Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned applied for the Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds (BP65) on 10/10/2023 and was disallowed on the grounds that he was still engaged in self-employment.

The person concerned was employed with earned income up to 2021 (9A contributions in 2021). He had 52 S contributions in 2021 (the Governing Contribution Year) which are solely as a result of his Approved Retirement Fund (ARF). As this ARF continues he is deemed to be still engaged in self-employment.

BP65 is based on Jobseekers Benefit (JB) / Jobseekers Benefit Self Employed legislation (JBSE). The person concerned does not have the required contributions to qualify under JB (does not have 39 A, H or P contributions) neither does he satisfy the JBSE eligibility conditions since one of the conditions for receipt of JBSE is that applicants must no longer be engaged in self-employment.

The person concerned did appeal the decision and a submission has been sent to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office by the Deciding Officer on 08/01/2024 and a decision is pending.

I trust this clarifies the position at this time.

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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465.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to state the total number of people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or jobseeker's benefit continuously since December 2019; to state the ages and geographical locations of these recipients; and to state how many of these recipients, if any, have been deemed unfit to work due to medical or other reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25135/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Awaiting reply from the Department.