the maximum State Pension (Contributory) for your situation and still be eligible for a Fuel Allowance. This means that you can have capital of up to €58,000 (equivalent to €100 a week under the capital means assessment rules) and be eligible for a Fuel Allowance.

For example:

• The assessable income limit for a single person under 80 is €330.30 (€100 plus €230.30);
• The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is under 66) is €483.80 (€100 plus €230.30 plus €153.50)
• The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is 66 or over) is €536.60 (€100 plus €230.30 plus €206.30)

If you are over 80, add an extra €10 to the appropriate DSP payment rate.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/extra_social_welfare_benefits/fuel_allowance.html

 

 

7. When is the end date for tax claims? from mary co laois

Well Mary, Claims for refunds must be made within 4 years of the end of the year to which the claim relates. Claims made after this time cannot be repaid. You can refer to the revenue website for information for your own personal circumstances for example if you are claiming due to unemployment you will need your p45 and to fill out a P50 form.

 

http://www.revenue.ie/en/personal/tax-refunds.html#section6

 

8. I’m on loan parents with three children under the age of 16. My back to work allowance was stopped after a year I’ve a mortgage and I’m finding it hard to survive, would I be entitled to anything else?

 

If you are in receipt of lone parents allowance, you may also be eligible for other benefits such as Fuel Allowance, Family Income Supplement (if you are still working min 19 hours a week), the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme (which may include mortgage interest supplement, Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance amongst others) or a medical card. You should contact your local community welfare officer or your local citizen’s advice centre for the necessary forms.  We recommend that she contact MABs.

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/one_parent_family_payment.html

 

 

9. My sister is in her late 5Os. Until recently she was getting carers allowance for looking after our dad who recently died. My sister lived all her life at home looking after our parents. My sister now lives alone. Is she entitled to any payment from social welfare? Apart from carers 
   Allowance she never earned money. She has some saving from inheritance. I know that at one time there was a payments for single women like her. It there any thing similar now? Nora

 

Well Nora, your sister should apply for jobseekers allowance. This is a means tested payment so there may be a wait while the application is being processed. To keep her going while she is waiting for the allowance she should apply for supplementary welfare allowance from the local community officer. She will also have to apply for any other benefits she may be eligible to receive for example fuel allowance.

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/supplementary_welfare_allow.html

 

 

10. A listener has heard that you can apply to the department of social protection to get your health levy for the last four years back, is this true and if so what do you need to do?

 

Health levy has been replaced by the USC. If you feel you have been over charged (for example if you had a medical card and had not informed your employer) your employer should make an adjustment at the end of the year (week 52) and make the appropriate refund. If you have not worked with the same employer continuously throughout the year you should fill in an Income Levy Claim Form and send it to your local Revenue office

 

 

 

11. A man in his 60’s is getting disability benefit and he is wondering if he can work part time?

The good news is that you may be able to do part time rehabilitative work (up to a maximum of 20 hours a week) and keep your Illness Benefit. You must get written approval from the Department of Social Protection.

 

Tullamore CIC           0761 016293

Athlone CIC               0761 07 6610

Low Call CIC Number 1890 777121