Tuesday, 25 Jul 2023

Written Answers Nos. 757-771

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (757)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

757. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the carer’s support grant to €2,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36773/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer’s Support Grant to €2,000 is €21.8m. 

It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients. 

Social Welfare Payments

Questions (758)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

758. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of a full Christmas bonus payment in 2023 on the same basis as applied in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36774/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The following table provides the estimated cost of providing a Christmas bonus payment in 2023 on the same basis as applied in 2022.  The total cost of such a payment is estimated at €345 million.   This cost is in addition to the normal weekly payment for people getting these payments.

Scheme	Cost (€m)
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	24.21
State Pension (Contributory)	130.79
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Contributory)	33.35
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Death Benefit)	0.20
Jobseeker's Allowance	37.33
Jobseeker's Benefit	7.98
Jobseeker's Benefit Self Employed	0.23
One Parent Family Payment	12.25
Widows' Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners Pension (Non-Contributory)	0.22
Deserted Wife's Allowance	0.01
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments	0.72
Daily Expenses	0.23
Farm Assist	0.95
Deserted Wife's Benefit	1.13
Work Placement Employment Programme	0.90
Community Employment Programme	5.76
Rural Social Scheme	0.83
TUS	1.62
Job Initiative	0.20
Back to Work  Enterprise Allowance	0.67
Back to Education Allowance	0.74
Disability Allowance	38.22
Blind Pension	0.24
Carer's Allowance	19.72
Domiciliary Care Allowance	5.14
Illness Benefit	3.90
Invalidity Pension	14.38
Partial Capacity Benefit	0.52
Disablement Benefit	1.32
Carer's Benefit	0.92
Guardian Payment (Non-Contributory)	0.16
Back to Work Family Dividend	0.23
Guardians Payment (Contributory)	0.31
Magdalen Commission Scheme	0.06
Total Estimated 2023 Christmas Bonus	345.43

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (759)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

759. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of increasing working family payment thresholds by €20; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36775/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees, with children, on low earnings.  The scheme is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment.

There are currently approximately 46,000 families in receipt of Working Family Payment, in respect of over 100,000 children.  Estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2023 is €363 million. 

The full year cost of increasing the Working Family Payment income thresholds for all families by €20 per week is estimated at €32.3 million.  It should be noted that this estimate is based on current numbers of recipients and assumes a 10% increase in uptake because of a €20 increase in the thresholds. With reference to the latter assumption, it is important to note that, due to potential behavioural effects, it is difficult to estimate with certainty the impact of such an increase in the thresholds on eligibility and uptake in advance.

I trust this clarifies matters with the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (760)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

760. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of paying child benefit in the month of birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36776/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years.  The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their eighteenth birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability.  Child Benefit is currently paid to over 650,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2.1 billion in 2023. 

When a person starts getting Child Benefit for the first time for a baby, it is paid at the start of the month after the birth of the child.  The estimated cost of paying Child Benefit from the month of birth is €175 million per year based on current rates of payment.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (761)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

761. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing jobseeker's payments to under-25s at the same adult rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36777/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The full year cost of increasing the full personal rate of Jobseeker's Allowance to those who are on the age-related reduced rate is approximately €46 million.  This is based on the current number of recipients and rates of payment.

Supporting and improving the capacity of people to take up employment, education and training opportunities can enhance their employment prospects over time, as well as their ability to earn an adequate income to support themselves and their families into the future.  If a young person participates in training or education, they will receive the higher rate of payment.  If they participate on the Work Placement Experience Programme, their weekly rate increases to €323, which exceeds the standard weekly rate of €220. 

The Pathways to Work strategy contains provision for 50,000 additional further education and training places and the allocation of at least 1,000 out of the 3,000 new Community Employment and Tús places for young people.  Work is ongoing to promote Community Employment to young people and to ensure places are filled by them.  Additional places have also been provided on the JobsPlus recruitment incentive scheme, with the subsidy being available on an earlier basis than normal to employers when they recruit young people. 

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (762)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

762. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the carer’s allowance income disregard to €500 for single persons and €1,000 for a couple; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36778/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The estimated full year cost of increasing Carer's Allowance income disregard to €500 for a single person and €1000 for a couple is €41 million. 

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (763)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

763. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of providing the €500 back-to-education grant to all BTEA applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36779/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at further or higher level.  The value of the BTEA weekly payment is equivalent to the weekly rate on the underlying qualifying payment.

The Cost of Education allowance of €500 per academic year is paid to Back to Education Allowance customers who have a  qualified child payment on their claim.

