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1240/5(2540)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 7th JUNE 2005
Question
Would the President inform members –
- whether the eligibility criteria forLong Term Incapacity Allowance(LTIA) has been amended in any way to eliminate disguised retirement and unemployment' referred to inhisanswertomyquestion on 24thMay 2005, and if not, would he explain his statement that theassumption that existing and future LTIA recipients would all have been eligible for Invalidity Benefit is erroneous'?
- whether the Committeeistochangethe eligibility criteria for LTIA so astoreduce the number in receipt of this benefit in the future, and if sohow does heproposeto do this?and,
- with regards to the figures presentedinmyquestionof24thMay 2005, what proportion,if any, of current recipients of LTIA would have been eligible for Invalidity Benefitunderthe previous systemand whether, in the majority of cases, their payments have been reduced in comparison with the previous system, thus reducing the levelofoverallpayments?
Answer
- The criteria for Long Term Incapacity Allowance remain unchanged and can only be changed by amendmentsin legislation approved by the States. The eligibility criteria for LTIA and the old Invalidity Benefit are totally different. To qualify for Invalidity Benefit a claimanthadtobe totally incapable ofany work whereas LTIA does not contain anytestof incapacity for work butassesses a person's loss ofphysical or mentalfaculty. People whomay have been ineligible for Invalidity Benefit could be eligible forLTIA.
- The Committee has noplanstochangeany criteria and certainly has not considered reducingthescopeor coverageofLTIA. The Deputy hasbeen advised on many occasions that a full evaluation of the incapacity benefit changesis to take place after the first year. If anychanges are needed as a result, these will be considered by the Committeeand action taken accordingly.
- This question is impossible to answer. As described in the answer in part (a) there can be no direct comparison between the two benefits asthe eligibility criteria are different.