Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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358. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason those on illness benefit were not included in the recent cost of living payments; if consideration would be given to including them retrospectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60476/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in social welfare measures to help individuals and families through this difficult period. 

One of these measures is the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment, paid to those who qualify for the Christmas Bonus, and the Cost of Living Disability Support Grant, paid to recipients of long-term disability payments.

Traditionally, Illness Benefit was not a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus and for this reason it was not a qualifying payment for the October Cost of Living Double Payment. It is a short-term scheme and hence was not a qualifying payment for the Disability Support Grant. 

Illness Benefit has a high degree of churn with people coming onto the scheme and moving off every week, often with very short duration claims.  For example, between July and September 2022, almost 115,000 Illness Benefit claims were awarded and, of these, only 21,000 remain in payment.  This indicates a churn of 82% over just a three-month period.  The average duration of a claim for Illness Benefit is only 6 days. In addition, many Illness Benefit payments are paid directly to the employer. 

However, I do appreciate that individual circumstances can vary from case to case, and therefore I asked my officials to examine this issue in respect of people who are in receipt of Illness Benefit for longer periods of time.

I am pleased to confirm that people who have been on Illness Benefit for 12 months or longer will qualify for this year's Christmas Bonus. This will impact approximately 17,500 Illness Benefit recipients at a cost of €4 million.  The Bonus will be paid in the week beginning 12 December.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.