asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who apply for invalidity benefit each year; the number he expects will be unable to qualify next year because of the new contribution conditions set out in the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill; the savings he expects to accrue as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Statistics.
41.
Over the last four years, the number of claims and awards for invalidity pension, were as follows: 1983, 2,825 claimed benefit, 2,701 qualified; 1984, 3,093 claimed benefit, 3,011 qualified; 1985, 4,475 claimed benefit, 4,066 qualified; 1986, 4,605 claimed benefit, 4,458 qualified. The new contribution conditions set out in the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill, 1987, relate to both disability benefit and invalidity pension. The provision is to increase the number of paid contributions required to remain entitled to disability benefit after 12 months from 208 to 260. A similar provision increases the number of paid contributions for entitlement to invalidity pension for new claims from 208 to 260.
It is estimated that some 2,000 people in total will be affected by these changes in 1988 yielding a saving of £4.4 million. The changes are designed to ensure that entitlement to these long term payments is limited to those who have had a reasonable history of attachment to the workforce.
It is not possible to say how many of those affected would have been invalidity pensioners.