Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 May 2018
213. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a partial capacity benefit application for a person (details supplied); when a decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21662/18]
View answerPartial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person return to employment if they have reduced capacity for work and to continue to receive a payment from my Department. A person who applies for PCB will, in the first instance, be assessed by a Medical Assessor who expresses an opinion on the degree of partial capacity. A person assessed with a moderate restriction on capacity for work gets 50% of their personal rate of payment plus any increases due in respect of an adult dependant and children. A person assessed with a severe work restriction gets 75% and a person assessed with a profound level gets 100%.
An application for PCB from the person concerned was received on 6 December 2017. The Illness Benefit of the person was stopped as they returned to work on 27 November 2017. The case was referred for a medical assessment. On this occasion it was found necessary for the person to attend an in-person medical assessment and this was carried out on 25 April 2018.
Following this, it has been decided that the person is entitled to 50% of their previous rate of Illness Benefit backdated to the date they returned to work. Payment will issue as soon as possible.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
