Thursday, 5 Feb 2015

Written Answers Nos. 63-73

One-Parent Family Payment Payments

Questions (63)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

63. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she has received communications from lone parents whose support has been reduced in the past 12 months and now find themselves in a vulnerable position; if her attention has been drawn to the extent of such hardship; if she will provide interim assistance where the level of the reduction of one-parent family allowance has caused severe hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5284/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Despite significant investment in the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) scheme, lone parents continue to experience higher levels of ‘consistent poverty’ than the population generally. It is generally agreed that the best route out of poverty is through employment.

The purpose of the reforms to the OFP scheme is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency and associated poverty among lone parents by ending the expectation that they will remain outside of the workforce indefinitely. The reforms aim to provide the necessary supports to lone parents to help them to access the Department’s range of education, training, and employment programmes, and to secure employment.

In order to take account of the specific caring responsibilities of lone parents with young children, the Department has introduced the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) transitional arrangement in 2013. This exempts former OFP recipients whose youngest child is aged under 14 years from having to satisfy the jobseeker conditions of being available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time employment. The JA transitional arrangement allows lone parents with children aged under 14 years to balance their caring responsibilities and, also, significantly reduces their requirement for child care. It allows these customers to work part-time, e.g. mornings only, while receiving an income support payment.

Budget 2015 brought in an increase of €5 in the Child Benefit rate, from €130 to €135 per child per week, which will benefit over 611,000 households with children, including lone parent households. In addition, Budget 2015 saw the partial restoration of the Christmas Bonus to 1.1 million income support recipients, including to all recipients of the OFP payment and the JA transitional payment.

Budget 2015 also introduced the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD). The introduction of the BTWFD provides a further incentive for jobseekers and OFP recipients to avail of employment opportunities by allowing them to retain their increase for a qualified child when they leave welfare for employment or self-employment. It is estimated that approximately 9,600 lone parents who transition off their OFP payment will transfer to the Family Income Supplement and as such will qualify for the BTWFD.

My officials and I are currently examining the position of lone parents who are in receipt of a half-rate carer’s allowance in conjunction with their one parent family payment and the potential impact of that the July changes may have on this cohort. I hope to conclude our deliberations on this aspect of the change in the coming weeks.

As a result of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act, 2014, the OFP scheme income disregard is being maintained at its current level of €90 per week. This measure will benefit approximately 28,000 working OFP recipients in 2015 and retains the existing financial incentive to take up employment.

Homeless Persons Supports

Questions (64, 66)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

64. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce improvements to the system to ensure families who become homeless as a result of rent increases will not have their relevant social welfare payments discontinued with resultant hardship and administration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5285/15]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps that will be taken to alleviate hardship caused to families who have become homeless and whose social welfare payments have ceased; if arrangements will be put in place to ensure against such possibilities in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5287/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 66 together.

The Department’s role with regard to persons who are homeless is mainly income maintenance. Under the social welfare system, homeless people have entitlements to the full range of social welfare schemes, including supplementary welfare allowance (SWA), subject to the normal qualifying conditions.

Where a person is residing in homeless accommodation, such as a bed and breakfast or long term hostel, steps are taken to verify their address in order to facilitate continued payment of a social welfare payment such as job seekers allowance. Where a person is homeless and has no fixed abode or has night by night accommodation then he/she is referred to the Community Welfare Service for support under the SWA scheme.

The SWA scheme is considered the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Under the SWA scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Assistance through ENPs may be provided towards rent deposits. This form of assistance is very important to those on low incomes who are at risk of, or who are homeless, or who rely on the private rented market to meet their housing needs. In 2014, the Department made over 2,990 payments of rent deposits/rent in advance at a cost of €1.48 million throughout the country.

The Department has put measures in place to ensure that the housing needs of rent supplement customers throughout the country who were a risk of homelessness are addressed by providing for increased flexibility within the administration of the rent supplement scheme. Notices circulated to all Community Welfare Service staff reminding them of their discretionary power to award, on a case by case basis, a supplement for rental purposes in such circumstances in July and December 2014. A National Framework has also been developed to ensure that appropriate supports continue to be provided throughout the country in a consistent manner. The Interim Tenancy Sustainment Protocol introduced in the Dublin region during mid-2014 has also been extended to Cork city within the last week.

