asked the Minister for Social Welfare, if he will give separately in respect of social welfare disability benefit, injury benefit, and disablement benefit for a recent year, figures relating to the duration of benefit claims in the form of a reply of 15th February 1967 or in some other convenient form.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The information requested by the Deputy, in so far as it is available is as follows:—
Disability Benefit
Claims paid in 1965—66:
(a) Number of claims from insured persons with no dependants |
92,800 |
55.8% |
(b) Number of claims from insured persons with dependants |
73,400 |
44.2% |
(c) Total number of claims from insured persons |
166,200 |
100% |
Average duration of incapacity in the year: 14 weeks 2 days.
Distribution of claims according to duration in the year:
% |
|
Less than 1 week |
16.0 |
1 week and less than 2 weeks |
17.0 |
2 weeks ,, ,, ,, 3 ,, |
9.7 |
3 ,, ,, ,, ,, 4 ,, |
6.3 |
4 ,, ,, ,, ,, 5 ,, |
4.5 |
5 ,, ,, ,, ,, 6 ,, |
3.5 |
6 ,, ,, ,, ,, 7 ,, |
2.8 |
7 ,, ,, ,, ,, 8 ,, |
2.4 |
8 ,, ,, ,, ,, 9 ,, |
1.9 |
9 ,, ,, ,, ,, 10 ,, |
1.6 |
10 ,, ,, ,, ,, 20 ,, |
8.2 |
20 ,, ,, ,, ,, 30 ,, |
4.4 |
30 ,, ,, ,, ,, 40 ,, |
2.3 |
40 ,, ,, ,, ,, 50 ,, |
1.7 |
50 ,, and over |
17.7 |
Average duration of short term disability benefit claims for male workers in the year:
(a) National average duration of incapacity |
7.2 weeks. |
(b) Average duration for turf workers |
9.9 weeks. |
(c) Average duration for agricultural workers |
11.3 weeks. |
Injury Benefit
Period 1st May, 1967, when injury benefit first became available, to 31st March, 1968:
(a) Total number of claims paid in period |
8,422 |
(b) Claims in respect of which benefit ceased to be payable on or before 31st March, 1968:— |
(i) Number of claims from insured persons with no dependants |
3,885 |
51.2% |
Number of claims from insured persons with dependants |
3,705 |
48.8% |
Total |
7,590 |
100% |
(ii) Average duration of incapacity 5 weeks
(iii) Distribution according to duration of incapacity:
% |
|
Less than 1 week |
19.6 |
1 week and less than 2 weeks |
11.9 |
2 weeks ,, ,, ,, 3 ,, |
23.2 |
3 ,, ,, ,, ,, 4 ,, |
9.9 |
4 ,, ,, ,, ,, 5 ,, |
6.6 |
5 ,, ,, ,, ,, 6 ,, |
5.1 |
6 ,, ,, ,, ,, 7 ,, |
3.7 |
7 ,, ,, ,, ,, 8 ,, |
3.0 |
8 ,, ,, ,, ,, 9 ,, |
2.4 |
9 ,, ,, ,, ,, 10 ,, |
2.1 |
10 ,, ,, ,, ,, 20 ,, |
7.6 |
20 ,, ,, ,, ,, 26 ,, |
1.7 |
26 weeks (maximum) |
3.2 |
100 |
(c) Average duration of injury benefit claims for male workers in respect of which benefit ceased to be payable on or before 31st March, 1968:
(i) national average duration of incapacity |
5weeks |
(ii) average duration for turf workers |
6.2 weeks |
(iii) average duration for agricultural workers |
7.2 weeks |
Disablement Benefit
Period 1st May, 1967, when disablement benefit first became available, to 31st March, 1968:
(a) Total number of claims paid in period |
281 |
(b) Number of disablement pensions in payment at 31st March, 1968 |
191 |
As disablement benefit normally follows injury benefit, which may be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks, disablement benefit payments in the period were very largely confined to the period from November, 1967 to March, 1968. Entitlement to this benefit is not dependent on incapacity for work and information regarding duration of incapacity is therefore not available in relation to it.