Bernard Durkan
Question:278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of long-term jobseeker’s support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48991/21]
View answerDepartmental Data
Questions (278)
Written answers
As of 3rd October 2021, there were 86,254 recipients of long-term jobseeker's support (.i.e. in receipt of a jobseekers payment for 12 months or more).
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (279)
Bernard Durkan
Question:279. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of invalidity pension; the extent to which the number has fluctuated over the past two years or is likely to so do in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48992/21]
View answerWritten answers
The table below shows the number of invalidity pension recipients at the end of each month over the past two years, from August 2019 to August 2021. During this period the number of recipients has fluctuated from a low of 57,997 in August 2019 to a high of 59,340 in January 2021. The most recently available number of recipients (Aug 2021) is 58,369.
As Invalidity Pension is a demand-led scheme it is not possible to definitively determine future recipient numbers.
Invalidity Pension
|
Year |
Month |
Number of Recipients |
|
2019 |
August |
57,977 |
|
September |
58,038 |
|
|
October |
58,073 |
|
|
November |
58,194 |
|
|
December |
58,164 |
|
|
2020 |
January |
58,299 |
|
February |
58,397 |
|
|
March |
58,549 |
|
|
April |
58,692 |
|
|
May |
58,908 |
|
|
June |
58,971 |
|
|
July |
58,917 |
|
|
August |
58,854 |
|
|
September |
58,933 |
|
|
October |
58,995 |
|
|
November |
59,299 |
|
|
December |
59,230 |
|
|
2021 |
January |
59,340 |
|
February |
59,338 |
|
|
March |
59,181 |
|
|
April |
59,040 |
|
|
May |
58,922 |
|
|
June |
58,630 |
|
|
July |
58,556 |
|
|
August |
58,369 |
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (280)
Bernard Durkan
Question:280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of child benefit payments; the extent to which this has fluctuated over the past two years and is likely to so do in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48993/21]
View answerWritten answers
Child benefit is the principal way the State assists families with the costs of raising children. It is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years, or to the age of 18 in respect of children who are in full-time education or who have a disability.
The total number of child benefit recipients for September 2021 was 633,270 in respect of 1.2 million children.
The number of recipients has consistently remained at between 630,000 and 640,000 over the last two years with only minor fluctuations each month. The Department does not expect to see any significant increases or decreases in the number of recipients in the coming years.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (281)
Bernard Durkan
Question:281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of recipients of State pension (non-contributory) over the past two years; the extent to which this number has fluctuated or is likely to so do; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48994/21]
View answerWritten answers
At the end of September 2021, there were 95,290 state pension non-contributory (personal rate) recipients.
The numbers of recipients over the past 2 years are provided in the table below. This has remained relatively consistent over the past number of years at around 95,000.
|
Date |
Number of recipients of SPNC (personal rate) |
|
31 December 2020 |
95,465 |
|
31 December 2019 |
94,854 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (282)
Bernard Durkan
Question:282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of prisoners wives’ allowances granted over the past two years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48995/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Prisoner's Wife's Allowance was a means tested payment made to women under 66 years of age whose husband was in prison and who have no dependent children. The scheme was closed to new applicants with effect from 2 January 1997 when One Parent Family Payment was introduced.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (283)
Bernard Durkan
Question:283. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of exceptional needs payments made in each of the past two years to date; the most common reasons for which the payment was sought; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48996/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department can make a single Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time. Government has provided €46.02 million for the exceptional and urgent needs schemes in 2021.
Approximately 92,200 payments were made in 2019, and 67,600 payments in 2020. To date in 2021, over 41,800 payments have been made. The categories with the largest number of payments within the ENP scheme are the clothing category; the housing category, which includes payments for necessary items including bedding, flooring, furniture, household appliances and rent deposits; and the general category which includes support for travel costs, heating costs and insufficient means.
I would encourage any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an exceptional or urgent needs payment to contact their local Intreo Centre. There is a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818-800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (284)
Bernard Durkan
Question:284. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of rent support payments in lieu of rehousing made by her Department in each of the past six years to date; if a particular trend in terms of reliance on the payment has been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48997/21]
View answerWritten answers
Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting 15,939 active recipients at the end of August 2021.
The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose - that of a short-term income support - has been primarily facilitated by the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). HAP has been successfully rolled out nationally, available in all local authorities, since March 2017. Since HAP's introduction, initially on a pilot basis in 2014, rent supplement recipient numbers have been declining as long-term rent supplement cases have migrated to local authority control primarily via HAP.
As part of the Government’s response to the pandemic, in March 2020, the conditions for receipt of rent supplement were relaxed and flexibilities introduced to enable those in the private rented sector who suffered a loss of employment or income due to the pandemic to access rent supplement. For 2020, the increase in rent supplement recipients for this year reflect these changes alongside the increased demand due to the Covid emergency.
The central tenet behind the Housing Assistance Payment was to identify and transfer those with long term reliance on rent supplement for their housing needs to a local authority sponsored solution whilst allowing rent supplement to revert to its originally intended role of providing short term income support to those temporarily unemployed.
