# FIS disallowed



## Aleanne (7 Feb 2013)

Hi guys, I'm hoping someone will be able to help me figure out what has happened with my application. This is the history (apologies in advance if it is long winded!).

My renewal was 1st September so I sent in the relevant documents. At the beginning of December I got a letter saying the application was disallowed as my means exceeded the amount for a family of my size. I am a single parent to one child and I went part time at work in August 2011. I figured they used my 2011 P60 to calculate my weekly wage which would explain the crazy figure they came up with. I rang their office in a panic and explained things to a nice guy and because I was on hold so long I was able to send an email also. He said that I didn't need to do anything and he would forward my email to the correct department and I would hear in a week or so. 

Two weeks later I got another letter which I'm convinced was just a photocopy of the first one with an amended date on the top! I was panicking big time at this stage so I photocopied every single monthly payslip from August 2011 to date, took copies of bank statements, printed the email i sent to FIS, drafted a letter and sent it to the social welfare appeal office in D'Olier Street. I got a letter from them after Christmas saying they have sent everything back down to Longford. 

After a month of not hearing anything I got on to my local TD to see if he can get any answers. I am just off the phone with his office and was told FIS are upholding their decision and it is still disallowed! Now I have to appeal again but they will do it on my behalf. Panic has now turned to anger as I am waiting 6 months for the renewal and now I'll probably have another couple of months to wait. 

These are my figures, which are the exact same as last year when my FIS was granted;

Monthly wages €993.21
993.21×12= 11918.52 ÷ 52 = €229.20 per week

OPFP (2012) €162.80

229.20 + 162.80 = 392

506 - 392 = 114

114 × 60% = 68.4

Could someone shed some light on why I keep being refused?

Thanks for reading and sorry for the very long post.


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## michaelm (13 Feb 2013)

Your numbers look right to me.  If you're working 19+ hours per week they you should qualify for FIS.  If it were me, I'd write to the Chief Appeals Officer again, clearly stating the grounds for the appeal and providing supporting documentation and worked figures.


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## Aleanne (20 Feb 2013)

Thanks Michaelm. I sent in the appeal through my local TD's office so hopefully this mess can be resolved once and for all. I received a letter back saying that due to the large volume of appeals, there will be a long wait for an appeals officer to take a look at my file. Doesn't bode well for the DSP if there are a large volume of appeals! 

By the time I get a decision, my FIS will be up for renewal again! Crazy.


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## Black Sheep (20 Feb 2013)

I would request their worked version to compare with your own.
Appeals take too long, always go for a review first


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## wmpdd3 (3 Mar 2013)

It looks like they are taking an average of the previous 42 weeks wages as your income. 

I had the same issue the first time I applied, I went from full time to part time and was refused as they used the average. 

The second time, I was less than €1 over the limit as I did overtime during Easter a lost year and this increased my average weekly wage by less than €5. 

In the letter you received did it give a breakdown of their figures? 
Have you called them and got the name of the person dealing with your application and asked them to go through their version of the figures? 

They did this for me and I am appealing... again! 

From your figures is looks like they are arguing that you are better off with your OPF payment rather then FIS, was this mentioned?


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## Aleanne (7 Mar 2013)

Hi wmpdd3, 

I called them before I appealed and asked to speak to the person who signed the letter. The girl I spoke to was really rude and refused to put me through to her. She said 'You're just going to have to appeal'! 
I had already asked for a review and they upheld the original decision. They obviously didn't read my letter or my reason for asking for the review. 
The problem is they used my 2011 P60 to calculate my means. I worked this out myself using the crazy figure they came back with. It's unbelievably frustrating not being able to speak to someone and explain myself. I hope the people in the appeals office will actually take the time to read my letter, look at the correct figures and grant me the FIS that I have been getting since 2011!!
Does anyone know if it will still be backdated to my renewal date after the appeal has been finalised? I certainly hope so as I now owe every penny of it.


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## wmpdd3 (8 Mar 2013)

It seems to be back dated going on other people's situations I've seen. I asked on another forum for a name of a deciding officer and wrote to him asking for a review, he called me within an hour of my letter arriving in the office and went through it all with me. We were refused again...over 70c! 

It was the same when I called, I was told to reapply 3 times, by the lady on the phone, even though there was no change in circumstances and I would have lost 24 weeks arrears! 

Its such crap as the guidelines say they will use your current payslips and to supply all information etc. Then they use what ever combination of payslips that will deem you not entitled. It should be the previous years P60 for every one, but for me the first time they used the previous 42 weeks, I have been reduced to part time from full time so the weekly income figure was way higher than my current week wages.


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## Aleanne (9 Apr 2013)

Just an update. I sent in the appeal in February and despite repeated requests from the Ministers office handling my appeal,  the FIS department have failed to send my file to the Appeals Office. Does anyone know if this is normal?  It's a disgusting system.


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## michaelm (9 Apr 2013)

At this point, if it were me and I knew I had a valid claim, I would ask the [broken link removed] to expedite the situation.  Their email address is ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie


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## ClaireM (9 Apr 2013)

Request your FIS file directly under a Freedom of Information request. THey have a limited free frame to respond. THen send it to the appeal office yourself.


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