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AS MUCH AS €217 million in payments from the Department of Social Protection have gone unclaimed over the past three years.
These were all returned to the Department automatically, having first been routed through An Post.
The figures were revealed in a parliamentary question by Deputy Jack Wall to Tánaiste and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton.
She confirmed €65.6 was unclaimed in 2013, €68.3 in 2012, and €83.1 in 2011.
“Where customers do not to collect the amounts due for payment within a specified period or where customer circumstances change and payments are individually stopped by the Department,” Burton explained.
“The payment authorisations go out of date and are regarded as lapsed issues.”
In certain circumstances, for example where a payment has lapsed even though the customer is entitled to it, the payment can be reclaimed at a later date.
Most of these will simply be people who have returned to the workforce. You are supposed to actually “sign off” but most people can’t be bothered queueing for hours to do so and I couldn’t blame them.
@Andrea, you can sign off online as far as I know…
Thanks Clare, I had never heard that. Is that a relatively new option?
No. That option has been there for years.
A lot of these will be people that find themselves in hospital ect. Carers and pensioners. As well as people going back to work
Well most people are unaware of that for a fact
You can also give them a call and they can do it over the phone.
Give it to the homeless
The homeless already get social welfare……..
To the homeless, wonderful idea, better yet, let’s give it to the travelling community as an apology for all the discrimination they face, the poor innocent little things
most of these “unclaimed benefits” are more than likely some polish or african scammer who probably lost that id he had made up.
“More than likely”
“probably”
Thanks, Shane, for presenting well researched facts rather than making up stuff.
Aer Lingus were on strike that week.
These obvious thing,s that caused the non collection ,or whatever , will need a board of inquiry to be set up by the government ,using mates
There were all returned? Where were all returned?
To the department of Social Welfare, from An Post.
Were there? Really?
Yes. There where.
Customers?
Yeah. People collecting social welfare payments are called “customers”.
“Protecting vulnerable customers” is the terminology used these days.
Very loyal, repeat Customers at that.
Ballybay has a great lookin post office
Why is there a picture of ballybay post office???
Ive been to Ballybay…thats as close as you get to a landmark there
Give that money back to the low wage workers to compensate all the cuts they have suffered all those years after the death of the Celtic Tiger.
have your say