Social Welfare Appeal G0088

This case relates to the appeal of a decision to retrospectively charge the Appellant for an alleged overpayment of Rent Supplement, due to the retrospective assessment of a contribution from another person in the household, the Appellant’s daughter. This decision was made pursuant to Article 12(3) of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Supplementary Welfare Allowance) Regulations 2007 (as amended), S.I. 412 of 2007.  The Appellant, a Carer, resides with his two daughters and had been claiming Rent Supplement since February 2013.

The Appellant’s Rent Supplement claim was reviewed in June 2016, and a revised decision was issued on 25 July 2016, notifying the Appellant that a Designated Officer (DO) had determined that his entitlement would be reduced and that this decision was to apply retrospectively. As a consequence of this decision, the Appellant was found to have been overpaid the sum of €1,091.70, an amount recoverable as a debt due to the Department of Social Protection (the Department).