More than 16,400 illness benefit claim reviews undertaken in 2017

In 2017, there were 16,472 illness benefit claim reviews, resulting in 1,198 claims being closed, according to the figures supplied to the <strong><em>Medical Independent</em></strong> (<strong><em>MI</em></strong>) by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.

Furthermore, a Department spokesperson said there were 1,830 disability allowance claim reviews in 2017, resulting in 135 claims being closed.

“To date in 2018, there have been 2,790 illness benefit claim reviews, resulting in 320 claims being closed,” the Department spokesperson told <strong><em>MI</em></strong>.

 “There have been 318 disability allowance claim reviews, resulting in 32 claims being closed.”

As reported by <strong><em>MI</em></strong> in November, there were 16,473 illness benefit claim reviews in 2016, resulting in 1,628 claims being closed at year end. In 2016, there was also a total of 601 disability allowance reviews, resulting in 68 claims being closed.

Medical assessment may be carried out to determine an individual’s continued eligibility to receive illness benefit or disability allowance. These assessments are carried out by doctors in the cases of illness benefit claims. Illness benefits include disability and carers’ allowances, among other payments.

Separately, the Department’s spokesperson told <strong><em>MI</em></strong> that certain aspects of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act have yet to be enacted because of training delays.

“Certain provisions of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014, such as those relating to marriages of convenience, were commenced in August of 2015; however, a number of the sections of the Act have yet to be commenced pending the roll-out of training to staff of the Civil Registration Service, who are employees of the HSE,” said the Department spokesperson.

“The General Register Office is in a position to begin provision of training as soon as the HSE notifies it of the dates and venues.”