There were approximately 3,850 BTEA recipients in the 2022/2023 academic year, of which 880 already received the Allowance.  Using these numbers as a basis, it is estimated that the total additional cost to award the Cost of Education Allowance to all BTEA participants at a rate of €500 would be almost €1.5 million per anum. 

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (764)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

764. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the disability allowance income disregard to €200 and increasing the upper cap to €400; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36780/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need.  The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring.  This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.

I have introduced a number of changes to means testing in recent years, including providing for higher income disregards for Disability Allowance.  These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, their income from work, to the level of the income disregard, is not assessed in the means test.

The estimated full year cost of increasing the Disability thresholds to €200 and €400 from €165 and €375 is €10m.  This is an initial indicative costing based on available data.

It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Employment Schemes

Questions (765)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

765. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of an extra 1,000 places on the wage subsidy scheme, and 1,000 additional places on the employability scheme respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36782/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Wage Subsidy Scheme is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities obtaining and sustaining employment in the open labour market.  The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 subsidised hours per week under a contract of employment.

The basic rate of subsidy is €6.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy available of €12,776 per annum based on a 39-hour week.  The financial supports for employers are structured under three separate strands and companies could benefit under one strand or under two or three strands simultaneously depending on the number of people with a disability employed, as below:

• Strand I subsidy is payable for up to two employees at a rate of €6.30 per hour. 

• Strand II subsidy is payable for three or more employees. This is a top-up payment based on the overall number of employees with a disability employed under Strand I.  It ranges from an additional 10% of wage subsidy for 3 to 6 employees with a disability to a maximum of 50% of wage subsidy (€9.45 per hour) for 23+ employees with a disability.

• Strand III subsidy enables employers who employ 25 or more workers with a disability on the Wage Subsidy Scheme to be eligible for a grant of up to €30,000 per year towards the expense of employing an Employment Assistance Officer to support these employees.

There are currently 1,507 employers availing of the subsidy in respect of some 2,415 participant employees.  The estimated expenditure on the scheme in 2023 is approximately €24 million. 

It is important to note that the Wage Subsidy scheme is demand led and does not have a cap on the numbers of Employers/Employees that can avail of its support.

It estimated that to fund an additional 1,000 WSS employees would cost almost €13 million.  The costing for additional people on the scheme is based on the average cost per month for a participant funding for Strand 1 only.  The costing does not take account of:

• Potential Strand II increases.  As outlined previously, Strand II is a top-up payment which is a percentage of the Strand I subsidy and is based on the overall number of employees with a disability employed under Strand I.

• Stand III increases.  This cost could only be worked out if it was known how many employers would be employing 25 or more workers, i.e., the distribution of the additional 1,000 places.

The EmployAbility service providers deliver a key employment service for people with disabilities on behalf of my Department.  My Department has agreed contracts with 23 EmployAbility service providers for the provision of the EmployAbility service for 2023, based on bid proposals balanced against the level of service required by the Department and the available funding.  Currently, the Employability service has capacity of approximately 3000 places and the total value of the contracts for 2023 is €10.9 million.  Engagement with EmployAbility is voluntary and any increase in the capacity of the service would therefore be demand-led.  While a full analysis and estimation process would need to be performed to fully calculate the additional cost of providing an additional places, on a pro-rata basis the current cost for an additional 1,000 places under the current contract would be in the range €3-€3.5 million.

The Department is at an advanced stage of drafting a request for tender (RFT) to update the current EmployAbility service.  The proposed new EmployAbility model aims to enhance the autonomy of the service providers to enable them to more effectively provide a high- quality supported employment service for people with disabilities.  The current referral process between EmployAbility service providers and Intreo centres is being refined and the new contracts will be designed to facilitate an increase in referral numbers.

Changes to any schemes that result in an increase in overall expenditure can be only be considered in any overall budgetary and policy context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (766)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

766. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of a removing the three-day waiting period for jobseeker’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36785/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

There were just over 33,000 recipients of Jobseeker's Benefit in June 2023.  There is significant churn of recipients on the scheme, and it is estimated that that the figure of 65,000 is more representative of the number of people who would have had waiting days applied to their claim.

The estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of a waiver of waiting days for Jobseeker's Benefit is approximately €8.6 million.  This is based on 65,000 individuals who would receive an extra three days' payment of Jobseeker's Benefit at the current maximum weekly rate of €220.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (767)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

767. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost of providing carer’s allowance to all those in receipt of the carer’s support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36786/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant.  

Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness.  The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and is being provided, and that the means test is satisfied. 

The conditions attached to payment of Carer’s Allowance are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally and which are based on an income need.  The means test plays the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring. 