If the Deputy is aware of a particular case where a homeless family’s social welfare payment has been discontinued, he should forward details to the Department for follow up.

Exceptional Needs Payment Data

Questions (65)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

65. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in respect of whom application has been made for exceptional needs payments in the past 12 months; the way this compares with previous years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5286/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €27.9 million for the ENP scheme in 2015.

There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Statistics are maintained relating to payments made under the ENP scheme. Details of the numbers of payments made for the years 2012 to 2014 are provided in the attached tabular statement. Department records indicate that ENP payments were made to over 57,800 individual persons in 2014 compared to over 72,600 the previous year.

Tabular Statement

Number of Exceptional Needs Payments made by year:

Year	Number of Payments
2012	197,000
2013	133,000
2014	107,000

Question No. 66 answered with Question No. 64.

Job Initiatives

Questions (67)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

67. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which efforts continue to be made to address the issue of long-term unemployment; the progress to date in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5288/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Government’s primary strategy to reduce long-term unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy has been succeeding, with an increase of over 80,000 in employment over the last 2 years.

The long-term unemployment rate peaked at 9.5% in Q1 2012 before falling to 6.4% in Q3 2014. At the latter date, the long-term unemployed accounted for 57% of all those unemployed, down from almost 65% in early 2012. Despite these improvements, the level of long-term unemployment, and in particular the situation of those who are very long-term unemployed (more than two years), continue to be of concern.

The Pathways to Work Strategy provides for enhanced engagement services and additional activation measures to jobseekers while the recovery takes hold. In addition to ongoing reforms, the 2015 iteration of the strategy prioritises additional measures to enhance engagement with the long-term unemployed. This includes a structured process of engagement with the existing long-term unemployed that will see at least 8,300 long-term unemployed people being referred to the activation process (Group Engagement followed by regular one-to-one case officer contact) each month in early 2015. Second, a new employment services model for the long-term unemployed, JobPath, will be rolled out in 2015. It is a payment by results contract model with third party providers of employment services that will provide additional capacity in order to engage more systematically with long-term unemployed jobseekers. Referrals to JobPath providers are expected to commence early in the second half of 2015.

In support of these enhanced engagement processes, 57,000 FET places will continue to be reserved for the long-term unemployed in 2015. A minimum of 16,000 places for the long-term unemployed will also be provided through key public employment programmes. This includes an expansion of the JobsPlus initiative, an employment subsidy that incentivises employers to recruit the long-term unemployed.

Youth Unemployment Measures

Questions (68)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

68. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the progress to date in addressing the issue of youth unemployment; the extent to which targets will be met during the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5289/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. This strategy has been succeeding, with an increase of over 80,000 in employment over the last two years.

Reflecting the improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment continues to fall (with a rate of 21.6% in December 2014 estimated by Eurostat, as compared to 25.8% in December 2013). However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by jobseekers and young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee.

The Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that young people receive an offer of employment within four months of becoming unemployed. The main plank of the guarantee is assistance to young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. For those who do not find employment, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in further education or training. Others are in community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tús, or through the JobsPlus employment subsidy for private employment.

The rollout of the Youth Guarantee will be assisted by the Labour Market Council. The Council recently launched the Employer and Youth Activation Charter which is an example of increased focus on employer engagement. The Charter commits signatories to interview at least 50 per cent of their job candidates from the PES. Pathways to Work 2014 targets with respect to the Youth Guarantee have largely been achieved. In addition it is expected the following targets in Pathways to Work 2015 will be met:

- Roll out the First Steps developmental internships programme for 1500 – 2000 young people.

- Allocate 1,000 places on the Tús scheme to young people.

- Introduce a pilot programme to support young unemployed people to take up opportunities under schemes such as Your First EURES Job.

- Ring-fence a minimum of 2,000 training places for under-25s by the Department of Education and Skills, under a follow-up to the Momentum programme.

Social Welfare Appeals Delays

Questions (69)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

69. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the sections of her Department currently affected by longer than average appeal waiting times; the extent to which she will address this issue during the current year and in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5290/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The average appeal processing time for January 2015 and for 2014 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following tables.

Appeal processing times peaked in 2011 when the average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and for a summary decision was 25.1 weeks. In 2012 the average processing time for an oral hearing dropped to 39.5 weeks and the time for a summary decision increased slightly to 27.8 weeks. Further improvements were achieved in 2013, when the average appeal processing time reduced to 33.9 weeks for an oral hearing and 25.8 weeks for a summary decision. As at end January 2015 the average time taken to process an appeal requiring an oral hearing has reduced to 27.9 weeks and for a summary decision to 18.0 weeks.

