Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2018
562. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of beneficiaries for each social welfare payment who are entitled and not entitled, respectively, to the Christmas bonus in 2018, in tabular form. [52172/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Christmas Bonus was paid last week to 1.2 million long-term social welfare beneficiaries, such as pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and long-term unemployed jobseekers, among others. For the first time in 10 years, the Bonus was paid at 100%. The Bonus is paid in recognition of the long-term financial dependence of these recipients on their weekly payment for all or most of their income.
Payment of the Bonus this year was based on the same eligibility requirements as in previous years. Some payments, namely Jobseeker's Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Back to Education Allowance and Daily Expenses Allowance, have a duration requirement of 15 months in order to be eligible for the Bonus. As in previous years, the Bonus is not paid to short-term schemes, such as Jobseeker's Benefit or Illness Benefit.
The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy, including the estimated number of weekly social welfare recipients not entitled to the Bonus payment in December. It should be noted that the table does not include monthly and annual payments that are not eligible for the Bonus, such as Child Benefit and Carer's Support Grant.
|
Scheme |
Estimated Number of Eligible Recipients |
Estimated Number of Ineligible Recipients |
|
|
|
|
|
State Pension Non-Contributory |
94,900 |
0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance* |
111,680 |
33,504 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
39,455 |
0 |
|
Widow(er)s' Pension (non-con) |
1,385 |
0 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
110 |
0 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance* |
4,400 |
12,370 |
|
Daily Expenses Allowance (formerly Direct Provision Allowance)* |
1,950 |
1,240 |
|
Farm Assist |
6,645 |
0 |
|
Community Employment |
21,465 |
0 |
|
Rural Social Scheme |
3,030 |
0 |
|
Tús |
6,380 |
0 |
|
Job Initiative |
720 |
0 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
9,860 |
0 |
|
Back to Education Allowance* |
8,390 |
839 |
|
Back to Work Family Dividend |
7,050 |
0 |
|
Disability Allowance |
141,450 |
0 |
|
Blind Pension |
1,205 |
0 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
78,715 |
0 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance** |
38,810 |
0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (non-con) |
545 |
0 |
|
Working Family Payment |
0 |
53,732 |
|
Magdalene Commission Scheme |
405 |
0 |
|
Subtotal Assistance |
578,900 |
101,685 |
|
|
|
|
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
428,025 |
0 |
|
Widow(er)s' Surviving Civil Partners Pension (Con) |
121,320 |
0 |
|
Occupational Injuries Death Benefit |
730 |
0 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
6,180 |
0 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
2,485 |
0 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
57,290 |
0 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
14,280 |
0 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
2,755 |
0 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
1,155 |
0 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
0 |
33,744 |
|
Illness Benefit |
0 |
53,300 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
0 |
20,850 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
0 |
957 |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
0 |
18 |
|
Subtotal Insurance |
634,230 |
108,869 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Assistance & Insurance |
1,213,130 |
210,554 |
*15 months duration on eligible social welfare payment or scheme required in order to be eligible for the Bonus.
**Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment; the Bonus is paid as 100% of a week's equivalent payment.
