Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that a person who is in receipt of a payment under the occupational injuries scheme and is paying their PRSI contributions is not entitled to receive illness benefit when required, in view of the fact that they are paying their contributions and now cannot avail of the benefits of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25076/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I understand that my department has been in touch with the Deputy's office seeking clarification on the specific circumstances of this case; however, the matter appears to relate to a Widow’s Pension (contributory) payment.

Widow’s Pension (contributory) is a weekly social insurance payment to those covered by social insurance whose spouse or civil partner has died.

Illness Benefit is the main income support provided to those who cannot work due to illness of any kind and who are covered by social insurance.

If a customer is getting a reduced rate of Widow’s Pension, they may also get a reduced rate of Illness Benefit, so that the combined amount of both payments is not greater than the rate of Illness Benefit to which they are entitled.

However, there is a general principle of one person, one payment, and this applies across the social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world. As a result, people on Widow’s Pension cannot be in receipt of an overlapping second payment, for example Illness Benefit, at the same time.

A person may be eligible to receive Living Alone Increase, Fuel Allowance or Household Benefits Package depending on their living circumstances and their age.

With regard to additional supports, this department also 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.

The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently on a social welfare payment or in employment. The payment amount will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Payments are made at the discretion of the Community Welfare Officers administering the scheme, considering all the circumstances of the case.

My Department will continue to keep the range of supports under review. However, changing the underlying one person-one payment principle would involve significant additional expenditure which could prove unsustainable in the long-term, and would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.

If the Deputy has further details on the case being raised in this question, my department would be happy to advise on it.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.