# Getting uncollected benefit back from the Social Welfare



## wheels (9 Apr 2011)

My partner is self employed and she was recently out of work for a period of three weeks, during which time she claimed benefit from the social welfare. She returned to work three weeks ago, and cancelled her claim online on the social welfare website. The site said any outstanding money owed to her would be send out. As she couldn't collect her final weeks pay because she returned to work, she assumed it would be sent out. Three weeks on, still no word.

After three days of trying to speak to anyone in her local social welfare office, she got out through to someone who said that the payment won't automatically be sent out. Instead she must send in a request. She asked if she could email it, or fax it, to which the man on the phone said that the best way to get anything to him was by post. She asked for a contact number for him to follow it up and he replied 'well I don't have one, I just happened to be passing by this desk when you called...' 

Has anyone else had issues collecting unclaimed benefit and are they likely to refuse her?

Also, on a personal note does anyone else feel absolutely infuriated with a system that seems to be so badly run. An online system that fails to inform accurately, a phone system that is virtually impossible to reach at most times during the day, a system that still only accepts postal requests and has no proper system to give answers over the phone in a prompt fashion. It's insane.


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## Sue Ellen (9 Apr 2011)

I have found their complaint's procedure to be good.  Two matters were resolved to my satisfaction when I used it.


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