Vol. 472 No. 6
184 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo made a claim for disability benefit on 7 November 1996; when a decision will be made on the claim; when a cheque will issue to her; the normal period for processing such a claim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23952/96]
The person concerned claimed disability benefit from 7 November 1996. Her claim was allowed on 2 December and a cheque for £202.10 was issued on 4 December. This represented disability benefit due from 7 November to 28 November, less supplementary welfare allowance advanced. A further cheque for £71.70 comprising payment of a personal rate of £64.50 and half rate for one child dependant, representing benefit due to 5 December, was issued on 9 December 1996.
Disability benefit claims are normally processed within six days of receipt and payment is normally issued when the next medical certificate is received. The delay in processing this claim was due to the need to establish that the claim was not a continuation of a previous claim made by the person concerned. An appeal was pending on the previous claim which had been disallowed following a decision that the person was capable of work.
185 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the annual cost of raising the means test on deposit accounts for non-contributory old age pensions from its current level of £5,000 and £10,000, calculated at current deposit account interest rates. [23958/96]
During the debate in this House on the Social Welfare Bill, 1996, I made known that I was taking the opportunity of the introduction of the new one parent family payment and the new disability allowance to commence the process of standardising the provisions for the assessment of capital across all of the various social assistance payments, including old age non-contributory pension on a phased basis.
Under the new provisions, the first £2,000 of capital will be disregarded, the next £20,000 will be assessed at 7.5 per cent and capital in excess of £22,000, if any, will be assessed at 15 per cent. The extension of these provisions to the other social assistance payments will be done progressively over a period of time in view of the significant administrative implications involved. The means of all social assistance recipients with capital will have to be reviewed on the introduction of any changes in this area.