The reduction in processing time reflects the significant resources which have been invested in the Social Welfare Appeals Office over the last number of years.

In addition to the improvement in processing times, these measures have also led to a significant reduction in the number of appeals on hand from 20,414 at 1 January 2013 to 9,501 at 31st January 2015.

Appeal processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. They include all activities during this period including time spent awaiting any clarification from the appellant, time in the Department for comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal put forward by the appellant, and any further investigation, examination or assessment by the Department’s Inspectors and Medical Assessors that is deemed necessary. While this process carries an inherent delay in terms of finalising an appeal, it also crystalises the flexibility and accessibility of the appeals system. By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial function, the processing of appeals takes time and reflects the fact that, by definition, the appeal process cannot be a quick one.

The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

Table 1: Appeals processing times by scheme 2015

January 2015

Scheme	SWAO (weeks)	Department of Social Protection (weeks)	Appellant (weeks)	Totals
Blind Pension	9.2	13.1	-	22.3
Carers Allowance	8.0	14.4	0.2	22.6
Carers Benefit	11.3	8.5	0.3	20.1
Child Benefit	7.5	11.2	-	18.7
Disability Allowance	7.2	9.7	-	16.9
Illness Benefit	8.2	12.7	1.5	22.4
Partial Capacity Benefit	4.0	40.1	0.4	44.5
Domiciliary Care Allowance	7.8	9.9	0.2	17.9
Deserted Wives Benefit	24.9	5.7	-	30.5
Farm Assist	10.7	9.1	-	19.8
Bereavement Grant	15.1	6.0	-	21.1
Family Income Supplement	6.8	12.3	-	19.2
Invalidity Pension	10.5	16.4	-	26.8
Liable Relatives	8.2	16.4	-	24.6
One Parent Family Payment	22.0	13.5	0.2	35.7
State Pension (Contributory)	13.4	10.5	-	23.9
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	8.0	7.7	0.1	15.8
State Pension (Transition)	19.2	25.3	-	44.6
Occupational Injury Benefit	2.7	9.9	-	12.6
Disablement Pension	11.4	9.4	-	20.8
Incapacity Supplement	13.7	5.9	-	19.6
Guardian's Payment (Con)	12.1	7.8	-	19.9
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con)	8.6	7.2	-	15.9
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	10.1	12.0	-	22.2
Jobseeker's Allowance	9.6	14.5	-	24.1
Recoverable Benefits & Assistance	4.9	3.1	-	8.0
Jobseeker's Benefit	10.3	9.9	-	20.3
Pre Retirement Allowance	12.8	2.2	-	15.0
Respite Care Grant	5.8	13.4	-	19.1
Insurability of Employment	15.2	5.6	-	20.8
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	10.1	10.9	0.1	21.1
Survivor's Pension (Con)	15.0	18.8	-	33.8
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	27.5	2.1	14.1	43.7
Widows Parent Grant	7.7	4.9	-	12.6
All Appeals	9.0	11.3	0.1	20.5

