Written Answers Nos. 262-269
262. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection if those in receipt of payments from her Department and undertaking training courses will be eligible for the disability support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61401/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has acted very quickly to deliver the Disability Support Grant and other budget measures within an exceptionally short timeframe. Wherever possible, budget measures that are usually implemented in the January to March period of the year following a budget announcement, have been brought forward and implemented within a period of weeks. While this early issue of payments was very challenging it was possible to achieve for people paid directly off the Department’s own payment systems.
I can confirm that people on training courses, having previously been in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment, will receive the €500 Disability Support Grant.
When undertaking training courses, recipients of Disability Allowance move off the Department’s payment systems and transfer to a Department of Further, Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science funded Training Allowance. As a consequence, it was not possible to process early payment of the Disability Support Grant to these recipients in the same manner as was implemented in respect of people paid directly through the Department’s own systems.
My officials have examined this issue in conjunction with their colleagues in the Department of Further, Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science who will be making these payments.
263. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department will issue a decision on an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [61407/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
The time allowed for the submission of an appeal of a decision on a claim is 21 days from the date of the notification of the decision. While the Chief Appeals Officer may approve acceptance of a late appeal, this is only where there are good reasons to explain the length of the delay.
Given the significant amount of time between the decision on the claim of the person concerned and the receipt of this appeal, a late appeal is not being accepted.
Accordingly, the appeal in relation to the decision on the claim of the person concerned will not be considered.
I am sorry that I cannot be of further assistance in this matter.
The person concerned may, of course, request a review of the decision on their claim from the Department of Social Protection at any stage. If the person concerned is unhappy with the outcome of the reviewed decision, they can submit an appeal to our office providing it is within 21 days of the date of the decision.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
264. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will expedite a decision on an invalidity pension appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [61409/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 October 2022. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 25 November 2022.
The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 30 November 2022, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an oral hearing. The Appeals Officer will examine the appeal papers in this case as a matter of priority.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
265. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter relating to a person (details supplied) now in receipt of the training allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61411/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was in receipt of Disability Allowance (DA) effective from 02 February 2022 to 14 September 2022. This lady commenced an Education Training Course (ETB) on 12 September 2022.
A letter issued on 15 September 2022, informing that her DA payment will stop for the duration of the course in line with correct procedure which is a DA recipient cannot receive both payments - Disability Allowance and a full payment from their course provider Solas/ ETB Training.
On 11 October 2022, DA received correspondence from the person concerned notifying us that due to her medical appointments, her Weekly ETB payment was reduced by her Training Provider. The person concerned requested to be paid by DA instead of ETB Training provider.
On 11 October 2022, my officials liaised with the Course provider to stop the payments by ETB. The person concerned will receive their last payment from ETB the course provider on 09 December 2022, and they will be reinstated on DA from 14 December 2022.
A letter notifying the person concerned issued on 06 December 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
266. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if public service pension recipients (details supplied) will be incorporated into the qualifying cohort eligible to receive the fuel allowance under the national fuel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61418/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
As part of the overall welfare Budget 2023 package of €2.2 Billion, a number of considerable reforms were made to the Fuel Allowance Scheme with up to 81,000 new households to qualify for Fuel Allowance from January 2023.
These reforms included that from January 2023 a new means threshold will be introduced for people aged 70 years and over. The new means threshold will be €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
Those age 70 or over will also no longer be required to be in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment to be able to access the Fuel Allowance payment.
Therefore, Public Service pension holders aged 70 years and over can apply for and qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment subject to satisfying all relevant qualifying conditions.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
267. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61435/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned is currently in receipt of a State Pension Contributory payment at the maximum weekly rate of €253.30 per week.
Carer's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An official in my Department wrote to the person concerned requesting supporting documentation to determine ongoing eligibility, if any, to the half-rate Carers allowance. The payment was suspended on 29 August 2022 as the person failed to submit the requested documentation.
Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. The spouse of the person concerned was in receipt of Disability Allowance up until their 66 birthday, 28 May 2022.
The State Pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 or over. The spouse of the person concerned applied for the State Pension non-contributory on 19 April 2022. The case was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector to investigate the means so that their eligibility for the means-tested pension could be assessed. As the means were not disclosed to the inspector, the claim was disallowed. A decision letter issued on 27 July 2022 outlining the reasons for the decision and their right, if dissatisfied with the decision, to request a review of the decision, or to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.
An Increase for Qualified Adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a State pension (contributory) claimants whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit. Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate is payable.
The spouse of the person concerned applied for the Increase for a Qualified Adult on their spouses State Pension (contributory) payment on 22 September 2022. The payment was awarded from 16 September 2022 at the maximum weekly rate of €227.00 per week which is approximately 90% of the maximum rate of State pension (contributory). A decision letter issued to them on 08 October 2022.
My Department has no record of an application for the State Pension (contributory) from the spouse of the person concerned. I have arranged for an application to issue. On receipt of the completed application their entitlement will be examined, and they will be notified of the outcome in writing.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
268. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the one-off payment of €500 to those in receipt of the State pension; and if not, the reason therefore. [61440/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I announced on Budget Day that my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion on social welfare measures to help individuals and families through this difficult period. This included a range of double payments and lump sum payments that were targeted at those who are most vulnerable including older people, families, carers and those living with disabilities.
These measures include an Autumn Double Payment, which was paid in mid-October to over 1.4 million people, including pensioners.
In November, my Department paid a range of cost of living supports, which included:
- A €400 lump sum payment to all households in receipt of Fuel Allowance, many of whom are pensioners.
- An additional €200 Lump Sum Payment to all persons in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance, the majority of whom are pensioners.
In December, the Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid to all Pensioners, Carers, Persons with Disabilities, One Parent Family Payment and other Social Protection recipients.
As we turn to 2023, I announced a €12 euro increase in weekly rates of payment for pensioners and people of working age to take effect from January 2023. This measure alone will cost almost €900 million euro. It is the largest Budget increase in weekly payments since the mid-2000s and was announced as part of the largest Social Protection Budget package in the history of the State,
I was very aware, when addressing my Budget priorities for 2023, that many older people fall just outside the qualifying criteria for Fuel Allowance and that this payment does not reach everybody. So, in Budget 2023, we focused on expanding the scheme to reach more households.
One of the reforms to the Fuel Allowance Scheme is that, from January 2023, a new means threshold will be introduced for people aged 70 years and over. The new means threshold will be €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. Under the formula used to assess means for the Fuel Allowance for over 70s, the threshold for capital that is disregarded in the assessment will increase from €20,000 to €50,000. This is a significant expansion of the means threshold for those aged 70 or over.
As part of this measure, those aged over 70 no longer have to be in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment to access the Fuel Allowance payment. However, to qualify for the Fuel Allowance, they will still have to satisfy all other relevant qualifying criteria.
This reform seeks to ensure that older people not currently in receipt of Fuel Allowance, but who are marginally outside the thresholds, will now be covered by the scheme.
Other measures announced by Government in Budget 2023 - such as three energy credits worth €600 in total - will also assist pensioners.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
269. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on the review of the decision on a disability allowance application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61459/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions
I confirm that my department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 22 September 2022.
Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her application for DA was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 17 November 2022, and they were given the right to a review or an appeal.
To date no request for a review or an appeal has been received.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
