asked the Minister for Social Welfare the position regarding the payment of disability and unemployment benefits to a person (details supplied) in County Cavan.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
128.
The person concerned has been claiming disability benefit since July 1974. She was considered capable of work by a medical referee on 26 September 1979 and payment was refused from 8 October 1979. She was examined by a different medical referee on 14 November 1979 and was again considered capable of work. She appealed against the decision refusing payment of benefit, and an appeals officer, following an oral hearing, disallowed her appeal in respect of the period 8 October 1979 to 7 January 1980, the date of the latest medical certificate before him. She had a further appeal in respect of the period 8 January 1980 to 3 April 1980 but this appeal was also disallowed.
As she continued to submit medical evidence of incapacity she was again examined by a medical referee on 7 May 1980 and was considered capable of work. Payment of disability benefit was, however, inadvertently restored from 10 May 1980 and continued to be paid up to 9 December 1980
In addition, she claimed and was paid unemployment benefit from 21 April 1980 to 25 November 1980 when she ceased to register as unemployed. She has, therefore, received double payment of disability benefit and unemployment benefit in respect of the period 10 May 1980 to 25 November 1980 amounting to £582.83.
As she is still submitting medical evidence of incapacity she has been referred for medical referee examination at an early date. On receipt of the result of this examination her claim to disability benefit will be reviewed.
It is understood that she has been paid supplementary welfare allowance by the North-Eastern Health Board from 29 December 1980. When the question of her entitlement to benefit is resolved the arrears due, if any, will be reduced by the amount of supplementary welfare allowance paid to her since that date.
136.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason the rate of pension payable to a widow (details supplied) in County Mayo has been reduced.
The person concerned was awarded a widow's non-contributory pension in January 1976 at the rate appropriate to her means derived from the estimated value of a farm and certain capital. Following a re-investigation of the case in 1980 her means were found to have increased since the previous assessment and, accordingly, her pension was reduced with effect from 9 January 1981.
She has submitted an appeal against this decision and the necessary documentation was issued to her on 29 January 1981. As soon as the completed documentation is available the case will be referred for decision by an appeals officer.