Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 December 2020
91. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason there are different rules pertaining to the assessment of a spouse’s means from employment and from an occupational pension for a claimant for jobseeker’s benefit; her plans to review same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40763/20]
View answerA recipient of Jobseeker's Benefit can claim an increase in their payment in respect of a Qualified Adult. A Qualified Adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the claimant who is being wholly or mainly maintained by the recipient.
A person's entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit is dependent on their social insurance contributions and the personal rate of payment is not means tested. Only the spouse or partner of the claimant is subject to a means test.
An increase is payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the spouse or partner are €100 a week or less, while reduced rates are payable where the means are over €100 and less than €310 per week. No increase is payable where the means of the spouse/partner are in excess of €310 per week.
The means assessed are those of the spouse or partner only, and include:
- income from employment and self-employment;
- income from non-social welfare pensions; and
- the capital value of property other than the family home, as well as savings.
Where savings or assets are held jointly, the spouse or partner's means is taken to be half of the total amount.
Earnings from employment and self-employment are assessed in full, and there are no deductions allowed in respect of, for example, tax, PRSI, VHI, superannuation and the Universal Social Charge (USC).
Weekly means from employment are calculated by reference to average weekly earnings over the previous six weeks or two months, depending on whether a person is paid weekly/fortnightly or monthly. Weekly means from self-employment are calculated by reference to the average weekly income received in the last complete tax year.
Where a spouse or civil partner has an income from an occupational pension, this income is also assessed as part of the means test. As is the case with earnings from employment or self-employment, this income is assessed on a weekly basis, and no deductions for tax or USC are allowed.
The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves so that social welfare expenditure can be directed towards those who need it most.
