asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason an invalidity pension awarded to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 which was notified by his Department on 8 July and back-dated to 29 January 1987 has not yet been paid; when it will be paid; the rate at which it will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
104.
On 8 July 1987 the person concerned was notified that a decision had been made awarding him invalidity pension from 29 January 1987. However, before the arrangements had been finalised for putting the pension into payment a question arose as to the validity of the decision in view of the fact that the person concerned has also been insurably employed in another EC member state. The matter has now been resolved and a pension order book at the rate of £102.60 a week payable from the 12 November 1987 will be issued to the designated post office of payment. Arrears in respect of the period from 29 January 1987 to 11 November 1987, less the amount of disability benefit paid during that period will be paid by payable order.
105.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the payments made to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 since the death of her husband; if these payments match her entitlements; if he will also give details of overpayments judged to have been made; if he has satisfied himself that these overpayments were in fact fully paid; if he will give an assurance that the person concerned has not been overdebited; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that as she qualified for a widow's pension on the death of her husband, her invalidity pension was withdrawn and substituted with half the disability benefit rate, thereby losing her entitlement to free travel, free telephone rental, free television licence and free electricity allowance; if, in the circumstances he will arrange to have these allowances reinstated; and if he will make a statement of the matter.
At the time of her husband's death on 8 May 1980 the person concerned was in receipt of invalidity pension at the weekly rate of £19.40 while he was in receipt of disability benefit at the weekly rate of £33.70. Both payments continued to 4 July 1980 when she was awarded a widow's contributory pension of £22.50 weekly and half-rate disability benefit of £10.23 weekly.
The half-rate disability benefit was awarded in substitution for the invalidity pension as this pension cannot be paid in conjunction with a widow's pension. Her entitlements then totalled £32.73 a week which was a considerable increase on the invalidity pension which would otherwise have been payable and represented the better option for her. However, as the person concerned was actually paid the invalidity pension up to 30 July 1980 an overpayment arose to the extent by which the invalidity pension exceeded the half-rate disability benefit for the period from 4 to 30 July 1980. This overpayment, which was in the region of £30, has been fully recovered by deductions of £1 per week from her disability benefit entitlement.
She is currently in receipt of a widow's pension of £49.50 a week and disability benefit of £21.15 a week, a total of £70.65 weekly. Invalidity pension would now be payable at £48.50 per week which would represent a reduction in weekly payments of £22.15 a week. She would however be eligible to claim free travel, electricity etc., which are payable with invalidity pension but not with disability benefit or with widow's pension where the widow is under 66 years of age.
If the person concerned still wishes to transfer to invalidity pension, she should notify the Department to this effect and her entitlement to that pension will be restored in lieu of her current payments.
106.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the savings expected in 1988 from his decision to reduce supplementary welfare assistance for mortgage interest payments by £1.50 per week; and the number of recipients estimated to be effected by this decision
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a person can receive supplementary payments to assist with rent or mortgage commitments. Under these arrangements a payment towards rent or mortgage interest can be granted where the rent or the mortgage interest exceeds a certain amount, currently £1.50 per week. This amount has remained unchanged since 1977.
In future, supplementary payments will be made where the rent or the mortgage interest exceeds £3 a week. The increase to £3.00 in the threshold above which supplements will be paid will only apply to new applicants for rent or mortgage supplements. It is estimated that there will be around 10,000 new applicants for rent or mortgage supplements during 1988. The savings arising from this measure are estimated at £400,000. Existing recipients will not be affected by this change.
107.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the savings expected to arise in 1988 from his decision to discontinue payment of all disability benefit to working widows who take sick leave; and the number of widows estimated to be affected by this decision.
At present women in receipt of widow's pension, deserted wives payments or unmarried mother's allowance can receive half rate disability benefit in addition to their full pension even through they are not required to pay PRSI. From January 1988 new claimants to disability benefit who are already receiving widow's pension, deserted wives payments or unmarried mother's allowance will not be entitled to claim disability benefit in addition. It is anticipated that some 900 persons will be affected by this measure in 1988 and the total savings are estimated at £900,000. This measure will only apply to new claimants after January 1st 1988. Persons already in receipt of both types of payment will not be affected. They will continue to receive the payments as long as existing claims to disability benefit continue.