Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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287. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons may reapply for the one-parent family payment immediately in circumstances in which the relationship ends and the lone parent is no longer in receipt of the payment or any household income; if she will advise on the process in ensuring that lone-parent families are provided with supports in situations in which their household income is dramatically reduced or removed altogether; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46600/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under social welfare legislation, the onus is on a person to apply for One-Parent Family Payment if s/he believes that s/he has an entitlement. A claim for One-Parent Family Payment should be made within three months of the date of entitlement.

For a person to qualify as a separated or divorced person or a person whose civil partnership has been dissolved, s/he must have been living apart from his/her spouse/civil partner for at least 3 months and have made and continue to make appropriate efforts to get maintenance from his/her spouse/civil partner where that spouse/civil partner is the parent of the child/ren. If an application is received within 6 months of the date of separation, the claim may be awarded from first day of entitlement, that is, 3 months after the separation.

Depending on their financial circumstances, a person may claim Supplementary Welfare Allowance while awaiting a decision on their One-Parent Family Payment claim.

I trust that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.