Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. From May 2024, new legislation allows the payment to continue in respect of children until their 19th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability that prevents them from attending such education.

Child Benefit will resume from May for this customer and will continue until September 2024, at which time the Department will seek further details about the child's continuing education.

No arrears are due for any period between a child's 18th birthday and the resumption of the payment in May.

I trust this clarifies the position.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment and continue to receive a payment from my department. A person must be in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) for a minimum of six months or Invalidity Pension (IP) in order to apply for PCB.

The application process for the PCB is twofold. Initially, an applicant must inform my Department of their intention to undertake employment and submit an application for PCB. Following this, the Department assesses the eligibility of the applicant and the appropriate level of PCB support. Subsequent to this assessment, the applicant is required to either confirm their decision to accept the determined PCB level and confirm their employment commencement date. The PCB team will then put the relevant payment in place.

Regarding the case in question, this individual applied for PCB on 21 March 2024 and their claim was referred to the Medical Assessment and Review Section to determine their incapacity to work. Correspondence issued to the person concerned on 18 April 2024 advising that their incapacity to work has been assessed as 'Moderate'. The person concerned will receive 50% of their underlying Invalidity Pension entitlement if they commence employment.

The applicant has been requested to specify their 'return to work date' to enable the completion of this claim. Where employment does not commence by 20 June 2024, their claim will be closed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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While my department has received medical certificates from the person concerned, we have not yet received an application for Illness Benefit. An application can be made online at MyWelfare.ie, or by submitting a physical IB1 application form which is available from their GP.

I note that the person concerned is in receipt of Widow's Contributory Pension. A person cannot receive payment of both Illness Benefit and Widow's Contributory Pension at the same time. The Widow's Contributory Pension is payable at a higher rate than Illness Benefit and, as such, the person concerned is currently better off continuing to receive this payment.

However, it remains open to them to make an application for Illness Benefit, as they may be eligible to receive PRSI credited contributions on this scheme while they are sick.

I trust this clarifies the position for the deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.

From May 2024, new legislation allows the payment to continue in respect of children until their 19th birthday while they are in full-time education, or who have a disability that prevents them from attending such education.

The person concerned applied for Child Benefit in June 2023. This claim was disallowed as she did not satisfy the Habitual Residence condition. The person concerned requested a review of this decision. In July 2023, a review of this decision was carried out and the decision was upheld. The person concerned was advised of their right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals office within 21 days of the decision letter. The decision has not been appealed.

A new claim may be submitted at any time and a decision will issue to the person concerned.

I trust this clarifies the position for the deputy.