Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
518. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons in receipt of family income supplement will lose payments after claiming illness benefit; and the alternative supports in place for persons who find themselves in this situation. [1623/13]
View answerFamily income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support to employees on low earnings with families. To qualify for payment of FIS a person must be engaged in full time insurable employment which is expected to last for at least 3 months and be working for a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight or 19 hours per week. A couple may combine their hours of employment to meet the qualification criteria. The applicant must also have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them or is part of a family supported by them. Furthermore the average family income must be below a specified amount which varies according to the number of qualified children in the family.
Section 247(7) the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005, provides for the withdrawal of FIS after 6 weeks where a person is in receipt of illness benefit or injury benefit. Accordingly a person receiving FIS who is temporarily off work through illness can claim illness or injury benefit in addition to their FIS payment for a period of 6 weeks. After 6 weeks continuous absence payment of FIS is suspended until the person returns to work and ceases claiming illness or injury benefit.
The short term income support payments available to people absent from work due to illness or injury are illness benefit or injury benefit. People absent from work for longer periods due to illness or injury and who satisfy the qualifying conditions can avail of income support through the invalidity pension or disability allowance schemes. Increases for qualified adults and qualified children can be claimed with all of these payments as appropriate to the person’s circumstances.
