Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
1089. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will consider establishing a policy review for parents and carers in receipt of social welfare supports that will cease once their child passes away; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29243/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe death of a child is a tragedy and the difficulties that parents and families experience as a result cannot be over-stated.
Within the social welfare system, there are a number of supports for people who suffer a bereavement. In particular, there is an arrangement known as the six-weeks payment after death which allows for certain payments to continue to be made after a person dies.
If a person is in receipt of a primary social welfare payment which includes an increase for a qualified child and, tragically, that child dies, the qualified child payment will continue for six weeks after the child's death. In cases where an individual has been in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment in respect of one qualified child, both the personal rate of payment and the increase for a qualified child, will continue for six weeks after the death of that child.
Working Family Payment and the Back to Work Family Dividend also remain in payment for up to six weeks after the death of a qualifying child. Eligibility may continue beyond those six weeks if there are other children associated with the claim.
In the case of Carer’s Allowance, payment continues to be made for twelve weeks after the death of the person who was being cared for, including where this was a child. Carer’s Benefit continues to be paid for six weeks and Domiciliary Care Allowance continues to be paid for three months after the death of the child being cared for.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department may make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship. In 2021, approximately 2,400 exceptional needs payments totalling €5.1 million were made in relation to funeral and burial costs.
In Budget 2020, €60,000 was allocated to the Irish Hospice Foundation, to carry out a research project into funeral poverty in Ireland, together with the wider economic impact of bereavement. I understand that the report is near completion.
Any increases in the social welfare supports available to bereaved parents and carers could only be considered in a Budgetary context.
