Written Answers Nos. 57-67
57. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will examine an appeal under the domiciliary care allowance scheme in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25227/15]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20th May 2015. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing.
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.
59. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the case of an application for rent supplement by a person (details supplied); the reason the person is being asked to reapply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25324/15]
View answerRent Supplement for the person concerned has now been awarded and payment for the month of June 2015 will issue to her bank account on 25th June 2015.
60. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider the reinstatement of the pre-retirement allowance for persons over 55 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25350/15]
View answerSince the 4th July 2007, Pre-Retirement Allowance was abolished for new customers. However, customers who were already in receipt of Pre-Retirement Allowance on that date continue to receive payment as long as they satisfied the conditions for payment.
There are currently 5.3 people of working age for every pensioner and this ratio is expected to decrease to approximately 2.1 to 1 by 2060. The over 65 year old population is projected to increase from 11% of the total population in 2010 to 15% in 2020, and to 24% in 2060.
The Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund projects that without action to tackle a shortfall, the deficit will increase significantly over the medium to long term to €3bn for 2019 and € 25.7bn for 2066. It is in this context, and mindful of the importance of maintaining the adequacy of the rate of the State pension, that a number of reforms have been introduced, in order to provide for sustainable pensions and to facilitate a longer working life.
State pension age is being increased in three separate stages. In 2014, the State pension age was standardised at 66 by the abolition of the State pension (transition). The pension age will be increased to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. It is anticipated that this rate of increase in pension age will be no faster than the rate of increased longevity. It is also anticipated that the duration of a typical State pension may continue to increase, albeit more slowly than if these increases in pension age were not provided for.
Where individuals are out of employment prior to pension age they often seek the support of either the jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance schemes. Legislation provides that a person must satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work in order to be entitled to jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Any person who fails to satisfy these conditions is not entitled to a jobseeker’s payment.
People in receipt of a jobseeker's payment must engage with the Department's activation measures and can face sanctions if they fail to do so. However, since January 2014, these criteria have been eased for people aged 62 and over. They are able to avail voluntarily of an array of supports from the Department if they wish to return to work, training or education but sanctions are not applied to this cohort, should they decide they do not wish to engage with the activation process.
Special arrangements were also made so that this cohort of jobseekers register with their local office once a year and their payments can be paid directly into their bank accounts.
In light of these reforms there are no plans to reintroduce the Pre-Retirement Allowance scheme for new entrants.
61. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the annual cost of introducing a living wage or minimum threshold gross salary of €11.45 per hour in her Department and the bodies under her aegis. [25359/15]
View answerIt is not possible to provide the information within the timeframe required. The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by my officials and will be sent to the Deputy when it is finalised.
62. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare was refused a social welfare payment; the number of contributions the person has paid, or is being credited, that could effect the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25366/15]
View answerInvalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
To qualify for IP a claimant, inter-alia, must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of their claim. Only PRSI classes A, E or H contributions are reckonable for IP purposes.
The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 05 June 2015. According to department’s records, the person in question has a total of 1886 reckonable contributions paid and 24 contributions credited in 2014, the contribution year before the date of his claim. His medical eligibility for IP was not assessed or determined. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the contribution conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. He was notified on 11 June 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of his right of review and appeal.
The person in question also applied for disability allowance (DA) on 15 January 2015. He was disallowed DA on the grounds that, based upon the information supplied in support of his application, he did not satisfy the medical conditions and did not satisfy the means test for that scheme. He was notified on 20 April 2015 of this decision, the reasons for it and of his rights of review and appeal.
63. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the degree to which she has evaluated the impact of the reduced one-parent family payment on the recipients, in certain circumstances where the alternatives offered may still result in a considerably reduced income; if she will consider any ameliorating measures in such circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25380/15]
View answer66. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the steps, if any, available to her to address issues of one-parent families that have experienced a reduction in their income from the one-parent family payment, notwithstanding the various alternatives on offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25383/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 66 together.
The purpose of the reform of the one parent family payment is to maximise the opportunities for lone parents to enter into and increase employment. I welcome the considerable debate that has been generated by this reform, which commenced in 2012. My priority is to ensure that we, as a society, arrive at a situation where lone parents have the same opportunities to access employment, training and education. Despite committing extensive funding to lone parent payments since the 1970s, lone parents remain the most at-risk-of-poverty, and their children are at a high risk of poverty.
