Written Answers Nos. 157-168
157. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection how many people are in receipt of the supplementary welfare allowance for 2022 and 2023 respectively; how many applications were made for the supplementary welfare allowance in 2022 and 2023 respectively; how many applications were refused in 2022 and 2023 respectively. [34446/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra158. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection how many people are in receipt of the additional needs payment for 2022 and 2023 respectively; how many applications were made for the additional needs payment in 2022 and 2023 respectively; how many applications were refused in 2022 and 2023 respectively. [34447/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single additional needs payments.
The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.
Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make additional needs payments (ANPs) to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or from other personal and household resources. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements.
During the period January 2022 to end of June 2023, 39,306 claims for basic supplementary welfare allowance were awarded and 6,992 were disallowed (refused).
Table 1 shows the number of recipients for Basic SWA, Rent Supplement and Other Supplements at year end for 2022 and as at end of June 2023. Statistics are not available at present for rent supplement claims registered and disallowed during the period. The figures presented represent a snapshot of claim activity and are subject to change.
In relation to ANPs, the reporting of this scheme was revised in 2022 to extract more complete information in relation to registrations and to include reoccurring supplements in the overarching term of an Additional Needs Payment. Statistics are now prepared and published on a quarterly basis.
Table 2 shows the number of ANPs registered and awarded for 2022 and 2023 (to end of June). The figures do not reflect the number of claims that have been withdrawn, cancelled or are awaiting further information.
During the period January 2022 to end of June 2023, 28,353 claims have been disallowed (refused).
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to Supplementary Welfare Allowance is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications for ANPs can be made online at www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1 - Number of recipients for Basic SWA, Rent Supplement and Other Supplements at year end for 2022 and as at end of June 2023.
|
Scheme |
2022 |
2023 (at end of June) |
|
Basic SWA |
12,694 |
12,556 |
|
Rent Supplement |
9,731 |
8,801 |
|
Other Supplements |
3,465 |
3,086 |
Table 2: The number of ANPs registered and awarded for 2022 and 2023 (to end of June).
|
Year |
Claims Registered |
Claims Awarded |
|
2022 |
146,569 |
97,224 |
|
2023 (to end of June) |
72,006 |
45,175 |
159. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the number of recipients, by county, of the living alone allowance for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively. [34448/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Living Alone Allowance is an extra payment for people on social welfare payments who are living alone.
The number of recipients of the Living Alone Allowance by county from 2020 to 2023 is shown in the table below. For the years 2020 to 2023, recipients are given as of 31st December. For 2023, the recipients are given at 31st May.
Table 1: Living Alone Allowance recipients, by year and county
|
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Carlow |
2,772 |
3,026 |
3,127 |
3,123 |
|
Cavan |
3,537 |
3,761 |
3,913 |
3,915 |
|
Clare |
5,811 |
6,384 |
6,693 |
6,806 |
|
Cork |
24,038 |
25,701 |
26,768 |
27,087 |
|
Donegal |
8,346 |
9,008 |
9,322 |
9,357 |
|
Dublin |
48,654 |
52,183 |
54,311 |
54,950 |
|
Galway |
10,982 |
11,813 |
12,328 |
12,488 |
|
Kerry |
8,050 |
8,742 |
8,992 |
9,096 |
|
Kildare |
6,349 |
7,071 |
7,464 |
7,660 |
|
Kilkenny |
3,845 |
4,298 |
4,523 |
4,599 |
|
Laois |
2,980 |
3,415 |
3,607 |
3,667 |
|
Leitrim |
2,134 |
2,283 |
2,369 |
2,374 |
|
Limerick |
9,396 |
10,000 |
10,271 |
10,376 |
|
Longford |
2,287 |
2,451 |
2,569 |
2,589 |
|
Louth |
5,509 |
5,832 |
6,096 |
6,168 |
|
Mayo |
7,517 |
8,084 |
8,353 |
8,491 |
|
Meath |
5,824 |
6,439 |
6,783 |
6,887 |
|
Monaghan |
2,809 |
3,103 |
3,226 |
3,245 |
|
Offaly |
3,171 |
3,481 |
3,626 |
3,672 |
|
Roscommon |
3,535 |
3,824 |
3,977 |
4,044 |
|
Sligo |
3,684 |
3,924 |
4,090 |
4,119 |
|
Tipperary |
8,631 |
9,175 |
9,580 |
9,691 |
|
Waterford |
6,018 |
6,440 |
6,676 |
6,762 |
|
Westmeath |
3,916 |
4,210 |
4,407 |
4,462 |
|
Wexford |
7,427 |
7,963 |
8,304 |
8,347 |
|
Wicklow |
5,437 |
5,800 |
6,134 |
6,227 |
|
Unknown or other |
6,894 |
6,407 |
6,176 |
6,297 |
|
Total |
209,553 |
224,818 |
233,685 |
236,499 |
160. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available and if consideration is being given to help pensioners who will not qualify for a full State pension (contributory) on account of having a mixed insurance record with contributions paid in Ireland and abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34452/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Pension (Contributory) is payable, from age 66, to applicants who satisfy certain eligibility conditions based on the number of social insurance contributions (paid and credited) they hold over their working life. In certain cases, where an applicant has had periods of insurable employment both in Ireland and in another EU member state, or in a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement, they may have an entitlement to a pro-rata State Pension (contributory).
