Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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477. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that illness benefit recipients are excluded from the autumn double payment and the Christmas bonus payment; if this matter will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53348/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus and the once-off disability-related autumn double payment introduced in Budget 2023.

In the vast majority of cases, Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who are certified by their GP as needing to take time out from their employment. This means there is a constant daily churn in terms of Illness Benefit recipients as people take time off/return to work. In addition, in many cases Illness Benefit is paid directly to the employer where sick pay is paid. Most recipients of Illness Benefit still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to work.

Long-term Illness Benefit recipients who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for Invalidity Pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and social insurance contributions). Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested Disability Allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). All recipients of both of these payments are eligible for additional benefits including free travel and the household benefits package.

People on long-term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that the Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources to help this cohort of claimants.

This Department provides Additional Needs Payment under our Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. This includes exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

Illness Benefit recipients will benefit from the €12 increase in the maximum weekly rate of this payment from January 2023.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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478. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will list, by social welfare payment type, those included and excluded from the autumn double payment and the Christmas bonus payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53349/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I have secured a package of almost €2.2 billion for Social Protection measures as part of Budget 2023.  This represents the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and will help to support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families during this difficult period.

In addition to a range of bonus lump sum payments to be made to a number of groups, including people on long term disability schemes, recipients of the Fuel Allowance, working family payment recipients, those living alone, and carers, a series of double payments will be delivered before the end of the year:

No other schemes will be eligible for the above double-payments.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.