# Query Re: Invalidity Benefit



## squirrel (25 May 2010)

Hi I have being on Disibility Benefit for ten years up to two years ago when I changed over to Invalidity Pension. I was called for a medical assessment a couple of weeks ago and was told I was fit for work. I am appealing this at the moment. Went to social to see what I am entitled to and they said because I have no stamps now the only thing I can get is UA. I have applied for this. However was in my doc and he said I should start out of the new again for Disability Benefit. He gave me a claim form and one cert. I am now confused and wonder should I send in the Disability claim, as if I do not qualify for JB wondering would I qualify for DB. Also confused as why I could draw Invalidity Pension if I had no stamps. Sorry for the long thread.


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## Welfarite (25 May 2010)

With respect to your doctor, I don't think he is in a position to tell you that you will qualify for IB; remember he gets paid for ecah cert he issues! If Sw told you that you don't qualify then, more than likely, they are right. To put your mind at ease, visit them again and double-check.


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## squirrel (26 May 2010)

Thanks Welfarite for that rang SW they told me keep sending in my certs and see what happens. Just wondering how long could I wait for this appeal to come through?


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## Greg Barry (26 May 2010)

Apply for Disability allowance.  This payment is more permenant than DB or IP.  The latter two payments are temp payments and are payed while someone is recovering or in rehab and assume the person will return to employment.  If your doc feels you are still entitled they are the ones qualified to make that decision not a civil servant at a desk in welfare!


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## Welfarite (26 May 2010)

Greg Barry said:


> If your doc feels you are still entitled they are the ones qualified to make that decision not a civil servant at a desk in welfare!


 A doctor cannot decide that a person is 'entitled' to a payment, they can only certify that they are ill.


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## Greg Barry (26 May 2010)

That was my point!  A civil servant can't decide a persons state of health or mind!


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## Welfarite (26 May 2010)

Your post mentioned 'entitled', not 'state of health'. The 'civil servant' decides whether the person is entitled to payment, the doctor whether they are certifiable as ill. Two seperate things.


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## Welfarite (26 May 2010)

You should continue to sent in certs while appealing; youn don't need to make a new claim. While awating appeal, let them process your claim for Jobseeker's. There will probably be a delay in appeal (judging on other posters' experience) If you need money in the meantime, visit your local CWO and apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance. If you were on long-term Invalidity Pension, you must have had enough contributions to qualify for it.


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## Grizzly (26 May 2010)

squirrel said:


> Hi I have being on Disibility Benefit for ten years up to two years ago when I changed over to Invalidity Pension. I was called for a medical assessment a couple of weeks ago and was told I was fit for work. I am appealing this at the moment. Went to social to see what I am entitled to and they said because I have no stamps now the only thing I can get is UA. I have applied for this. However was in my doc and he said I should start out of the new again for Disability Benefit. He gave me a claim form and one cert. I am now confused and wonder should I send in the Disability claim, as if I do not qualify for JB wondering would I qualify for DB. Also confused as why I could draw Invalidity Pension if I had no stamps. Sorry for the long thread.


 
When you were on Disability Benefit for 10 years I would have thought that you were signing on for "credits" the same as paying for a "stamp"?
So how can Social Welfare say that you have no stamps now?

Were you asked/told/invited to move from Disability Benefit to Invalidity Pension and if so why?

I would have thought that Invalidity Pension was for those people on long term illness with the prospect of being that way in to the forseable future?

If you move from Disability Benefit to Invalidity Pension do the "credits" or "stamps" that you received on Disability Benefit cease?

If this is the case were you advised of this by Social Welfare because if not it looks like you should have stayed on Disability Benefit to protect your "credits".


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## Welfarite (26 May 2010)

Grizzy, you need 13 paid contributions in the governing year to get IB again; the OP would not have those. They would have credits for periods on IB and IP. I agree that a person becoming 'fit for work' after a long-term illness (12 years) is strange but that will be thrashed out during appeal, presumably.


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## Grizzly (26 May 2010)

Welfarite said:


> Grizzy, you need 13 paid contributions in the governing year to get IB again; the OP would not have those. They would have credits for periods on IB and IP.


 
But I thought that the OP was on disability benefit for 10 years and immediately after transferred to Invalidity pension with no break since. So are you saying that because he transferred to Invalidity benefit from Disability Benefit he cannot go back to Disability Benefit unless he has 13 paid contributions.
In otherwords you cannot transfer between schemes, back and forth so to speak even if your circumstances change without qualifying again for each particular scheme? This seems a bit harsh?

It seems he would have been better off staying on Disability Benefit.


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## SlugBreath (1 Jun 2010)

squirrel said:


> Hi I have being on Disibility Benefit for ten years up to two years ago when I changed over to Invalidity Pension.


 
My understanding is that the Department of Social Welfare did a trawl about two years ago to move people on long term Disability Benefit to Invalidity Pension. 
It seems that you were one of the people who moved from one to the other at their request?  I would have thought that moving from Disability Benefit to Invalidity Pension means that you were considered not likely to return to work. Yet within two years they are saying that you are now fit to work?
If you no longer qualify for disability benefit because you were conned in to moving across to Invalidity Pension then this is not right.
Perhaps you might give us an update.


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## JEON50 (1 Jun 2010)

I am on DA (Means Tested) I get an A Class credit to protect my future,SW entitlements. As I mentioned on this forum before I will have enough credits to transfer to IP next year. If you qualified for DB 12 years ago, you should have enough credits. You must have got credits on IP.
The only way is to appeal, with the written report from a consultant, that deals with your illness.

P.S I would love to know if I am doing the right thing transfering from DA to IP

Good luck to you


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