Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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274. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason in relation to a back-to-school allowance decision for a person (details supplied) it is stated things are means tested when the means test does not take into account all the means of the household incoming and outgoing; the way it can be that based means testing, carers benefit, domiciliary care and a medical card has been approved for this person and their family, yet this particular service is not available; and if she will introduce an appeals process for this allowance which takes outgoings into consideration. [49233/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.

In order to qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the relevant income limits. Household expenditure is not taken into consideration when assessing an applicant’s household income.

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a non-statutory scheme not subject to the Social Welfare appeals process. Where an applicant is not satisfied with a decision in relation to a Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance application they may apply to have this decision reviewed. This review is carried out by an officer other than the original deciding officer.

A review of the determination that the person concerned was not eligible under the rules of the scheme was undertaken in August and has been reviewed again in October. The application for the allowance has not been awarded because the household income is in excess of the relevant income limit. Details of the income assessed has been sent to the person concerned.

Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme by the Community Welfare Service, where any exceptional expenditure or outgoings will be taken into consideration.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National Community Welfare Service Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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275. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for partial capacity benefit by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49234/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment and continue to receive a payment from my department. A person must be in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) for a minimum of six months or Invalidity Pension (IP) in order to apply for PCB.

My Department will determine whether the applicant is eligible and (if so) at what level the PCB would be paid depending on their capacity to work. Once that decision is made, the applicant must then subsequently confirm that they wish to proceed on that basis and confirm the date that their employment is commencing. A Deciding Officer will then put the relevant payment in place.

The person concerned re-applied for PCB on the 28 September 2022. On 04 October 2022 my department contacted them with details of their entitlement to PCB. My department will complete the processing of their PCB application once the person concerned confirms that they wish to proceed and indicates their start date of employment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.