Vol. 513 No. 6
346 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person on deserted wife's benefit can avail of the back to work scheme without losing out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3026/00]
The back to work allowance scheme is targeted at persons in receipt of a range of means tested social assistance payments, mainly long-term unemployment to give them an incentive to return to employment or self employment. The back to work allowance scheme guarantees a weekly payment for three or four years to those involved which is not effected by any other income from employment or self employment.
Recipients of deserted wife's benefit are not entitled to avail of the back to work allowance scheme. However, any person who was in receipt of this benefit before August 1992 can take up employment without affecting their continuing entitlement to the benefit, irrespective of the of level of earnings. For persons who are awarded benefit after August 1992 an income limit applies, which currently stands at £10,000 a year. Where earnings exceed this annual figure there may be entitlement to a reduced rate of deserted wife's benefit provided that the earnings do not exceed £14,000 a year.
