The Deputy's question refers to a form which issues to clients who have won their appeals against disallowance of disability benefit and who are due to a sizeable amount of arrears of benefit.
In all cases involving arrears, it is the practice to inquire of the local Health board and social welfare offices to determine if the client has been paid by them for the period in question. Where it transpires that the client has been paid in the interim then the amount of such payment is deducted from the arrears and the balance is paid to the client.
Where it appears that no payment has been made, and where the amount of arrears is substantial (£600 or more), then further inquiries are made in that this form is sent to clients asking them how they maintained themselves in the interim.
The purpose of this inquiry is to ensure that the client did not claim another social welfare or health board payment in his or her own right or was not claimed as a dependant on a claim made by another client, e.g. a spouse. This prevents overpayments in cases where such information may come to light after the arrears have issued. The form is also sent in cases where information has come to hand that the client may have been engaged in work during the period in question.
The question of means does not arise in the case of disability benefit as it is not a means tested payment. The Deputy can be assured that in circumstances such as this the Department is only interested in obtaining information which is relevant to the client's claim and which will assist in prompt and correct payment.
However, it is accepted that the form in question may fail to make the exact nature of the inquiry clear and steps have now been taken by my Department to rectify this.
