Refused MIS in 04/2012. Can I appeal it now?

[meekakeszi]

I lost job in March 2012. My partner was on Back to education at that time.
We have mortgage of 211000, 3,4 %, 850 euro per month.
We applied for MIS to local health officer and we were refused.I did not get any letter with refusal. Officer just rang and told that we are entitled only to 16 euros per week (64 per month) and such a little money will not help us. He also told that he knows people with much bigger mortgages and ours is not such a big problem to deal with. He told that he is going to pay us once payment which was 78 euros and that was it.
He never informed me that I can appeal this decision. And I did not because I didn't know that I can.
I found out just few days ago from MABS office (know we are heading into pre arrears conditions) that I could appeal it. I did not appeal before due to lack of information from health officer. Can I appeal it now on the grounds that I did not get proper information from the officer?

 

[Bronte]

. Can I appeal it now on the grounds that I did not get proper information from the officer?

You should just appeal it now because you can. There's no way you want to start complaining about the social welfare officer. Gets Mabs or Citizen's advice to help you word the appeal, maybe it's just a form you have to fill out.

 

[gipimann]

If I'm reading your post correctly, you were advised by the SWA officer that you had an entitlement to 16 euro per week. If this is correct, then you were not refused - you had an entitlement to MIS, albeit for a small amount.

Because you had an entitlement, the officer may not have told you about the right of appeal - appeals usually (though not always) follow a refusal where a person making an application is told that they have no entitlement.

You can make an appeal of the entitlement if you wish - as Bronte said, ask for advice with MABS or Citizens Information.

 

[meekakeszi]

If I had entitlement why then health officer never set up payments?? I got only 1 cheque for circa 78 euros one year ago.

 

[gipimann]

The reason for not making a payment to you although you were told you had an entitlement will have to be followed up with the SWA officer who dealt with your claim, or with the Appeals Officer if you make an appeal.