Joe Walsh
Question:137 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of cases in which the adult dependant payment is paid directly to the beneficiary rather than to the claimant. [12439/95]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Joe Walsh
Question:138 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give a breakdown by sex of the total number of persons in respect of whom an adult dependant payment is payable. [12440/95]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.
The number of separate payment cases is as set out in the table below. This does not include supplementary welfare allowance or unemployment payments as statistics are not kept in a form in which these payments can be readily identified.
Separate payment cases by scheme.
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
317 |
|
Retirement Pension |
237 |
|
Old Age Non-Contributory Pension |
113 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
1 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
54 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
332 |
|
Disability Benefit |
180 |
|
Total |
1,234 |
At the end of December 1994 there were a total of 152,000 persons in respect of whom an adult dependant increase was being paid. Of these, approximately 8,000 were men and 144,000 were women.
Joe Walsh
Question:139 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give a breakdown by age, sex and marital status of the total number of participants in the back to work allowance, area-based enterprise allowance and part-time job incentive schemes; the average duration for which participants were involved in the schemes; the number of participants who have gone on to employment or self-employment; and the number who have resumed claiming a social welfare payment. [12442/95]
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: the back to work allowance was introduced in October 1993 as a pilot scheme designed to encourage the creation of new job opportunities for the long term unemployed people and lone parents.
Under the scheme, the unemployed and lone parents can retain up to three quarters of their weekly entitlement and a range of their secondary benefits for three years. This helps to provide a financial cushion during the early years of employment or self-employment.
Even though the scheme has only been in operation for just 21 months, there are over 7,500 people currently in receipt of the allowance and 4,827 are involved in self-employment. The following is a summary of the available statistics on the allowance:
|
Duration |
Males |
Females |
Total |
|
Under 3 months |
1,515 |
258 |
1,773 |
|
3-5 months |
1,299 |
190 |
1,489 |
|
6-9 months |
1,186 |
203 |
1,389 |
|
10-11 months |
697 |
77 |
774 |
|
12 months and over |
1,913 |
226 |
2,139 |
|
Total |
7,564 |
Of these 7,564 claims, 5,068 are single; 2,496 are married.
Since the establishment of the scheme, a further 1,213 claims, 14 per cent, have terminated for various reasons, e.g. finding alternative employment, returning to the Live Register, illness etc.
On the basis of a random sample, it is estimated that approximately 56 per cent or 680 of those who terminated their back to work allowance have returned to the Live Register.
The back to work allowance has given a major incentive to the long term unemployed to return to work and this is evident from the numbers who have used the support provided by the scheme to set up their own businesses.
While overall responsibility for area allowances rests with the Department of the Taoiseach and the 12 area partnerships set up the under Programme for Economic and Social Progress, payments under this scheme are made by my Department through social welfare local offices
The area allowance is a special allowance, which was introduced in October 1992, which is payable to certain long term unemployed people and lone parents residing in designated partnership areas who set up an enterprise. At present there are approximately 1,000 participants who retain 100 per cent of their social welfare payments for 12 months along with secondary benefits. The other information requested is not available for this scheme.
This scheme allows the long term unemployed to take up part-time employment and receive a special income supplement. It encourages unemployed people to make the transition to full-time employment and there are currently 567 participants. Statistics are not available on the other details requested.