The final phase of the one-parent family payment age reforms are due to take place on 2 July 2015 when approximately 29,400 one-parent family payment recipients will be transitioning out of the one-parent family payment scheme. Approximately 19,800 are expected to transition to the jobseeker’s transitional payment, 4,100 to jobseeker’s allowance and 5,500 to a re-rated family income supplement.
The 5,500 customers already on family income supplement will have their payment automatically increased to take account of the loss of 60% of their one-parent family payment income and have received letters to that effect. These individuals will also qualify for the back to work family dividend (BTWFD), which allows them to retain their increase for a qualified child when they transition off the one parent family payment. The Dividend is worth €1,550 per child in the first year and reducing to 50% entitlement worth €775 per child in the second year.
All remaining customers were invited to attend information sessions in their local Intreo offices where they were advised of the different options available to them when they transition from the one-parent family payment scheme. At these information sessions, staff of the Department informed lone parents that the most financially advantageous option available to them was to work a minimum of 19 hours per week and claim family income supplement.
On foot of these information sessions, estimates suggest that to date over 1,250 of these lone parents have become first time family income supplement recipients. These individuals are now financially better off than when they were claiming the one-parent family payment. These customers will also qualify for the BTWFD from 2 July 2015.
The majority of customers who will move to a jobseeker’s payment will have no change in their weekly income. However, individuals who are earning above €60 per week may incur a loss as the jobseeker’s means test is less generous than the equivalent one-parent family payment means test.
Lone parents who transition to the jobseeker’s transitional payment will be supported by the Department to produce a personal development plan with the help of a case officer on a one to one basis. My Department will continue work with lone parents to provide them with enhanced access to the Department's supports and services.
I look forward to examining the various supports available to all families with children, including single parent families, in the next Budget. In particular, I will look at the scope for improvements in the child benefit, as well as other supports for families in part-time or full-time employment.
64. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of women previously in receipt of the one-parent family payment, who have experienced a net reduction in their weekly income arising from the changes that have taken place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25381/15]
View answerThe reforms to the one-parent family payment saw approximately 10,000 customers transitioning from one-parent family payment to a range of alternative income support payments on 4 July, 2013, and on 3 July, 2014. The majority of these customers were women given that currently 98% of one-parent family payment recipients are women.
It is not possible to give definitive figures on the number of customers, who experienced a change in income on foot of transitioning from the one-parent family payment scheme as this depends on individual circumstances and the status of all affected customers may have changed in the interim.
Over 2,000 customers transferred from the one-parent family payment and family income supplement to a re-rated family income supplement, which was automatically increased to take account of the loss of 60% of their one-parent family payment income. It should also be noted that in July 2013 and in July 2014 almost 600 lone parents become new family income supplement recipients. These 600 individuals would have gained financially from claiming family income supplement for the first time.
Almost 6,000 lone parents transitioned to jobseeker’s scheme including the jobseeker’s transitional payment. The majority of customers who moved to a jobseeker’s payment received no change in their weekly income. However, individuals who were earning above €60 per week incurred a loss as the jobseeker’s means test is less generous than the equivalent one-parent family payment means test.
Lone parents who have transitioned to the jobseeker’s transitional payment are being supported by the Department to produce a personal development plan with the help of a case officer on a one to one basis. My Department will continue work with lone parents to provide them with enhanced access to the Department's supports and services.
There were over 400 lone parents who would have been due to transition from one-parent family payment and half rate Carer’s Allowance to full rate Carer’s Allowance. As a result these individuals would have suffered a drop in their weekly income. However, earlier this year I introduced an extension to the entitlement of the one-parent family payment so that from May of this year these customers can re-apply for one-parent family payment and provided they satisfy the conditions they will be able to retain one-parent family payment and half rate carer’s allowance until their youngest child is 16 years of age.
The remaining lone parents transitioned from one-parent family payment to a wide range of other payments or to education, training or employment programmes.
65. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for the one-parent family payment refused on whatever grounds, on a monthly basis, over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25382/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement.