To qualify for this pension, a person must have 520 paid social insurance contributions. Contributions paid in other EU member states and countries that Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement can be combined with social insurance contributions paid in Ireland to meet this minimum standard of 520. Ireland has bilateral social security agreements with the Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
If a person does not qualify for the State Pension (Contributory), or qualifies for a payment at a reduced rate, they may qualify for the State Pension (Non-contributory). The State Pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, legally and habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
161. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid by her Department in 2022 and to date in 2023 on outside/third-party reports of a technical nature or qualitative and quantitative nature, by payee, in tabular form. [34477/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails for the period in question, where my Department engaged the services of consultants and other third-party providers to provide quantitative and/or qualitative analysis and technical advice are set out in the table below:
|
External/third-party reports of a technical, qualitative or quantitative nature |
Name of third-party provider of report |
Amount |
|
Audits of ICT systems for internal audit purposes |
Ernst & Young Business Advisory Services |
€39,067 (2022) €21,371 (2023) |
|
Poverty and Social Inclusion Research Programme 2022: •Technical Paper on the Poverty Indicators for Social Inclusion in Ireland published June 2023 •Annual thematic report (to be published shortly ) |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
€ 109,586 (2022) |
|
Poverty and Social Inclusion Research Programme 2023: • Work underway on Technical Paper •Annual thematic report to follow in 2024 |
Economic and Social Research Institute |
€60, 273 (YTD 2023) |
|
Mid-term review of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 - 2025 |
Ipsos |
€ 26,478 (2022)
€ 11,347 (2023) |
|
Strategic Review of the Abhaile Service |
Indecon Economic Consultants |
€ 99,446 (2022) |
|
Evaluation of the School Meals Programme |
RSM Ireland |
€98,400 (2022) |
|
Employer Youth Activation Charter Consultation Process |
Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed (I.N.O.U) |
€7,200 |
|
The Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund. |
KPMG |
€352,395 |
|
Operational Review of Customer Contact Centres |
Vodafone Ireland |
€230,625 |
|
Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group |
The Review as conducted by a group with an independent Chair and members from within and outside the Civil Service |
€111,753 (2022) |
162. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if civil and public servants who take early retirement and are under 65 years of age and were paying full rate PRSI as they were employed post 1995 will have to be actively seeking work to be eligible for a social welfare payment and notify the Department when they are going on holidays; whether their entitlement to Jobseeker's benefit will be limited to nine months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34649/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Jobseeker's Benefit scheme is a payment available to people under 66 years of age who become fully or partly unemployed and who have paid enough pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. Among the qualifying conditions is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.
The duration of payment for Jobseeker’s Benefit is 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid. It is paid for 6 months (156 days) for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid.
Where a person exhausts their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit, they may be eligible for support under the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme. They must also be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work in order to qualify for Jobseekers Allowance.
A person who is over the age of 62 and who is in receipt of a jobseekers payment is not required to engage with the activation process, therefore, they do not have to meet with a case officer in their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office or sign on monthly. They can of course engage with a case officer if they wish.
In relation to going on holiday, a person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit who is aged under 65 years may be absent from the State for up to two weeks in a calendar year. He or she is required to inform the Intreo Centre or Branch Office two weeks in advance of his or her departure and to complete the required form.
If the Deputy is aware of a specific case he should advise the person to contact their local Intreo Centre who will advise them further.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
163. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on review of the rate of disability allowance being paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34703/23]
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 medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.
My Department received a representation and supporting documentation from you on behalf of the person concerned on 3 July 2023 requesting a review of their DA rate of payment due to a change in the person's circumstances.
Based on the information provided to my Department, the maximum personal rate of DA has been applied to their payment with effect from 5 July 2023. The first payment of the new rate will be made by the person's chosen payment method on 19 July 2023
Arrears of payment due from 5 July 2023 to 18 July 2023 will issue as soon as possible.
