Probe after surge in claims for disability allowance
THE Government is probing an “unexplained” surge in people getting disability allowance in the past decade.
There was a jump of more than 42,000 people getting the payments during that period.
Currently 126,000 people get the allowance – a 50pc rise from 10 years ago – while the cost has leapt to €1.3bn.
Some of it is explained by changes in medical assessment, as well as demographic changes – but many recipients are young.
There are concerns a minority of disability cheats are skewing the figures and claiming taxpayers’ money.
A recent report prepared in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform called for further investigation.
Minister Regina Doherty’s Department of Social Protection denied it has dragged its heels on probing the “unexplained inflows” of recipients. Officials are now investigating why the number of people claiming the allowance has spiralled so quickly.
Applicants’ own GPs are required to complete a medical report, something other countries are now abandoning in favour of a more uniform, independent evaluation system.
THE Government is probing an “unexplained” surge in people getting disability allowance over recent years.
Official figures show a jump of more than 42,000 getting the payments in a decade – equal to the population of Swords in Dublin.
The 126,000 claiming the allowance marks a 50pc rise from 10 years ago, while the cost leapt to €1.3bn.
Some of it is explained by changes in medical diagnosis and assessment, as well as demographic changes – but many recipients are young.
There are concerns a minority of disability cheats are skewing the figures and claiming taxpayers’ money.
A recent report prepared in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform called for further investigation.
Minister Regina Doherty’s Department of Social Protection denied it has dragged its heels on probing the “unexplained inflows” of recipients.
Officials confirmed they are now investigating why the number of people claiming the allowance has spiralled so quickly.
“Both departments are currently
engaging so as to better understand the determinants of increasing numbers and
expenditure on the disability allowance scheme,” said a spokesperson. Social Protection
said it had already implemented a number of recommendations.
A review will also consider the results of Census 2016, which shows a rising number of people with disabilities.
The department is also engaged in a consultation exercise with disability stakeholders to see how it can engage with claimants early to see why and how long they a making claims.
Disability allowance is a payment for people with a specified disability whose income falls below certain limits and who are aged between 16 and under 66.
To qualify for the €193 weekly payment a person must reside in the State, satisfy a means test and fall within certain medical criteria.
The Department says on its website claimants are “required to have your own doctor complete a medical report”.
Several countries have moved away from GPs carrying out assessments towards a more uniform evaluation system, carried out independently.
Over the past five years alone, those claiming the allowance in Ireland jumped by more than 24,000. In the past two decades there has been a hike of 83,000.
Spending has shot up by an average of €68m a year and at the current rate, overall spending will reach €1.7bn by 2020.
Some of this is down to higher weekly payment amounts, but much of it remains “unexplained”, said the recent report.
It said only 40pc of the increase could be explained, and it was difficult to fully understand the remaining 60pc.
It recommended: “The next step is to uncover the unexplained inflows [of recipients] to the scheme to help inform future policy reform in this area.”
It said Social Protection should probe the disability allowance scheme early this year to “assess whether it remains fit for purpose”. The document notes that “further work is required to assess the reasons behind the continuing increasing inflow into disability allowance, particularly among young people”.
Most recipients are Irish, but the proportion from elsewhere in the EU has increased, particularly from countries which have joined since May 2004.
A spokesperson added the Public Expenditure report did not represent the official views of Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe (inset).