Liz McManus
Question:46 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the regulations regarding citizens on invalidity benefit and disability benefit being able to work in the open economy. [20121/01]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Regulations governing both invalidity pension and disability benefit schemes first require that a person does not engage in employment during periods of incapacity. It is nonetheless recognised that support should be provided for people with disabilities or long-term incapacities to facilitate them in taking up available employment and training opportunities, where appropriate.
Under existing provisions, invalidity pensioners and certain disability benefit customers can, subject to prior approval from my Department, engage in occupational training where they are incapable of following their usual occupation. They may also engage in rehabilitative or therapeutic employment. Disability benefit recipients must generally be receiving payment for at least six months before application for approval is considered.
Since the transfer of training and employment services from the National Rehabilitation Board to FÁS, my Department has entered into arrangements with FÁS to assist people on disability payments who wish to engage in training or rehabilitative employment. As outlined in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the new employment and training arrangements will have, as a priority, clear progression routes for people with disabilities from sheltered work, supported work and employment to employment options in the open labour market.
Where certification is received by FÁS that an invalidity pensioner or a disability benefit recipient wishes to undertake rehabilitative training or employment, they are, subject to certain conditions, allowed to retain their full invalidity and disability payments as well as any related secondary benefits whilst engaging in FÁS training or community employment schemes.
In the case of disability benefit, applications for approval to take up training or part-time employment are first referred to the medical adviser of my Department for his opinion on the rehabilitative potential of the work-training involved.
As part of a package of measures to further enhance the employment supports for people with disabilities, I introduced in last year's budget two further important improvements for inval idity pensioners. First, the "Back to Work" allowance scheme was extended to invalidity pensioners in June 2000. From July 2001 I am introducing a pilot "Back to Work" scheme for up to 200 persons who have been receiving disability benefit for five years or more. Participants in this scheme can take up employment and continue to receive their social welfare payment on a sliding scale over a three year period or for four years if they take up self-employment.
I extended the "Back to Education" allowance to invalidity pensioners with effect from June 2000. Participants in this scheme can continue to receive their full weekly payment while undergoing approved second or third level education courses. In addition, a "Cost of Education" allowance of £200 is paid towards the cost of books and related expenses.
The range of employment, training and educational supports provided by my Department for people with disabilities continues to be developed. My Department has been endeavouring to ensure that the social welfare system does not act as a disincentive for people with disabilities to take up available training and employment opportunities. The system is being adapted from one of passive support to a position of facilitation for people with disabilities who wish to take up such supports including progression to open labour market activity.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:47 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will abolish or substantially liberalise the means test for those in receipt of allowances or payments which are subject to such tests and who have physical or sensory disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20199/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:211 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will revise income eligibility criteria for disability allowance with a view to making such allowances payable to all persons with serious physical or sensory disabilities regardless of means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20454/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 211 together.
Since responsibility for the main means-tested payment for people with disabilities, i.e. the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme, was transferred from the health boards to my Department in October 1996, a range of significant improvements, including improvements in the means-testing arrangements, have been introduced. As a consequence, there has been a substantial increase in the number of recipients of disability allowance – up from 34,500 in October 1996 to 56,221 at the end of May 2001, an increase of 63%.
The main improvements in the means-testing arrangements which have been provided for, and which also apply to the means-tested blind per son's pension scheme, include a substantial increase in the amount of earnings from rehabilitative employment which may be disregarded for means test purposes. The level of this disregard has more than doubled, from £35.20 to £75 and it has also been extended to earnings from rehabilitative self-employment; a major improvement in the method of assessing capital was introduced in October 2000, with the first £10,000 being disregarded, an increase of £8,000, and the method of assessing capital above this level improved; since April of this year the full rate disability allowance is paid where the person's partner is in receipt of any other social welfare payment. This improvement has resulted in weekly increases of between £35 and £46 for those affected; up to £150,000 from the proceeds of the sale of a person's residence is exempted for disability allowance and blind person's pension purposes, with effect from April of this year.
In addition, the "Back to Work" scheme has been extended to recipients of disability allowance and blind person's pension.
Under this scheme a person is allowed to retain their weekly payment on a sliding scale in addition to their income from employment or self-employment.
While significant improvements have been made in the means-tested payments for people with disabilities in recent years, it is nevertheless recognised that more needs to be done and I will continue to examine the potential for further improvements in this area, having regard to available resources and the Government's other priorities.
Question No. 48 answered with Question No. 35.