The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care allowance in June of each year.  The cohort of carers to which the Deputy refers are other carers not in receipt of a carer’s payment but who may also be eligible for a standalone Grant if they meet the qualifying full-time care and attention condition.

Budget 2021 increased the rate of the grant by €150 bringing it to its current rate of €1,850.  This is the highest rate of the grant since its introduction.

The estimated full year cost of providing Carer's Allowance all those in receipt of the Carer's Support Grant is €553m.  However, this would also represent a very significant policy change, perhaps giving rise to unintended consequences.

It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (768)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

768. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of a €10 increase in the household benefits package for gas and electricity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36787/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence.  My Department will spend approximately €285 million this year on HHB.  Approximately 501,000 households are in receipt of the gas/electricity element of the HHB package.  The electricity/gas allowance is €35 per month.

People over the age of 70 receive the HHB package, with one package provided per household.  The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test.  The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. 

If the increases to the electricity/gas element outlined by the Deputy were introduced in 2023, the estimated additional yearly cost for those estimated to be in receipt of electricity/gas element of HHB (501,000) would be as follows:

Proposed Monthly Rate Increase	New Monthly Rate	Number of Recipients	Additional Yearly Cost
€10	€45	501,000	€60.1m

All proposals, including the proposals outlined by the Deputy could only be considered while taking account of overall Government policy and in a budgetary context. 

Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources.  These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I trust that this clarifies these matters for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (769)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

769. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending child benefit to children in direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36788/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

One of the eligibility requirements for Child Benefit is that the person must be habitually resident in the State.  Applicants for International Protection do not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition and are therefore not eligible for Child Benefit. 

Applicants for International Protection, who are awaiting a decision on their application, are offered accommodation by the International Protection Accommodation Services of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.  Those who accept such accommodation are provided with material reception conditions, including food and health services together with other facilities and services designed to ensure their needs are met while seeking the protection of the State.

My Department administers the Daily Expenses Allowance which is paid to protection applicants who reside in accommodation provided by International Protection Accommodation Services in order to meet incidental, personal expenses.  The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child.  The Government has provided €20.15 million for the allowance in 2023.

There are approximately 4,591 children residing in accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services in respect of whom the Daily Expenses Allowance is being paid.  The estimated cost of extending Child Benefit in respect of children residing in such accommodation is in excess of €7.5 million per year.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

International Protection

Questions (770)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

770. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of every €1 increase in the adult or child direct provision payments; when these payments were last increased; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36789/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My department administers the daily expenses allowance (DEA) which is paid to protection applicants who reside in, or are waiting for, accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS).

The Government has provided €20.15 million for the allowance in 2023.  The current weekly rates of payment are €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child.  At the end of June 2023, there were 12,308 adults and 2,815 children in respect of whom daily expenses allowance was being paid.  

Based on these figures, the full year additional cost of increasing the weekly rate of payment for adults and children by €1 would be approximately €790,000.

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is leading the implementation of the  recommendations contained in the White Paper to End Direct Provision, adopted by the Government in February 2021.  Any increases to the current rate of daily expenses allowance, pending the implementation of the White Paper to End Direct Provision, would have to be approved by Government and considered in an overall budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (771, 772, 773)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

771. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending fuel allowance to all those on jobseeker's allowance and benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36960/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

772. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending fuel allowance to all those on illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36961/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

773. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing fuel allowance to €40 per week and extending it to all those on JSA, JSB and illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36962/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 771, 772 and 773 together.

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023.  The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.  Only one allowance is paid per household.

By the end of the 2022/23 fuel season, there were approximately 404,250 households in receipt of Fuel Allowance.

The cost of extending the Fuel Allowance payment to all those in receipt of Illness Benefit is as Follows:

Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance	Number of weeks payable	Number of additional Claims	Estimated Yearly Cost
€33	28	54,000	€49.9m
€40	28	54,000	€60.5m

The cost of extending the Fuel Allowance payment to all those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit is as Follows: -

Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance	Number of weeks payable	Number of additional Claims	Estimated Yearly Cost
€33	28	93,000	€85.9m
€40	28	93,000	€104.2m

Based on the estimated 404,250 recipients of the Fuel Allowance payment, the estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance payment to €40 a week for the duration of the 2023/24 period is as follows:

Weekly Increase to the Rate of Fuel Allowance	Number of weeks payable	Estimated Number of Recipients	Estimated Additional Yearly Cost
€7	28	404,250	€79.2 M

The estimated total cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to all those in receipt of IB, JSA and JB and increasing the weekly rate for all recipients to €40 is estimated to be in the region of €243.9m.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance or to increase the weekly rate payable would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.