STEINER, agreed. It seems that existing Illness Benefit recipients are given priority over applications received in the normal course. This is to facilitate a "seamless" move over to Invalidity Pension. That is where the difference ends.
The waiting periods are every bit as long in both scenarios. How do you explain to someone who has spent a long time on Illness Benefit, having gone through all the medicals and interviews, that once they reach the stage where they should have moved on to Invalidity Pension that the Departments Medical Advisor, with only the benefit of a questionairre, can form a dubious opinion that a person is not permanently incapable of work. No medical examination, (already done for Injury Benefit, Illness Benefit, permission to work in a rehabilitative capacity) and no interview. Very strange that you are deemed ill enough to receive the first series of benefits. Yet with the same or worse medical condition you are suddenly deemed fit to work. Repeated private reports from doctors and consultants over the period of attempted recovery from the illness/injury seem to count for nothing in this flawed process.
Where is the safety net for these people? It's not as if they or their employers didn't pay for it through high PRSI contributions over the years. Yet they are cut off and left to suffer even further loss without income of any sort. Some show after 39 years in the workforce and rearing a family at the same time. My wifes bills and expenses didn't stop when her Illness Benefit ended. Adding insult to injury she is now left without the means to lead her own independent life, little and all as that benefit was. My small salary precluded her from receiving any other "means tested" allowance. This whole process has left her mental health in a very fragile state and my bank manager very concerned with the huge loss of income in the household.