The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 10 July 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
164. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 391 of 13 December 2022, concerning payment of carer's allowance to a person (details supplied); if she will explain why this person has not been in receipt of carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34721/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Following a review of CA claim for the person concerned, I can advise that their payment was stopped in error on 15 June 2023. This was due to an issue caused while creating an overpayment on the claim relating to periods when the person concerned worked above the permitted hours. I note that an appeal has been lodged against this overpayment.
I can now confirm that the CA payment has been reinstated from 15 June 2023 and arrears due for the period 15 June 2023 to 12 July 2023 have issued to the person's nominated bank account.
I further confirm that the regular weekly payment of CA into the nominated bank account will recommence on 13 July 2023 and will continue every Thursday thereafter.
A letter detailing the arrears issued to the person concerned on 10 July 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
165. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 7 March 2023, her plans to extend the free travel scheme to persons with an epilepsy diagnosis; if she has received the report from officials in her Department on the issues raised by (details supplied) in relation to the free travel scheme, and if not, when she expects to receive it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34725/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI believe that this is further to Parliamentary Question No. 451 of 7 March 2023.
The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million.
It is important to note that, in general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is a secondary benefit linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit. As many illnesses or physical conditions have an impact ranging from mild to severe, entitlement to these social welfare schemes is not provided on the basis of a diagnosis but on the basis of the impact of that diagnosis on the individual concerned and in the case of Disability and Carer's Allowance to an assessment of their means. In this way, resources can be targeted to those most in need.
I am aware of an ongoing campaign by Epilepsy Ireland. I fully recognise the issues and difficulties that can arise due to a person being diagnosed with epilepsy and who is unable to drive as a result of their condition.
I have met with representatives of Epilepsy Ireland to discuss its proposal in detail and, following the meeting, I asked my Department officials to examine the issues raised in relation to access to the Free Travel scheme.
As previously advised to the Deputy, I am awaiting a report from my officials on the issues raised by Epilepsy Ireland. I expect to receive the report shortly and will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
166. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection when a reply will issue to a person (details supplied) regarding a care support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34728/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department received an application for Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) from the person concerned on 16 June 2023.
I can confirm that the person concerned has been awarded a CSG for the year 2023. Payment of €1,850 for the year 2023 will be paid to the person's nominated bank account shortly. Notification of this decision has issued to the person concerned on 8 July 2023.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
167. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is aware of the extreme difficulties often presented for many workers in the early years sector and other sections of the broader education system in making claims for jobseeker's payments at the end of school terms; if she will commit to streamlining this system in order to make it more efficient and effective for claimants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34746/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe process in respect of all jobseeker's payments including those working in the early years sector and other educational sector workers is kept under review. In general, there is no delay in processing jobseeker benefit claims if the relevant claim application forms and supporting documentation are completed by the customer in a timely manner.
Seasonal workers including early years workers should apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit as soon as they become unemployed.
Every person who finds themselves unemployed and wishing to apply for a jobseeker's payment completes the full application form at the time of their initial claim and a repeat jobseeker's form for any subsequent claims until that jobseeker's claim period of entitlement ends. Applications can be made online and the online channel can be a more convenient and a timely method for many applicants.
Educational sector workers, who are employed on a temporary basis and who have previously been in contact with the Department, are issued with a repeat jobseeker’s application form and holiday entitlement form in advance of the school holiday periods. This advance process facilitates an efficient service to these customers and allows for speedy processing of their claim when the period of unemployment actually arises.
However, it is important to note that educational sector workers including early years educators are still required to sign on for each period of unemployment and satisfy all the qualifying conditions for Jobseeker’s Benefit including being available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work.
I want to assure the Deputy that all Scheme areas are monitored on an on-going basis and processing procedures are reviewed to ensure that claims are paid to customers as quickly as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
168. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a living alone allowance payment for a widow (details supplied) in County Kerry will be backdated to the date they were awarded widow's contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34750/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe living alone allowance is an additional payment made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who live alone. It is only available to people who are under 66 years of age if they are in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, incapacity supplement or blind pension.
The person concerned was awarded a widow's contributory pension in 2019. However, as she was under age 66, she was not eligible for the living alone allowance at that time. She also stated on her application form that she was not living entirely alone.
An application for living alone allowance was received from the person concerned on 9th October 2022, and was awarded from 15th April 2022. The allowance was backdated for 6 months in accordance with backdating legislative provisions.
This decision has now been reviewed by a Deciding Officer who has further backdated the living alone allowance increase to 31st January 2020, her 66th birthday. The person concerned will receive payment of arrears of the living alone allowance and the telephone support allowance into her nominated bank account this Friday. A decision letter to that effect has been posted to her home address.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