Table 2: Appeals Processing Times by Scheme 2014

Scheme	SWAO (weeks)	Department of Social Protection (weeks)	Appellant (weeks)	Totals
Adoptive Benefit	8.2	8.9	-	17.1
Blind Pension	18.7	11.2	-	29.9
Carers Allowance	8.8	19.3	0.4	28.6
Carers Benefit	15.1	6.8	0.1	22.0
Child Benefit	11.7	11.7	0.2	23.6
Disability Allowance	9.6	11.1	0.1	20.7
Illness Benefit	9.4	14.1	4.4	27.8
Partial Capacity Benefit	13.0	37.1	-	50.1
Domiciliary Care Allowance	9.3	11.9	0.2	21.4
Farm Assist	13.1	18.1	0.4	31.7
Bereavement Grant	12.2	8.7	-	20.9
Family Income Supplement	9.6	18.1	-	27.8
Invalidity Pension	9.4	17.4	0.1	27.0
Liable Relatives	9.8	28.0	0.5	38.3
One Parent Family Payment	14.3	18.6	0.1	33.0
Maternity Benefit	16.2	7.6	-	23.8
State Pension (Contributory)	12.4	17.6	0.7	30.7
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	12.8	13.8	0.1	26.8
State Pension (Transition)	13.8	29.4	0.3	43.5
Occupational Injury Benefit	12.0	35.1	0.4	47.5
Disablement Pension	13.3	14.4	-	27.7
Incapacity Supplement	10.4	23.8	-	34.2
Guardian's Payment (Con)	11.0	8.6	-	19.6
Guardian's Payment (Non-Con)	11.5	10.1	-	21.7
Jobseeker's Allowance (Means)	12.6	16.4	0.2	29.1
Jobseeker's Allowance	11.0	13.1	0.1	24.3
JA/JB Fraud Control	12.1	-	-	12.1
Jobseeker's Benefit	10.7	14.6	0.1	25.3
Pre Retirement Allowance	6.1	4.0	-	10.1
Respite Care Grant	10.8	9.6	0.2	20.6
Supplementary Welfare Allowance	9.3	11.5	0.2	21.0
Survivor's Pension (Con)	10.4	21.4	0.2	32.0
Survivor's Pension (Non-con)	10.5	17.5	-	28.0
Widows Parent Grant	15.1	7.1	-	22.2
All Appeals	10.5	13.4	0.4	24.2

Unemployment Benefits Payments

Questions (70)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

70. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to assist, by way of unemployment assistance and jobseeker's allowance, those persons who were previously self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5291/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory) as well as maternity benefit, adoptive benefit and guardians payment (contributory).

Self-employed workers may also access social welfare supports by establishing eligibility to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker’s allowance and disability allowance.

It may be noted that almost 9 out of every 10 self-employed people who claimed means tested jobseeker’s allowance during the three-year period from 2009 to 2011 received payment. I am therefore satisfied that the self-employed have adequate access to income support in the event of business failure.

Question No. 71 answered with Question No. 62.

Live Register Data

Questions (72)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

72. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the age profile of those on the live register continues to be monitored with a view to making any adjustments necessary to assist those most in need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5293/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The Government’s primary strategy to reduce unemployment has been through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy is working. Employment has risen by about 80,000 in the last two years. The Government’s Pathways to Work strategy for 2015 prioritises enhanced engagement services for young jobseekers and for the long-term unemployed, as well as providing additional activation measures, to ensure that these groups are able to benefit from the economic recovery.

Therefore the Department of Social Protection keeps a detailed breakdown of the profiles of jobseekers. Data on each client’s age, past occupation, and his/her education, is collected at the point of registration for job-seekers’ payment; these and other relevant data are processed and the probability of exiting the live register is calculated (PEX). This is essentially a predictor of whether or not someone will become long-term unemployed. The roll-out of the profiling system at the Department’s ‘one-stop-shop’ Intreo offices implicitly involves age profiling of the long-term unemployed, as age is one of the main determining variables in predicting if someone will become long-term unemployed. In other words, if someone is in an age category that is more likely to experience especially long-term unemployment, s/he will, all other things being equal, receive more targeted assistance.

In addition, the Youth Guarantee initiative is specifically aimed at those under 25 who are unemployed with specific targeting of those who are either long-term unemployed or are most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

Summary statistical information on the clients’ age, duration of unemployment, and last held occupation together with other demographic and regional information is published each month on the Central Statistics Office website.

Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Appeals

Questions (73)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

73. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if it is recognised that repossession of a home will become inevitable in the case of persons (details supplied) in County Kildare in the absence of mortgage support, which has been discontinued despite clear evidence to the persons' continued entitlement in this regard; that this family need cancer treatment and treatment for childrens' illnesses, resulting in severe and unnecessary hardship; if immediate steps will be taken to restore the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5296/15]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

As outlined in previous replies to the Deputy the documents outstanding to enable this case to be reviewed were set out to the client in letters from the Department on 16th May 2014 and 6th August 2014. The most recent letter of 4th September 2014 also outlined the items that remain outstanding as follows:

- Full copy of original loan application in question

- Full copy of loan offer

- Copies of mortgage payment protection plan or plans and details of any payments received under these plans

- Current professional valuation of farm or lands.

This claim remains closed. The client will again be written to this week with a deadline of 21 days for submission of outstanding information to enable a review. If not received within the time frame the matter will be considered closed and not revisited.