Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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513.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications made for the working family payment in each of the past three years to date; the number granted; the number refused; the number granted following appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25600/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment. Once awarded, WFP is payable for 52 weeks. At the end of the 52-week period, a customer must reapply (renew) to determine ongoing eligibility.

The tables below shows total new claims and renewal applications in each of the past three years. The requested information detailing the number of claims awarded, the number of claims disallowed, and the number of claims awarded following an appeal are also set out in the tables.

Please note reference to claims allowed after Appeal refers to decisions made by the Appeals Office only.

Working Family Payment New Claims Processing Information

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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514.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will give consideration to expanding the living alone allowance to those over the age of 66 who are on low pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25613/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in nature and cannot be made available to those who are not in receipt of a primary payment.

The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is one of those secondary payments. It is not a scheme or a stand-alone payment, but it is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. A person eligible for the LAI will receive the full €22 supplement even if they are not in receipt of the maximum rate of their primary payment.

For those aged 66 or over, payments eligible for the LAI include State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Widow’s, Widower’s, or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme and Deserted Wife's Benefit.

LAI is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

There are no circumstances where the Living Alone Increase can be paid to people who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment from my Department or who do not meet the living alone eligibility criteria. Any change to the qualifying criteria for this payment would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.