One-Parent Family Payment Claims Disallowed June 2014 to May 2015
|
June 2014 |
80 |
|
July 2014 |
114 |
|
August 2014 |
77 |
|
September 2014 |
86 |
|
October 2014 |
86 |
|
November 2014 |
83 |
|
December 2014 |
71 |
|
January 2015 |
89 |
|
February 2015 |
61 |
|
March 2015 |
58 |
|
April 2015 |
62 |
|
May 2015 |
71 |
67. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the applications for various social welfare payments which are most commonly refused on application, and referred to appeal and/or an oral hearing; the number of cases subsequently rejected or approved, on appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25384/15]
View answer74. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for carer's allowance, ophthalmic benefit, dental benefit, invalidity pension and disability allowance received in the past six months; the number approved, refused, or pending; the way the figures compare with the previous 12-month period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25391/15]
View answer77. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the extent to which backlogs continue to be addressed in respect of various headings and payments operated by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25394/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 74 and 77 together.
The specific information requested by the Deputy is in tabular form as follows.
Scheme areas continuously monitor and review procedures, practices and communication to ensure that clients are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary evidence from the customer, particularly in the case of illness-related schemes, can take longer to process. Similarly, means-tested payments can also require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision making process.
As part of the Department’s programme of service delivery modernisation, a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology continue to be implemented. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised. One of the biggest factors that delay claim process and results in reviews and appeals is the quality of the information provided by the customer. The Department continues to take every opportunity to inform customers as to the requirements of the application processes by review application forms, use of tits web site and proactively meeting support group and organisation to ensure the message is available.
In addition, the staffing needs of the Department are regularly reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources.
Table A – most commonly refused applications
2014 Appeal Receipts
|
Disability Allowance |
5,554 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance - Payments |
2,610 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance - Means |
2,648 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
2,907 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
2,889 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
2,571 |
2014 Appeal Outcomes
|
Allowed |
Part Allowed |
Revised Deciding Officer decisions |
Disallowed |
Withdrawn |
Total |
|
|
Disability Allowance |
3,860 |
100 |
671 |
2,010 |
90 |
6,731 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance - Payments |
775 |
129 |
395 |
1,450 |
229 |
2,978 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance - Means |
439 |
176 |
454 |
1,708 |
295 |
3,072 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
1,240 |
177 |
463 |
1,451 |
55 |
3,386 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
852 |
128 |
462 |
1,496 |
295 |
3,233 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
2,133 |
15 |
584 |
747 |
43 |
3,522 |
Table B - the number of claims received, approved, refused and pending for
carer’s allowance, disability allowance, invalidity pension and treatment benefits the periods requested.
|
Carer's allowance |
2014 |
End May 2015 |
|
Received |
15,171 |
7,803 |
|
Awarded |
12,560 |
6,459 |
|
Refused |
8,688 |
4,188 |
|
Pending |
4,461 |
4,767 |
|
Disability allowance |
2014 |
End May 2015 |
|
Received |
21,071 |
9,192 |
|
Awarded |
13,876 |
6,774 |
|
Refused |
13,732 |
7,468 |
|
Pending |
5,631 |
4,574 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
2014 |
End May 2015 |
|
Received |
9,240 |
3,794 |
|
Awarded |
7,018 |
3,216 |
|
Refused |
6,543 |
2,864 |
|
Pending |
2,034 |
1,506 |
|
Treatment Benefit |
2014 |
End May 2015 |
|
Received - Dental |
332,500 |
178,400 |
|
Awarded - Dental |
310,350 |
162,800 |
|
Refused - Dental |
21,100 |
11,400 |
|
Pending - Dental |
1,020 |
4,200 |
|
Received - Ophthalmic |
159,500 |
81,200 |
|
Awarded - Ophthalmic |
149,000 |
76,100 |
|
Refused - Ophthalmic |
10,000 |
4,400 |
|
Pending - Ophthalmic |
11 |
700 |
There continues to be strong demand across all these schemes.
Carer's allowance receipts to date in 2015 are up 5% on the same period in 2014 (7,462).
Disability allowance receipts to date in 2015 are up 12% on the same period in 2014 (8,228).
Invalidity pension receipts to date in 2015 are down 2% on the same period in 2014 (3,865).
Treatment benefit receipts to date in 2015 are up 15% on the same period in 2014 (225,029).