The attached tabular statement shows the year on year reduction, from 2017 to 2019, the increase in 2020, and the reduction of recipient numbers in 2021 as HAP transfers continue and as Covid rent supplement recipients return to work.
Tabular Statement:
Rent Supplement: Recipient Numbers & Expenditure 2016 - 2021
|
Year |
Recipients |
Cost |
|
2016 |
48,041 |
€275.3m |
|
2017 |
34,378 |
€230.6m |
|
2018 |
24,303 |
€175.0m |
|
2019 |
16,781 |
€125.2m |
|
2020 |
19,304 |
€133.1m |
|
2021 to end August |
15,939* |
€89.8m** |
* Recipient numbers as at end August 2021
** Estimated Outturn to end August 2021
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (285)
Bernard Durkan
Question:285. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appeals filed in respect of decisions made under the headings of jobseeker’s allowance, disability allowance or illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48998/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
The table below provides details of the number of appeals registered in respect of decisions regarding Jobseeker's Allowance, Disability Allowance and Illness Benefit in 2020 and to the end of September 2021.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
Allowance |
2020 |
2021 (to end of September) |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
1,250 |
911 |
|
Disability Allowance |
6,661 |
4,275 |
|
Illness Benefit |
984 |
487 |
Social Welfare Appeals
Questions (286)
Bernard Durkan
Question:286. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of appeals upheld in respect of decisions to refuse for invalidity pension, jobseeker’s allowance, illness benefit and disability; the number that have been overturned or otherwise following further appeal or review thereof; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48999/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
The tables below provide details of the outcomes of all finalised appeals in respect of Invalidity Pension, Jobseeker's Allowance, Illness Benefit and Disability Allowance for 2020 and to the end of September 2021.
Appeal Outcomes 2020
|
Allowed by Appeals Officer |
Partly Allowed by Appeals Officer |
Revised decision by Deciding Officer |
Disallowed by Appeals Officer |
Withdrawn |
Total |
|
|
Invalidity Pension |
1,113 |
2 |
631 |
924 |
34 |
2,704 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
213 |
50 |
295 |
801 |
178 |
1,537 |
|
Illness Benefit |
81 |
10 |
733 |
217 |
158 |
1,199 |
|
Disability Allowance |
3,930 |
127 |
657 |
2,642 |
54 |
7,410 |
|
Total |
5,337 |
189 |
2,316 |
4,584 |
424 |
12,850 |
Appeal Outcomes 2021 (to end of September 2021)
|
Allowed by Appeals Officer |
Partly Allowed by Appeals Officer |
Revised decision by Deciding Officer |
Disallowed by Appeals Officer |
Withdrawn |
Total |
|
|
Invalidity Pension |
638 |
3 |
318 |
494 |
12 |
1,465 |
|
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
131 |
33 |
177 |
424 |
90 |
855 |
|
Illness Benefit |
26 |
7 |
332 |
146 |
41 |
552 |
|
Disability Allowance |
1,867 |
68 |
467 |
1,512 |
37 |
3,951 |
|
Total |
2,662 |
111 |
1,294 |
2,576 |
180 |
6,823 |
There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance might be successful on appeal and it is not necessarily the case that the first decision was incorrect. It is often the case that new evidence is provided with an appeal and that, as a result, the original decision may be revised by the Deciding Officer or Designated Person. This was the outcome in 18% of appeals finalised (2,316 cases) in these schemes in 2020 and in 19% of appeals finalised (1,294 cases) to the end of September 2021.
Where the decision was not revised by the Department in light of the appeal contentions, further evidence is often provided by the person concerned as the appeal process proceeds and, in addition, the Appeals Officer may gain insights from the person concerned at oral hearing which may influence the outcome of the appeal.
Under legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed under Section 317 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. The Chief Appeals Officer has power under Section 318 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to revise any decision where it appears that the Appeals Officer’s decision was erroneous by reason of some mistake having been made in relation to the law or the facts.
The table below shows the outcomes of the Section 317 and Section 318 reviews finalised from January to September 2021.
January - September 2021
|
Allowed |
Part Allowed |
Disallowed |
Total |
|
|
Section 317 review |
288 |
24 |
231 |
543 |
|
Section 318 review |
14 |
2 |
24 |
40 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (287)
Bernard Durkan
Question:287. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons aged 100 years or more in Ireland and in receipt of an appropriate social welfare payment or have been refused such a payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49000/21]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested by the Deputy where available is set out in the table below. I am advised that there were no refused applications recorded for persons aged 100 or older in September. The numbers in the table below refer to the main recipient of the scheme and does not include any adult dependants who may be aged 100 or older.
