Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

483. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide clarification on whether partial capacity recipients will be in a position to claim the €500 cost-of-living grant for disabilities; if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53479/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As part of Budget 2023, the Social Protection budget has been designed to assist people with cost of living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the fuel allowance scheme.

The measures introduced include the provision of a one-off €500 Cost-of-Living payment, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant. Recipients who are in receipt of one (or more) of these payments qualify for the €500 payment.

The Partial Capacity Benefit scheme has been designed to allow persons in receipt of this payment to continue to receive a percentage of their previous payment (i.e., 50%, 75% or 100%) while in employment. The scheme has also been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work, and there are no restrictions on earnings/earnings limits. Persons who have moved on to Partial Capacity Benefit from an Invalidity Pension payment retain their Partial Capacity payment, while in employment for three years (156 weeks).

As persons in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit, are in employment without any restriction on earnings they will not be eligible for the €500 Cost-of-Living payment.

However, Partial Capacity recipients will receive a double payment under the Cost-of-Living support measure, announced in the recent Budget, and will be paid from the week commencing 17 October 2022. They will also get the Christmas bonus double payment which will be paid from the week commencing 5 December 2022.

From January 2023, the maximum rate of Partial Capacity Benefit will increase by €12. There will be proportionate increases for people getting a reduced rate and for qualified adults.

The weekly full rate for a qualified child will increase to:

- €42 for children under 12 years of age

- €50 for children aged 12 years and over

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

484. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if illness benefit will be considered as a payment which qualifies for the additional lump sum payments as outlined in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53492/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the once-off disability-related autumn double payment or the Cost of Living Disability Support Grant 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 Payments 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.