Brendan Griffin
Ceist:36. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the enhanced illness benefit scheme which was introduced to help with the impact of Covid. [14866/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 22 March 2022
Ceisteanna (36)
Freagraí scríofa
Enhanced illness benefit was introduced in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and is currently due to continue until the end of June 2022. Changes have been made on an ongoing basis in line with public health advice and government guidelines.
Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), the Government extended the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of infection with Covid-19.
In addition to this medical requirement, people must be under pensionable age and have the required number of Pay Related Social Insurance contributions in order to qualify.
The rate of this enhanced payment is higher than the normal maximum personal rate of illness benefit, for a limited period only. The enhanced rate is €350, with additional payments in respect of dependent adults and children.
From March 2020 the benefit was payable for up to 2 weeks where a person was isolating as a probable source of infection of Covid-19, and up to 10 weeks where a person had been diagnosed with Covid-19. The duration of payment was reduced to 7 days for those considered a probable risk from 14 January 2022, in line with government guidelines. From that date, asymptomatic people who are close contacts are not required to restrict their movements, and are not eligible for the payment. If, however, they start showing symptoms they should immediately self-isolate and, in this circumstance, may apply for enhanced illness benefit.
Enhanced illness benefit continues to be paid for a maximum of 10 weeks if a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19, subject to ongoing medical certification. In a case where a person continues to be ill beyond 10 weeks, standard Illness Benefit may be paid for an extended period but for a maximum of two years, based on the person’s continued eligibility.
As the payment was intended as a temporary public health measure, the Act includes a sunset clause to ensure the cessation of the benefit. The enhanced payment has been extended on several occasions due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. The Government has agreed that the payment will remain in place on its current terms until the end of June 2022, at which point the position will be considered further in light of public health advice.
Expenditure on the scheme was €56 million in 2020 and €106 million in 2021. In the week from Friday 4 March to Thursday 10 March, 11,121 people were in receipt of enhanced illness benefit. As of 11 March 2022, this department has made 628,069 payments since the start of the payment in March 2020 with an average payment of €425.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.