Written Answers Nos. 305-317
305. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason that the means test disregard previously offered to a person (details supplied) whilst on disability allowance was not carried over to the new payment of the non-contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5545/22]
View answerSocial welfare legislation provides that all income and capital belonging to an applicant (and his or her spouse/partner, where applicable) is assessable for means testing purposes for social assistance schemes. While some elements of the means testing arrangements are common to all schemes, there are some elements which vary from scheme to scheme.
The assessment of savings and other capital reflects the fact that there is an expectation that persons with reasonable amounts of capital are in a position to use those savings to support themselves without having to rely solely on a means tested welfare payment.
In the means assessment for a personal rate state pension non-contributory entitlement, the first €20,000 of capital an applicant holds is fully disregarded; the next €10,000 is assessed at €1 per thousand, the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per thousand, with the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand.
For disability allowance, an applicant can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment; the next €10,000 is assessed at €1 per thousand, the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per thousand, with the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand.
Where a person has been in receipt of disability allowance immediately before becoming entitled to state pension non-contributory, and could stand to lose out financially due to the different means testing criteria, legislation provides that the rate of state pension non-contributory payable is at least equal to the due rate of disability allowance applicable in the same circumstances. This ensures that disability allowance recipients are not financially worse off when they move to receive state pension non-contributory. This provision has been applied in the case of the person concerned.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
306. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding eligibility for carer’s benefit with regard to the number of PRSI contributions required to trigger eligibility; the category of PRSI contributions that qualify in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5565/22]
View answerMy Department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Over 135,000 carers benefit from regular income supports and combined spending on these payments to carers in 2022 is estimated to exceed €1.5 billion. The value of income transfers to family carers has increased by over 50% since 2015.
Carer's Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. A person may be eligible for Carer's Benefit if they have enough PRSI contributions. Carer’s Benefit is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. It can be taken in one block or in separate periods as long as the combined total does not exceed 104 weeks. The current weekly rate is €225.00.
To be eligible for Carer’s Benefit, a person must have at least 156 contributions paid at any time between their entry into insurance and the time they make a claim for Carer's Benefit. They must have:
- 39 contributions paid in the relevant tax year or
- 39 contributions paid in the 12-month period before the start of Carer's Benefit or
- 26 contributions paid in the relevant tax year and 26 contributions paid in the year before that.
The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which a claim is made. So, for claims made in 2022, the relevant tax year is 2020.
PRSI contributions at Class A, B, C, D, H and E are counted towards Carer's Benefit.
I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to keep the range of supports available to carers under review. However, any improvements or additions to these supports can only be considered in an overall budgetary context and in the light of available financial resources.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
307. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the decision the appeals office made for a claim for carer's benefit for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5576/22]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 26 January 2022.
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.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
308. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if the concerns of local employment service providers in County Kerry and nationwide have been taken into account; the status of her plans for local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5599/22]
View answerMy Department is currently undertaking a competitive procurement of employment services over two phases. It follows extensive engagement with existing service partners and their representative bodies over the last number of years, including site visits to all current providers and including Kerry's local employment services.
My Department hosted two information sessions for interested tenderers following the publication of both requests for tender (RFT) to date. In addition, last November my officials hosted a webinar that attracted over 150 stakeholders, where a presentation on the procurement process was followed by a 90-minute question and answer session and an invitation to submit views on the content of the Phase 2 request for tender. Representatives from Kerry local employment services attended all these sessions and their views were given due consideration when drafting the Phase 2 Local Area Employment Service RFT.
Enhancements for Phase two include a significant increase in the proportion of minimum referral numbers across all lots being procured in Phase 2, which will provide greater certainty in terms of the financial feasibility of the contracts. In addition, my officials clarified the up-front advances available under the new contracts to assist cash flow for potential tenderers.
Contracts for phase one were signed in December last and new services are now established in seven counties that previously did not have a Local Employment Service (LES). Phase two of the process has commenced, with the publication of the request for tender in December for seventeen lots covering the remaining 19 counties to ensure a Statewide service. Services for this phase will begin in July 2022.
309. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that funding received as part of the basic income for the arts pilot scheme is not taken into consideration when means testing for social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5608/22]
View answerThe Arts and Culture Taskforce recommended the introduction of a pilot basic income scheme for artists. This was reflected in the National Economic Recovery Plan. Budget 2022 included an announcement of €25 million to pilot a new Basic Income Guarantee scheme for artists.
