Eligibility for disability allowance (DA) is conditional on satisfying the medical criteria, a means test and being habitually resident in the state.
Where a person is married, in a civil partnership or co-habiting, the Department will assess the means of the person applying for a social assistance payment and the means of their partner when carrying out a means test.
In order to qualify for receipt of DA, the total household means must be below the means threshold. Payment is made up of a personal rate and increases in respect of the claimant's spouse/civil partner/cohabitant (partner) and each qualified child. The rate is reduced by €2.50 for every €2.50 of means. If the partner is on a social welfare payment of their own, an Increase for Qualified Adult IQA) with respect to their partner is not payable to the applicant and any means assessed are halved on both payments. The minimum weekly payment for DA is €2.50.
The main items that are assessable as means are cash income and capital. Income from spouse’s insurable employment is calculated by reducing their average weekly gross earnings by the average amount of PRSI, superannuation and any union dues paid. A further €20 per day (up to a maximum of €60 per week) is deducted and 60% of any remaining balance is assessed as weekly means.
The maximum earnings from employment vary from case to case depending on a range of factors including the number of days worked per week, the amount of deductions paid, and what the means threshold is for the family unit. Below is an example of how the DA means assessment is calculated for a household with the DA customer, spouse/partner and one child and who have no other household income or capital other than spouses earnings:
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DA Means Assessment - Spouses employment income
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Weekly income from spouses earnings after PRSI, Union & Superannuation deductions
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€696.66
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Less €20 per day up to 3 days (max €60 disregard)
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€60.00
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Balance
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€636.66
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60% of the balance to be assessed as means
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€382.00 means
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Means are rounded down to the nearest multiple of €2.50
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€380.00 assessable
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The means threshold or maximum DA entitlement in this case would be €382.70 which is made up of €203.00 personal rate, €134.70 increase for qualified adult and €45.00 increase for qualified child (aged over 12 years). The total means assessable are deducted from the maximum entitlement to arrive at the weekly amount payable. Therefore in this case the family would be entitled to a weekly DA payment of €2.70 (€382.70 - €380 = €2.70).
A weekly amount of €64.20 (after PRSI, Union & superannuation deductions) is the amount of spouses earnings that would allow the DA customer retain the maximum amount of DA in these family circumstances. The calculations would be as follows
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DA Means Assessment - Spouses employment income
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Weekly income from spouses earnings after PRSI, Union & Superannuation deductions
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€64.20
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Less €20 per day up to 3 days (max €60 disregard)
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€60.00
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Balance
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€4.20
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60% of the balance to be assessed as means
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€2.50 means
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Means are rounded down to the nearest multiple of €2.50
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Zero assessable
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Again the means threshold or maximum DA entitlement in this case would be €382.70 which is made up of €203.00 personal rate, €134.70 increase for qualified adult and €45.00 increase for qualified child (over 12 years). The total means assessable are deducted from the maximum entitlement to arrive at the , weekly amount payable. Therefore, in this case the family would be entitled to a weekly DA payment of €382.70 .
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
