Written answers

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Eligibility

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will advise on requirements for people applying for additional needs payments to assist with energy bills to have sought support from MABS; if she will advise when this requirement was put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11770/23]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income.

Additional Needs Payments are demand led and made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Guidance issued in February of this year to the Community Welfare Service (CWS) staff of my Department on the administration of additional needs payments to meet the income needs of vulnerable individuals and families who find themselves in difficulty meeting the higher costs of energy. The guidance provided to the CWS staff advised that where there is a persistent challenge for an individual or family to meet the cost of energy it is recommended that they be referred to Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABs) for budgetary advice. Engagement with MABs is not a condition for receipt of assistance by way of an Additional Needs Payment.

Any person who considers that 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 Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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160. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if reckonable social security contributions paid in the United Kingdom qualify a person who is providing full-time care and attention to another person in this state to qualify for carer’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11810/23]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Benefit is a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) based payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years (104 weeks).

Before a decision can be made on entitlement to Carer’s Benefit, evidence must be provided in respect of the care recipient’s care requirement, the level of care the carer provides, the carer’s hours of employment and their PRSI record.

Under the provisions of the legislation, a person claiming Carer's Benefit must have been employed in full-time employment for at least eight weeks, either consecutive or not, in the 26-week period immediately prior to the commencement of the Carer's Benefit claim. Full-time employment in this context is defined as insurable employment for at least 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight.

Only PRSI contributions paid at classes A, B, C, D, E and H are counted towards Carer's Benefit. Contributions paid at class S (self-employed contributions) do not count.

For a first claim the Carer must have:

- 156 PRSI contributions paid since entry into insurance

And either

- 39 reckonable contributions in the relevant tax year (2020 for a claim made in 2022) or

- 39 reckonable contributions paid in the 12-month period before the start of Carer's Benefit or

- 26 reckonable contributions paid in the relevant tax year and 26 contributions paid in the year before that.

Periods of insurance completed in the United Kingdom, EU or another EEA member state may be taken into account to meet the PRSI contribution requirements. However, for Ireland to be the competent state, the most recent contribution must have been paid in Ireland.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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