Written answers
Monday, 9 September 2024
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Payments
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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1017.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have had disability allowance payments removed because they were found to be in excess of the means because of their partner, by county in 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024; and the general amount in excess calculated, in tabular form.[35753/24]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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While it is acknowledged that most people on a social welfare payment are claiming the correct entitlement due to them, my Department has a duty to ensure that it pays the right person, the right amount of money, at the right time. Therefore, it is important that all schemes are subject to on-going control reviews and eligibility checks.
Just over 7,500 control reviews were carried out on Disability Allowance in 2022 of which 173 reviews led to a termination of the payment due to means in excess of the prescribed limits. In 2023, from just over 10,300 control reviews, 208 payments were terminated, and in 2024, up to end of June, from just over 5,800 control reviews, 247 payments were terminated. In the case of the payments terminated it is not possible to segregate whether it was as a result of the means of the customer or their partner, or the general amount in excess, without examining each case individually.
Control reviews are not collated by County.
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