My colleague the Minister for Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has lead responsibility for this initiative and the matter is being progressed by Minister Martin and her Department.
Any issues regarding the interaction between the new pilot payment and existing payments from my Department will fall to be addressed in due course as work on the proposed pilot is progressed.
310. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise on the case of a person case (details supplied). [5610/22]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
I confirm that my Department received an application for CA in respect of two care recipients on 07 May 2020.
It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant’s means are less than the statutory limit. The person concerned did not provide such certificates, documents or evidence as requested, and means could not be determined.
It is a further condition for CA that the applicant be considered habitually resident in this State. A Deciding Officer (DO), based on the evidence submitted, decided the person concerned was not habitually resident in the State.
Both applications for CA were disallowed and the person concerned was notified on 15 July 2020 of these decisions, the reason for them and of her right of review and appeal.
A review was requested on 5 August 2020. Following this review, the decisions remained unchanged.
A further review was requested on 23 September 2020. Documentation was submitted and the means condition was satisfied. However, the habitual residency condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified on 27 October 2020 that she does not have an entitlement to CA, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal. The Department has no record of a request for a review or an appeal of this decision.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
311. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the current restrictions and guidelines with regard to school going children who test positive for Covid-19 (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the fact that parents who are not vaccinated can apply for enhanced illness benefit in such circumstances; her views on whether this is giving preferential treatment to those who choose not to be vaccinated; and if she will address this imbalance, as a matter of urgency, and allow a choice for parents who find themselves in this situation. [5670/22]
View answerEnhanced Illness Benefit was introduced in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), the Government extended the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to Illness Benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of infection with Covid-19. Changes to the eligibility conditions for the payment have been made on an ongoing basis in line with changes to public health advice.
The most recent change has been that the duration of payment for those considered a probable risk was reduced to 7 days from 14 January 2022. From that date, asymptomatic people who are close contacts and who have had their immunity boosted are not required to restrict their movements and are not entitled to receive enhanced Illness Benefit. Immunity is considered boosted if the person has received a booster or third vaccination or has had a Covid-19 diagnosis since 1st December 2021. This change complies with public health guidance in relation to a person's vaccination status.
Enhanced Illness Benefit is hence not payable for an asymptomatic parent who stays at home to care for their child who is ill with Covid-19. This is similar to the situation for parents caring for children with any other illness.
If, however, a parent in this situation starts showing symptoms of Covid-19, they should immediately self-isolate and, in this circumstance, can apply for enhanced Illness Benefit. Where a person has a Covid-19 diagnosis they may be paid for up to 10 weeks with appropriate medical certification from their GP.
This Department will continue to keep the situation in relation to enhanced Illness Benefit under review in light of evolving public health guidance, to assist people who cannot work due to Covid-19.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
312. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if support and advice will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied). [5690/22]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
The person concerned is in receipt of CA in respect of his care recipient since 19 March 2015 and currently receives CA for one care recipient and two qualified children.
No means are assessed against the person concerned at this time and they are in receipt of their full entitlement of CA.
As part of Budget 2022, the rate of CA increased by €5 to €224.00 per week, and the qualified child half rate increased by €1 to €20 for under 12’s and by €2.50 to €24 for over 12’s per week. These increases came into effect in January.
Where appropriate and where possible it is open to the person concerned to engage in employment, self-employment or a training or education course for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.
If the person concerned is experiencing financial difficulties, they should contact their local Intreo Centre to discuss their options. They may apply for a payment under the Department’s Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme.
Under the SWA scheme, an exceptional needs payment can be made to a person to help them meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is decided on the circumstances of the case.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the waiting time for decision in respect of applications for various social welfare payments has been shortened; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5740/22]
View answer325. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the system of processing of applications for various social welfare payments continues to be in line with the most expeditious practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5750/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 325 together.
My Department understands the many pressures faced by customers and always seeks to ensure that claims are handled quickly and efficiently. I am pleased to report that claim processing is up to date, with processing targets met, or exceeded, on average for all the main scheme areas.
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 investigations and interaction with the customer, thereby lengthening the decision-making process.
