Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
891. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 253 of 15 December 2022, if she will provide updated figures on the claimants in each time period; the number of EIB claims received and the individuals claiming EIB up to the end of September 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1265/23]
View answerEnhanced Illness Benefit (EIB) was a form of Illness Benefit that was payable to self-employed persons or an employee who was required to self-isolate or had been diagnosed with Covid-19. The enhanced rate of Illness Benefit came to an end on Friday 30 September 2022.
It is important to note that a person may have received Enhanced Illness Benefit on more than one occasion since the payment was introduced, and thus have more than one claim for Enhanced Illness Benefit. EIB was payable for up to 10 weeks where a person was diagnosed with Covid-19. In a case where a person continued to be ill beyond 10 weeks, standard Illness Benefit could be paid for an extended period, based on the person’s continued eligibility.
Latest figures from my Department show the number of EIB claims and individual recipients in Table 1, and the duration of EIB claims in Table 2.
Table 1: Number of EIB Claims and EIB Recipients
|
Claims |
Individual Recipients |
|
732,578 |
528,561 |
Table 2: EIB claim durations
|
Weeks |
Claims |
|
0-2 |
615,176 |
|
2-4 |
83,253 |
|
4-6 |
16,502 |
|
6-8 |
6,476 |
|
8-10 |
3,369 |
|
10+ |
7,802 |
