Ms Niamh O'Donoghue:

The most significant single contributory factor was the change in the criteria for the payment of illness benefit. Illness benefit is a short-term, contribution-based payment for people in work who are ill. As it originally had no particular term, one could have been in receipt of illness benefit for multiple years. The scheme was changed and the first impact was felt in 2011. The length of time for which one could receive illness benefit was limited to two years. Many people who might have stayed on the payment were no longer eligible and the next progression was to invalidity pension.