While there have been high volumes of Covid Enhanced Illness Benefit applications over the past month as a result of the transmission of the Omicron variant, 92% of these applications are being processed within a week. Applications that require a manual intervention are taking approximately two weeks to process but my officials are working hard to minimise any delays. There are no backlogs arising in respect of standard Illness Benefit applications.
Overall, I am very pleased that my Department continues to ensure the customer experience has not been diminished by the effects of Covid 19 and that customer service has been maintained at a high level. The average processing time in 2021 across all schemes compared to 2019 is outlined in the table below:
|
Social Welfare Scheme |
Average weeks to award in 2019 |
Average weeks to award in 2021 |
|
State Pension Contributory |
7 |
6 |
|
Widow's Contributory Pension |
4 |
1 |
|
State Pension Non-Contributory |
10 |
6 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
2 |
2 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
1 |
1 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
4 |
3 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
1 |
1 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
6 |
6 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
6 |
6 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
14 |
4 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
12 |
4 |
|
Disability Allowance |
13 |
6 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
9 |
7 |
|
Illness Benefit |
1 |
1 |
|
Occupational Injury Benefit |
1 |
1 |
|
Child Benefit |
2 |
3 |
|
Working Family Payment |
6 |
2 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
10 |
10 |
|
Household Benefits |
1 |
1 |
|
Free Travel |
2 |
1 |
The Department has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology in recent years. Operational processes, procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed to ensure that processing capability is maximised.
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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which applicants with insufficient contributions to qualify for the State pension (contributory) might have their cases reviewed with the possibility of a pro rata payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5741/22]
View answer317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons who have insufficient contributions to qualify for a State pension (contributory) might have the option of applying for a reduced rate of pension or refund of contributions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5742/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 316 and 317 together.
The State Pension (Contributory) is a PRSI-based pension, financed by contributions made by current workers and their employers, and paid to pensioners, at a rate based upon their PRSI record when working. A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). As the actuarial value of the State Pension is estimated at over €300,000, it is reasonable to require people claiming a contributory pension to have made at least 10 years of paid contributions over the term of their working life.
Where a person enters the social insurance system over the age of 56 they will not be able to make sufficient social insurance contributions to be awarded a State Pension (Contributory) on reaching 66 years of age because it has a minimum contribution requirement of 520 contributions (i.e. 10 years). In such cases a level of social insurance refund may be applicable.
It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy the conditionality to qualify for State Pension (Contributory), s/he may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) is paid, generally, where a pensioner has an adult dependent (e.g. a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who is financially dependent upon him/her), who does not have enough contributions to claim a maximum rate State Pension (Contributory) in his/her own right. The payment rate for the IQA is up to 90% of a full contributory pension. The most advantageous payment for a pensioner will depend upon their individual circumstances.
The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. Once it completed its work and fulfilled its obligations, the Commission was dissolved. The Commission's Report was published on 7th October 2021. The report, Technical Sub-Committee's working papers and submissions made to the Pensions Commission are available on the website, pensionscommission.gov.ie.
The Commission’s Report is a comprehensive report that takes account of an assessment of various analyses of population, labour force and expenditure projections; an examination of international approaches; and responses to an extensive consultation process. It has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed, and it has set out a wide range of recommendations in this regard - including the full transition to a Total Contributions Approach (TCA) model, phasing out of the Yearly Average approach, allowing a person to continue paying PRSI contributions past State Pension Age to improve their social insurance record for State Pension (Contributory) purposes and measures to enhance pension provision for long-term carers (in excess of 20 years).
The report was referred to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands for its views which were published yesterday. Separately, as set out in its terms of reference, the Commission on Taxation and Welfare is considering the report of the Pensions Commission in the context of its review of potential changes to the social insurance system.
In the interests both of older people and future generations of older people, the Government intends to consider the comprehensive and far reaching recommendations in the Commission’s Report very carefully and holistically. My officials are currently examining each of the recommendations and are consulting across Government through the Cabinet Committee system. I think it is really important that we complete that work before reaching conclusions on any specific recommendation. I intend to bring a recommended response and implementation plan to Government by the end of March 2022.
The State Pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland. It is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. This Government is committed to ensuring that this remains the case for current pensioners, those nearing State Pension age and today’s young workers including those who are only starting their careers.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
