Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the arrears of the living alone allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3150/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned has been in receipt of Disability Allowance since 30 September 2015.

An application for Living Allowance (LAA) was received by the Department on 27 November 2023. The person concerned was awarded LAA with effect from 29 November 2023. A letter notifying the person of this decision issued on 29 November 2023. The person concerned was notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the SWAO.

A request to backdate their entitlement to LAA was received on 11 December 2023. The LAA entitlement was reviewed and they were awarded LAA with effect from 2 August 2023. A letter notifying the person concerned of this decision issued on 19 January 2024. The person concerned was notified of their right to request a review of this decision or to appeal it to the SWAO.

Arrears of payment due from 2 August 2023 to 28 November 2023 have been issued and the person concerned was notified of this by separate letter on 19 January 2024.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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145. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a disability allowance payment will issue to a person in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3151/24]

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 an application for DA from the person concerned on 17 July 2023. As their initial application did not contain all the information required to make a decision on entitlement, an information request letter was sent to the person concerned on 2 August 2023.

Documentation was received by the Department on 14 September 2023. As the person concerned did not supply all the required information, it was necessary for the Deciding Officer to send a further information request on 20 October 2023, requesting the outstanding information (Signed Declaration).

Documentation was received from the person concerned on 26 October 2023. However, this documentation was not complete and the declaration was not signed by the person concerned.

A further request for information was sent to the person concerned on 17 November 2023 to provide the signed declaration. A further 21 days was allowed for the person concerned to return the requested information.

As the person concerned failed to sign the declaration as requested on 2 August 2023, 20 October 2023 and 17 November 2023 , their claim for DA was withdrawn. A letter notifying the person of this issued to them on 16 January 2024.

Following your representation on 18 January 2024, advising that additional information was sent to the Department on 17 January 2024, priority will be given to this case once the requested information is received and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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146. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the threshold for fuel allowance for a single person is the same for a couple; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3169/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including a means test and the household composition criteria. The means test ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.

The means threshold is not the same for single persons and couples. The means threshold for those aged over 70 is €512 for a single person and €1,024 for a couple and is based on gross income. The weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 is €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory) which equates to €477.30 means threshold for a single person, €662 for a Couple where the qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is under 66 years and €725.90 for a Couple, where the qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is over 66 years and under 70.

The increased allowable means threshold for people who are married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership acknowledges that the overall cost of living for this cohort is higher than for a single person and the fact that the Department pays an Increase for a Qualified Adult on many of its primary payments is recognition of this.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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147. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which any outstanding payments/balances are due in respect of carer's benefit/allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); if their case can be reviewed as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3185/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a 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.

To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention.

An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 10 November 2023.

CARB was disallowed on 6 December 2023 as the hours of employment of the person concerned were not reduced below the maximum allowable of 18.5 per week and their earnings exceeded the weekly limit of €350.00 net of statutory deductions.

A review was requested on 19 December 2023.

Additional information in relation to the review was requested by email by the deciding officer on 11 January 2023.

Once the information is received, the review will be processed without delay and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.