Results 8,481-8,500 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment.  The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment. It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in social welfare measures during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period.  One of these measures is the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment which was paid to those schemes which are eligible to receive the Christmas Bonus. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment in respect of a child aged under 16 with a severe disability who requires ongoing continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and the child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The 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.  When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration the Appeals Officer makes a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer'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. I can confirm an application for CA was received from the person concerned on 17 October 2022.  Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness).  The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention.  At the end of October 2022, there were 91,892 recipients of Carer's Allowance.  Of these, 42,136 were recipients of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care. Carer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness).  The person being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers who get Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance.  It can also be paid to certain other carers providing full-time care. As at the end of October there were 123,837 Carer's Support Grant’s in payment, 4,894 of whom were not in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is currently in receipt of Illness Benefit and has been in receipt of payment from the 11th August 2022 to date.  She is in receipt of the full personal rate of Illness Benefit which is €208 per week.  This will increase by €12 to €220 per week in January 2023 as part of Budget 2023.  Illness Benefit is not one of the social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for customers in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses, subject to meeting certain qualifying conditions. I understand that the individual concerned was on BTEA from 9th October 2020 until 20th May 2022 when the person completed year two of a four-year...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Policy matters related to public and civil service pensions are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.  More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role.  Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides for a range of measures...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Joint Committee on Gender Equality was established to consider the recommendations contained in the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality.  The Committee’s Interim Report on Constitutional Change was published in July 2022 and it is my understanding that the Committee’s work is ongoing. The impact of the marriage bar on State Pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Short-Time Work Support, formerly known as Systematic Short-Time, is a form of Jobseeker's Benefit.  It is an income support payment for people who have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week by their employer.  This payment is made in respect of the days of work that have been lost. Short-Time Work must be systematic and show a clear repetitive pattern of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Welfare Service remains a flexible service which meets the varied needs of vulnerable people, and it continues to provide local access to local Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in local areas across the country.  There are no plans to change this aspect of the service.  CWOs are available to facilitate urgent and in-person meetings in over 50 Intreo Centres...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is a statutory agency tasked with providing information, advocacy, and advice to citizens.  These important services are delivered by eight independent regional Citizen Information Service (CIS) companies, that operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres, including Dublin North CIS, which encompasses Finglas. It is important to note...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I introduced the Benefit Payment for 65 Year olds last year under the Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit Self Employed social insurance schemes to bridge the gap for people who retire at 65 but do not qualify for State Pension until they are aged 66. A key feature of the payment is that recipients do not have to sign on or partake in activation measures or be available for and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) has been reinstated to the person in question with effect from 2O October 2022 and she received her first payment including arrears due, to her nominated post office on 10 November 2022.  Notification of the decision to reinstate her IP issued to the person in question on 04 November 2022. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need.  The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring.  This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work weekly payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children.  An application for WFP was received from that individual on 31st August 2022.  Further information was requested by the Department.  On receipt of the information, a Deciding Officer reviewed the application.  The claim was then...