Written Answers Nos. 151-163
152. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeal for an exceptional needs’ payment will be processed for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11686/23]
View answerThe 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the exceptional needs payment scheme is administrative in nature and does not have a right of appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer. Any enquiries on this matter should be addressed to the Community Welfare Officer, Department of Social Protection Intreo Centre, Godfrey Place, Tralee, Co. Kerry.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
155. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a review of a decision for carer's allowance and carer's support grant has been completed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11712/23]
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 an application for CA was received from the person concerned on 13 October 2022.
The application was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) on 21 October 2022 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of CA were satisfied.
The SWI interviewed the person concerned on the 7 November 2022 and requested additional supporting documentation. A reminder e-mail issued on 17 November 2022 regarding this outstanding documentation. Some, but not all, of the requested documentation has been received from the person concerned to date.
Following a report from the SWI on 2 December 2022, the claim for CA was disallowed on the basis that the customer failed to reply and had not submitted the means information requested by the SWI.
A refusal letter issued to the person concerned on 5 December 2022. This outlined the reason for the decision and informed the person of their right of review and appeal.
A request for a review of this decision was received on 21 February 2023. This review has commenced and, once completed, correspondence will issue directly to the person concerned.
The person concerned also applied for the Carer's Support Grant. This was awarded to the person concerned as a stand-alone payment on 6 December 2022. The person was notified of this decision on the same day.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
156. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide statistics in relation to the numbers of applications for rent supplement received in the Dublin central rents unit in the past 12 months; the number of rent supplement reviews that have been conducted in the same period, and the processing times for both (details supplied). [11741/23]
View answer157. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the staffing and administrative changes made within the Dublin central rents unit over the past 12 months, including the numbers employed in the unit; the changes that have been made to the administrative end of the rent supplement application process; and if she will provide details of how applications are now being processed. [11742/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together.
Rent Supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
The responsibility for the provision of rent support to those with a long-term housing need lies with the local authorities. Persons with a long-term housing need should contact their local authority where information is available regarding suitable housing supports including the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).
In September 2022, the former Dublin Central Rents Unit based in Cork Street was expanded to include Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) and support staff situated in locations across the country and Rent Supplement claim processing nationwide was consolidated into the National Rent Supplement Section (NRSS). The NRSS currently has 41 (39.2 WTE) staff , virtually across the country.
|
Rents in Payment |
Jan-22 |
Aug-22 |
Dec-22 |
|
Dublin Central Rents Unit |
3,609 |
2,680 |
- |
|
National Rent Support Section (NRSS) |
- |
- |
10,548 |
As at 26/2/2023 there were 9,757 RS claims in payment.
Staff in my Department are engaged with customers throughout the entire life cycle of their claim, including regular reviews for all schemes on an ongoing basis. A person’s entitlement to a social welfare payment is reviewed to ensure that they continue to satisfy the conditions of the scheme. A person’s means may also be reviewed from time to time. A customer may also request a review of their means in the light of changed circumstances at any time.
Prior to the establishment of the NRSS, the Dublin Central Rents Unit undertook some 2000 rent reviews during the period 01/01/2022 to 09/09/2022. In the remainder of the year to 31/12/2022 over 700 rent reviews were conducted by the NRSS.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the current position in regard to the recovery of alleged overpayments in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11751/23]
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 was assessed with an overpayment of Jobseeker’s Allowance of €153,702.20 and a deduction (€20) is currently in place from their weekly CA payment.
The Debt Recovery Unit in Longford wrote to the person concerned on 5 October 2022 to carry out a periodic review of the overpayment plan. Though the Department can deduct up to 15% of the person’s primary payment (€35 per week in this case), the result of this review was that the rate of repayment remained unchanged at €20 per week. The person concerned was notified of this decision and of their right to review or appeal on 13 January 2023.
As of 6 March 2023, the outstanding overpayment stood at €151,059.10.
The Debt Recovery Unit in Longford will engage with the person concerned on foot of any new information or correspondence it receives and will take into consideration any financial burden the person is experiencing as a result.
Any new repayment plan applied will need to be reasonable in relation to the person concerned and to the Department. As with all debts owed to the Department, the Minister must make every effort to recover debts in full and debts will remain until fully recovered.
159. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will advise on requirements for people applying for additional needs payments to assist with energy bills to have sought support from MABS; if she will advise when this requirement was put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11770/23]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. Additional Needs Payments are demand led and made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
Guidance issued in February of this year to the Community Welfare Service (CWS) staff of my Department on the administration of additional needs payments to meet the income needs of vulnerable individuals and families who find themselves in difficulty meeting the higher costs of energy. The guidance provided to the CWS staff advised that where there is a persistent challenge for an individual or family to meet the cost of energy it is recommended that they be referred to Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABs) for budgetary advice. Engagement with MABs is not a condition for receipt of assistance by way of an Additional Needs Payment.
Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
160. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Social Protection if reckonable social security contributions paid in the United Kingdom qualify a person who is providing full-time care and attention to another person in this state to qualify for carer’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11810/23]
View answerCarer's Benefit is a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) based payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years (104 weeks).
