Tom Barry (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 54: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if steps can be taken to ensure that social welfare recipients who are required to transfer from one payment to another are notified on time in order that there is no period between their renewed claim and payment of the second benefit (details supplied). [11698/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I understand that the Deputy is referring to persons who make a claim to invalidity pension and carer's allowance, having previously been in receipt of illness benefit and carer's benefit respectively. Since January 2009 payment of illness benefit is limited to a maximum of 104 weeks (624 pay days) in most cases. There are a number of possible social welfare payments for which a customer may qualify thereafter, depending on their circumstances. Letters are sent to illness benefit customers 13 weeks before their claim is due to expire. The customer is advised about other possible schemes for which they may qualify, including invalidity pension, disability allowance, jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance. Customers are also advised that if they are considering applying for any of the schemes they should do so as soon as possible.

There has been a consistent upward trend in recent years in the number of applicants for invalidity pension. There were 7,475 new claims registered in 2009, 8,774 in 2010 and 14,621 in 2011. Recipients of short-term illness benefit do not automatically qualify for invalidity pension. They must be permanently incapable of work and satisfy the social insurance (PRSI) conditions. In an effort to ensure that recipients of illness benefit receive a decision on invalidity pension in advance of the expiry of their illness benefit, resources are prioritised towards those claims where illness benefit is due to expire first. Every effort is made to process claims prior to the expiry of the illness benefit entitlement. It should be noted, however, that an average of approximately 70% of all such claims for invalidity pension are found not to qualify.

The carer's benefit scheme is a weekly income support payment which is intended to support people who must leave the workforce temporarily to care for someone who is in need of full-time care and attention. Entitlement to carer's benefit is based on an applicant satisfying medical, employment and PRSI contribution conditions. The maximum duration of the carer's benefit scheme is currently 104 weeks. However, it is important to note that each care recipient may receive a total of 104 weeks care. This may be claimed as a single continuous period or in separate tranches. Carer's benefit claimants are contacted 20 weeks prior to the expiry of their benefit and reminded to consider applying for carer's allowance if their caring duties are likely to extend beyond the expiry of their entitlement to carer's benefit and where they have a need for continuing income support.

Carer's allowance is a social assistance payment made to person who are providing full-time care and attention to elderly people or to people with disabilities and whose income falls below certain limits. Processing of applications for carer's allowance from persons who are already in receipt of carer's benefit are prioritised as far as possible. If a person has an income support need pending a decision on any scheme they may apply for a means-tested supplementary welfare allowance payment from their local community welfare officer. The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Processes and procedures are continuously reviewed with the explicit objective of reducing delays. The position is being closely monitored and kept under review by my Department.