# Child Benefit



## weejasy77 (23 Jun 2008)

Anyone know what is happening with them?

Made a claim for my two daughters over a year ago (when I moved from Tyrone to Donegal) and since had a son (8 months old next week) but I have yet to receive any payments for them.

Is this a normal period of time to await payment?  They don't seem to be answering phones... are they on strike?


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## ClubMan (23 Jun 2008)

Sounds very unusual. Have you tried contacting them some other way to inquire - e.g. email, drop into local _SW _office etc.?


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## weejasy77 (23 Jun 2008)

Thats what i thought clubman...

I did have contact with them several months ago (prior to xmas) i was told that the overseas dept were dealing with the claim as i had previously claimed child benefit in the north for my two daughters.  Since then i've had no contact...  Surely they should have put my Sons claim into payment as he is Donegal born and breed.

I must look for an email address for them.


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## ClubMan (23 Jun 2008)

Have you already been trying 1890 400 400 Ext: 44496?


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## weejasy77 (23 Jun 2008)

Just after trying again 2 mins ago... There is a message saying that the phones are not being answered between 12:45 and !4:00 due to industrial action.  That doesn't explain why the phone has rung off every time I tried it this last week.

Might go and sit in the office in Letterkenny... I wonder would they give me a job to assist with the backlogs?


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## Welfarite (23 Jun 2008)

There was industrial action up to last Friday morning when no phones were being answered. since then, phones are being answered except at luchtimes (as you know). I'd imagine that gettign through will, be impossible. There is no point in calling to the office as it is not a public office and they will not deal with you. The SW local office (as Clubman suggested) will not be able to help you as they don't have access to the CB claims. There are huge backlogs in CB, up to two years I think for non-Irish related claims, which yours will fall into as you came from abroad.


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## weejasy77 (23 Jun 2008)

Any suggestions on how to speed up the process Welfarite?

I've supplied the Child Benefit Office with everything they should need to process the claim.  Things are tight at the moment and we could be doing with the money to pay a few outstanding bills.


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## ClubMan (23 Jun 2008)

Welfarite said:


> The SW local office (as Clubman suggested) will not be able to help you as they don't have access to the CB claims.


Apologies for any confusion caused!


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## weejasy77 (23 Jun 2008)

Was nearly on my way to Letterkenny with a chain to lock myself in the office until I was seen.... I'd have been there a while!


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## dazza21ie (23 Jun 2008)

Welfarite said:


> There is no point in calling to the office as it is not a public office and they will not deal with you.


 
Previously worked in the CB office in Letterkenny. They will deal with people who drop into the office. 

The delay in this case is probably due to the habitual residence requirement for all social welfare payments added to a backlog of claims.

Your best hope is keep trying ringing the office. Best times to ring are in morning after 9.30 or in the evenings 2-4 and i think the first tuesday of the month is pay day so avoid ringing around that day phones always jammed. 

They deal with claims in the order they were recieved. They can tell you over the phone when your claim was recieved and how close they are to your claim. And if you get the right person they might speed up your claim.


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## Joe1234 (23 Jun 2008)

weejasy77 said:


> Surely they should have put my Sons claim into payment as he is Donegal born and breed.



I would have imagined so.


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## Welfarite (24 Jun 2008)

dazza21ie said:


> Previously worked in the CB office in Letterkenny. They will deal with people who drop into the office.
> 
> The delay in this case is probably due to the habitual residence requirement for all social welfare payments added to a backlog of claims.
> 
> ...


 

They no longer deal with personal callers since earlier this year. They are inundated with claims at present, apparently, and all they will tell you on the phone (if you can get through to the freefone number) that they are dealing with cases in chronological order and they will get to your claim in due course. Other SW offices were advised that "A restricted phone service operates in the Child Benefit EU claim area, so it would be appreciated if customers could be requested not to contact the office to enquire about their claim so that the maximum resources can be put into processing the claims on hand."


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## maggiemay07 (2 Jul 2008)

8 months isnt that long in their books to be honest, I have been waiting nearly 15 months now!!! 
I applied April 07 when I moved from the UK and I have been on to them nearly every 6 wks to the EU section and been told it will be done when its done.
I did get a letter from them in May 08 asking for a letter from my employer which stated my tax code and date I started which I had submitted with my original claim in April 07, I was lucky as I had kept a copy of the letter but also got my employer to do a new one just in case they asked for an up to date or original letter!! 
You can keep phoning them but will get no where, all they will say is they have a backlog and it will be done when its done!!


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