Rejected social welfare applications for €244 cash DOUBLE amid ‘broken system' fear & new survey for thousands of Irish
THE number of applications for a €244 social welfare payment that have been rejected has doubled over the past five years.
The amount of people applying for the assistance has increased by over 40 per cent since 2020 - but approvals have not kept pace, rising just 19 per cent in the same time period.
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The number of rejected applications for Disability Allowance has doubled since 2020
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New figures on Disability Allowance applications reveal rising demand.
And Sinn Fein's spokesperson on Social Protection, said "too many" people are being turned down at first assessment and being forced go through a weeks-long appeal process to access payments they are entitled to.
Louise O'Reilly said: "Last year, over 9,000 people had to appeal a rejection. More than a third of those appeals were then granted.
"This is the sign of a broken system, one third of people with disabilities whose applications have been rejected are being forced go through this appeals process to access the payments they are entitled to.
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"Too many people are being turned down at first assessment and have their application granted on appeal.
"This is a burden on the most vulnerable of our society.
"It leaves people without any income, reliant on emergency funds if they can access them for up to six weeks while they prepare paperwork to launch an appeal and wait for a final decision."
O'Reilly said that the appeals process is "incredibly anxiety-inducing" for the people in need of the assistance and can "force people into poverty and debt"
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Disability Allowance is a weekly means-tested payment for people with a disability that are aged 16 and over.
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The maximum personal rate of the payment currently sits at €244.
An increase for an adult dependant €162 while an increase for a child who is under 12 years of age is €50 at full-rate and €25 for half-rate.
The payment increases for a child is 12 years of age or under by €62 at full rate and €31 half rate.
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Sinn Fein's O'Reilly had launched a national survey in response to the "concerning statistics" surrounding the number of applications being denied.
DISABILITY ALLOWANCE ELIGIBILITY
THERE is a number of criteria that must be met to qualify for Disability Allowance.
Those eligible must:
Have an injury, disease, or physical or mental disability that has continued for at least one year, or is expected to continue for at least one year
Be substantially restricted from doing work because of their disability, that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications
Be aged between 16 and 66
Pass a means test - an assessment of any income you have
Live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition
A doctor must also complete a report - which will be reviewed by a DSP medical assessor - on the applicants medical condition.
The medical report will allow the DSP to determine if the person
Have an injury, disease, or physical or mental disability that has continued for at least one year, or is expected to continue for at least one year, and
Are substantially restricted from doing work because of their disability, that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications.
A spokesperson said: "Deputy O'Reilly has launched a national survey to gather the experiences of people applying for any and all social welfare income payments.
"The survey focuses on waiting times, appeal durations, and the human impact of navigating a broken system.
'This survey will give a voice to the people behind the statistics.
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"We want to hear directly from those who've been forced to wait, forced to appeal, or forced to give up."
The survey, which can be filled out by anyone in Ireland who has applied for social welfare assistance, can be
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