The Department has been accepting new claims for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) since the 1st April 2009. Statistics relating to the allowance for the period prior to April 2009 are a matter for the HSE, the previous administrators of the scheme. The number of applicants for DCA that were received, awarded and refused in each year from April 2009 to 2011 is set out in table 1.
Table 1 — Domiciliary Care Allowance applications — 2009 to 2011
|
Applications received
|
Applications fully processed in year
|
Applications allowed incl. on review*
|
Applications disallowed
|
|
2009 (from 1st April)
|
3,389
|
2,823
|
1,220
|
1,603
|
|
2010
|
5,457
|
5,333
|
2,576
|
2,757
|
|
2011
|
5,525
|
5,396
|
2,502
|
2,894
|
*Includes cases initially disallowed but allowed on review following receipt of additional information.
The main reason that a customer does not qualify for DCA is that the child does not satisfy the medical criteria for the allowance. In order to qualify for the allowance a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.
The number of applicants for Disability Allowance that were received, awarded and refused in each year from 2009 to 2011 is set out in table 2.
Table 2 — Disability Allowance applications — 2009 to 2011
|
Disability Allowance
|
|
Year
|
Applications received
|
Applications allowed
|
Applications disallowed
|
|
2009
|
20,794
|
10,179
|
9,677
|
|
2010
|
21,409
|
8,306
|
10,316
|
|
2011
|
24,264
|
9,246
|
14,116
|
The most common reason that a customer does not qualify for disability allowance is that they do not satisfy the qualifying medical criteria. In order to qualify for disability allowance, a person must have an injury, disease, illness or physical or mental handicap that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year and causes him/her to be "substantially restricted" in doing work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of his/her age, experience and qualification.
The number of applicants for Invalidity Pension that were received, awarded and refused in each year from 2009 to 2011 is set out in table 3.
Table 3 — Invalidity Pension applications — 2009 to 2011
|
Claims Received
|
Claims Cleared
|
Claims Awarded
|
Claims Disallowed
|
Claims Pending @ Year end
|
|
2009
|
7,475
|
8,364
|
5,431
|
2,933
|
1,541
|
|
2010
|
8,774
|
7,614
|
3,597
|
4,017
|
2,701
|
|
2011
|
14,621
|
10,508
|
*1,742
|
*4,327
|
6,814
|
1. The figure shown for claims awarded and disallowed in 2011 refers to those dealt with from June-December 2011 only.
2. A breakdown of decisions awarded and disallowed is not available for the period January to end May 2011 as a dual system was in operation prior to migration of all Invalidity Pension Claims to the new computer platform.
3. Figures for January 2011 will not be available until the end of January.
The most common reason for rejection of Invalidity Pension claims is that the customer does not satisfy the medical conditions. A person must be regarded as permanently incapable of work which is defined as: — Incapacity for work of such a nature that the likelihood is that the claimant will be incapable of work for life or an incapacity which has existed for 12 months prior to the date of claim, and where the Deciding Officer is satisfied that the claimant is likely to be unable for work for 1 year from the date of claim.
