Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
1173. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of reinstating a concurrent payment of half-rate illness benefit and jobseeker’s benefit in addition to one parent family payment and widow’s and widower’s pensions. [41245/21]
View answerUntil 2012, recipients of a Widow's or Widower's Pension or a One-Parent Family Payment who met all the qualifying conditions for Jobseeker's Benefit or Illness Benefit, were entitled to concurrently claim half payment of their Jobseeker's or Illness Benefit entitlement.
The abolition, in Budget 2012, of the concurrent payment of half-rate Illness Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit, with One-Parent Family Payment and Widow's and Widower's Pensions, gave rise to savings of €22.6 million in a full year.
I am advised that the Department is not immediately in a position to determine how much it would cost to reintroduce this, as it is not possible, in the time available, to determine how many lone parents, jobseekers, widows, widowers or surviving civil partners recipients would also qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit or Illness Benefit and, as such, would be entitled to concurrent half-rate payments.
