Collection
Case Study: Department of Social Protection wrongly sought to recover €26,000 pandemic social welfare payment
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
Joan complained to the Ombudsman when the Department of Social Protection contacted her to recover €26,000 it said was overpaid to her under the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). The Department said she was not entitled to the payment.
Joan had been working part-time at the start of the pandemic, but had to leave her frontline job as she was a single parent to a daughter with health issues. Joan had no alternative childcare when the schools were advised to close as part of the pandemic restrictions. At that stage during the pandemic, the Operational Guidelines for the PUP advised that parents were entitled to the payment if schools and childcare facilities were closed under COVID-19 restrictions and parents were unable to secure childcare or other flexible employment options.
Joan had contacted her local Intreo office to explain her situation and had been given an application form to apply for the PUP. The Ombudsman queried how the Department had calculated the woman’s overpayment, and what payments she had received over the time in question. The Ombudsman also pointed out the Operational Guidelines that were in place at the time which suggested that Joan may be
entitled to the payment.
The Department reviewed Joan’s case and found that she was entitled to receive the PUP. As a result, the Department accepted that Joan was not liable to repay the €26,000.