Under existing provisions, disability benefit is payable in respect of any three days incapacity for work in any period of six consecutive days, with Sundays being excluded. Unemployment benefit and assistance are also payable in respect of any three days' unemployment in any period of six consecutive days, with Sundays being excluded.
While people whose normal working week would include Sundays are not entitled to disability benefit or to unemployment assistance or benefit in respect of that day, they would be entitled to payment for any other days in a six day period on which they are incapable of work or unemployed, even if those days would not normally be part of their working week. Consequently, people are not likely to be adversely affected in practice by the fact that disability benefit, unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance are not payable in respect of Sundays.
This issue is among the matters which the expert working group on the integration of tax and social welfare has considered. The report of the group is expected shortly and I will consider any proposals it may make to me on the matter.