Persons Aged 100+ in Ireland in receipt of Social Protection Payments
|
Scheme |
People |
|
State Pension Contributory |
156 |
|
State Pension Non Contributory |
185 |
|
Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension |
222 |
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (288)
Sorca Clarke
Question:288. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out in rent allowance in each of the years 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021. [49036/21]
View answerWritten answers
The table below sets out the amount of Rent Supplement paid out by the Department of Social Protection in each of the years 2019, 2020 and up to the end of September 2021.
|
Rent Supplement Expenditure |
€m |
|
2019 |
125.2 |
|
2020 |
133.1 |
|
Year to Date September 2021 |
98.7 |
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (289)
Cathal Berry
Question:289. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the processing of applications for the carer’s and disability allowance is in line with the most expeditious practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49082/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the different 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 also require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision making process.
The table below shows the very significant improvement in new claim decision making that has been achieved over recent years for Carer's Allowance (CA) and Disability Allowance (DA). This has been maintained by my Department throughout the period of the pandemic.
|
Average time (weeks) for new claim decision |
||||
|
Scheme Name |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
As at end august 2021 |
|
Carer’s Allowance |
17 |
14 |
7 |
5 |
|
Disability Allowance |
13 |
13 |
7 |
6 |
There are no delays in processing claims where all of the information is provided to establish entitlement to CA and DA schemes.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (290)
Cathal Berry
Question:290. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the processing of appeals for the carer’s and disability allowance is in line with the most expeditious practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49083/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
The tables below provide details of the processing of appeals for Carer's Allowance and Disability Allowance for 2020 and to the end of September 2021.
The time taken to process an appeal reflects all aspects of the appeal process including the time spent in the Department reviewing the decision in light of the appeal contentions and/or preparing the appeal submission. Some 20% of cases will be revised in favour of the appellant as a result of this review process. In some cases, further investigation may be required at this point (e.g. in relation to means or medical issues) and this can add to the time taken to process an appeal.
The appeals process is a quasi-judicial process with Appeals Officers being required to decide all appeals on a ‘de-novo’ basis. Appeal decisions are subject to review by the High Court. The nature of the appeals process impacts on the processing times which are proportionate to the complexity of many of the issues under appeal which often require a high level of judgement in addition to the need to ensure due process and natural justice.
Appeals may be determined on a summary basis or by means of an oral hearing. Where an oral hearing is required the logistics involved in scheduling the hearing and giving the appellant and any other witnesses adequate notice adds to the timeframe involved.
Other factors which impact on processing times include increased complexity, an increasing demand for oral hearings and the loss of Appeals Officer experience and corporate knowledge due to the high number of retirements in recent years. Ensuring that appeal processing times are as short as possible is a priority for the Chief Appeals Officer.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Appeal processing times (weeks) 2020 - 2021
|
Carer’s Allowance |
Oral hearing |
Summary decision |
|
|
2020 |
23.3 |
11.6 |
|
|
2021 to end of September |
20.7 |
11.3 |
Appeal processing times (weeks) 2020 – 2021
|
Disability Allowance |
Oral hearing |
Summary decision |
|
|
2020 |
19.3 |
11.4 |
|
|
2021 to end of September |
21.3 |
11.9 |
Social Welfare Eligibility
Questions (291)
Cathal Berry
Question:291. Deputy Cathal Berry asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which satisfactory provision has been made for public sector employees reaching mandatory retirement age prior to reaching pensionable age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49084/21]
View answerWritten answers
The provision for public sector employees who reach mandatory retirement age prior to reaching the State pensionable age is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
The Department of Social Protection provides a range of income supports for people under pension age in the event of different contingencies that may arise such as unemployment or illness.
Earlier this year, and in line with the Programme for Government commitment, I introduced a Benefit Payment for 65-year-olds. This provides a benefit payment for employed or self-employed people who are aged between 65 and 66 and who were required to or chose to retire. There is no requirement to sign on, engage in activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work.
Applicants must also satisfy the PRSI conditionality for the scheme which, in the case of employees, includes having the required contributions in the Governing Contribution Year, which is the second last complete tax year. For example, for a claim in 2021, the second last complete tax year is 2019. Further details of this support are available on the Government's website.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
Rights of People with Disabilities
Questions (292)
Neale Richmond
Question:292. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on whether Ireland is fully honouring its commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regarding those with Down syndrome and their access to inclusive education and equality before the law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48828/21]
View answerWritten answers
Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2018. This marked an important milestone in a process to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities in Ireland that has gathered momentum since Ireland became a signatory to the Convention in 2007.
The approach being taken to meeting the obligations of the UNCRPD is one of progressive realisation, each year moving forward on key reforms, with the obligations arising from the Convention being met over time. Initial priority has been given to meeting legislative commitments.
Ireland currently has two whole-of-government strategies in place, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (now extended until the end of 2022) and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, 2015-2024. These include important measures to support people with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. They encompass a wide diversity of people with disabilities, including those with Down's Syndrome.
These are the key frameworks for policy and action to address the needs of persons with disabilities in Ireland, and to improve their lives in a practical sense. They include actions on enabling people with disabilities to access education, to enter employment and to live independently. They are also the key framework for advancing progress with respect to UNCRPD obligations, including those raised by the Deputy. My Department coordinates these two strategies and my colleague, Minister of State Anne Rabbitte, chairs the NDIS Steering Group.