Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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387. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the working family payment application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2565/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. The customer should also be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment.

A deciding officer examined the WFP claim for the person concerned on 16th January 2024 and issued a letter requesting further information which is required to make a decision on entitlement. When this information is received, the deciding officer will re-examine the claim and issue a decision to the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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388. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in the determination of an application for full payment of disability allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2567/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions.

My Department received correspondence from the person concerned on 2 May 2023, notifying a change of circumstances regarding their DA. I can confirm that this person's previous means review had been carried out on 19 January 2022. At that time, they were assessed with weekly means of €244.35 resulting in a DA payment rate of €157.50.

Further information was requested and following a review of the information supplied, it was determined that the person concerned had a variation in her means throughout the year. Her DA remained in payment throughout this period but her rate weekly should have increased from 7 June 2023. In November, she commenced employment again but this did not impact her means for DA.

A letter notifying the person of this decision to increase her weekly rate of DA issued on 17 January 2024. The person concerned was notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

There are no arrears due to the person concerned as they were in receipt of Basic Supplementary Welfare throughout 2023 when the DA rate of payment was lower than the entitlement.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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389. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on the working family payment application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2579/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.

An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 5 January 2024. A deciding officer has examined the WFP claim for the person concerned. A letter issued on 17 January 2024, requesting further information which is required to make a decision on entitlement. When this information is received, the deciding officer will re-examine the claim and issue a decision to the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the matter.