Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
378. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection whether a person who applied for disability allowance before Christmas, but will not receive a decision until after Christmas, will be entitled to back payments to the date of application; and whether these back payments will also include the Christmas bonuses, lump sums and fuel allowance entitlements which accompany the disability allowance. [52181/23]
View answerDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.
The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim.
When an application for DA is processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome in writing. If the person has an DA entitlement, they are awarded effective from the date of receipt of their application.
All bonuses, additional payments and Fuel Allowance will be payable to recipients of DA who are awarded/in payment at the date that these bonuses are due to be paid. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible, including arrears for these additional payments, once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping welfare payments (if applicable).
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