Before a decision can be made on entitlement to Carer’s Benefit, evidence must be provided in respect of the care recipient’s care requirement, the level of care the carer provides, the carer’s hours of employment and their PRSI record.
Under the provisions of the legislation, a person claiming Carer's Benefit must have been employed in full-time employment for at least eight weeks, either consecutive or not, in the 26-week period immediately prior to the commencement of the Carer's Benefit claim. Full-time employment in this context is defined as insurable employment for at least 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight.
Only PRSI contributions paid at classes A, B, C, D, E and H are counted towards Carer's Benefit. Contributions paid at class S (self-employed contributions) do not count.
For a first claim the Carer must have:
- 156 PRSI contributions paid since entry into insurance
And either
- 39 reckonable contributions in the relevant tax year (2020 for a claim made in 2022) or
- 39 reckonable contributions paid in the 12-month period before the start of Carer's Benefit or
- 26 reckonable contributions paid in the relevant tax year and 26 contributions paid in the year before that.
Periods of insurance completed in the United Kingdom, EU or another EEA member state may be taken into account to meet the PRSI contribution requirements. However, for Ireland to be the competent state, the most recent contribution must have been paid in Ireland.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
161. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 28 February 2023, if participants who were on a qualifying payment for over a year and have recently been moved to another qualifying payment will still be eligible to receive the announced bonus payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11852/23]
View answerThe €200 lump sum payment, which will be paid to over 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This lump sum will be paid in April and will cost approximately €261 million.
This support will be paid on a similar basis to the Christmas Bonus, including to those on jobseeker's payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months; with the addition of recipients of the Working Family Payment. One lump sum will be paid per person. If a person receives more than one qualifying social welfare payment, they will receive one €200 lump sum payment.
For example, recipients of a jobseeker payment, who were previously on another scheme, may be entitled to the lump sum where there is a combined duration of one year or more. For example, time spent on Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance or Daily Expenses Allowance can count towards entitlement to the lump sum. Similarly, time spent on an employment scheme or training/education courses may also be considered when establishing entitlement to the lump sum as a jobseeker.
If the Deputy had a particular circumstance in mind I am happy for my officials to examine such a scenario in more detail.
162. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will ensure that in all correspondence issued by her Department referencing a person’s possible entitlement to fuel allowance, it will be explicitly stated that a person must submit an application form for the fuel allowance and that there is no automatic entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11858/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance scheme is a means-tested payment to assist qualified householders on long-term social welfare payments and people aged 70 and over towards their winter heating costs. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
Extensive information on Fuel Allowance is provided by my Department through the local Intreo Centre and Branch Office networks, on the Government's website www.gov.ie and through various organisations such as Citizens Information Centres.
Where a person applies for primary scheme payments, such as State Pension or Invalidity Pension, they indicate their intention to apply for Fuel Allowance as part of their application.
For those who wish to submit a standalone Fuel Allowance application, they can do so at a time and place that suits them through a new online MyWelfare application service, or by downloading an application form from www.gov.ie.
Application forms are also available from local offices of my Department, post offices and Citizen Information Centres.
An extensive information campaign commenced in December 2022 to raise awareness about the payment, in particular to highlight the major expansion to the scheme, I secured as part of Budget 23, which has benefited in particular people who are aged over 70 years. This campaign which was undertaken on radio, print media and across all social media platforms helped to heighten awareness about the scheme as well as providing information on how to easily apply for the payment.
Given the clarity of existing information provided, customers should be aware of the need to apply for Fuel Allowance. In light of the vast array of correspondence that issues daily across my Department's network, it is not possible to assure an explicit reference to the need to submit an application. However, if the Deputy has a specific instance where confusion arose for a customer, my Department will be happy to examine the circumstances and provide further clarity if required.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
163. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of schools in County Kildare that receive funding for breakfast clubs; the number of those that are Deis schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11897/23]
View answerThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2023 has provided €94.4 million for the programme with an additional €14.5m now being provided to allow access to all DEIS schools from September 2023.
Entry to the School Meals Scheme has been confined to DEIS schools, in addition to schools identified by the Department of Education as having levels of concentrated disadvantage meaning that their students would benefit from access to the School Meals Programme. Participation in the scheme is entirely voluntary and schools must reapply for funding in advance of each school year.
There are 24 schools in County Kildare that participate in the School Meals Programme. The number of schools that receive funding for breakfast clubs is 11 of which 10 are DEIS schools.
I am committed to continuing to expand the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme in recent years. In this regard, I intend to complete the roll-out of the Hot School Meals to all DEIS primary schools and special schools from September 2023, benefiting 64,500 children. I will also bring forward proposals in the coming weeks regarding commencing the roll-out of the Hot School Meals to non-DEIS primary schools.
In addition, the final report from the evaluation of the school meals programme was recently received which I am currently reviewing. This report will help to inform future decisions around this important programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
