Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
516. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons transitioning from illness benefit to partial capacity benefit will continue to be eligible for the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46579/21]
View answerIllness Benefit (IB) is a payment made to people who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. Illness Benefit is a short term scheme and is not a qualifying payment for fuel allowance.
Persons in receipt of Invalidity Pension (IP) or Illness Benefit (IB), the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks, who wish to enter or re-enter employment or self-employment can apply for the Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme.
PCB is a scheme which extends the IP and IB schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people with an illness or disability have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State. The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked directly to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks.
The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and the payment they are moving from, i.e., IP or IB. After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction regarding their capacity for work is rated as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50%, 75% or 100% of their previous rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.
PCB allows people to continue to receive a percentage of their previous payment while in employment. In addition, the scheme has been designed so there are no restrictions on the number of hours a person in receipt of the payment can work and there are no restrictions on earnings. PCB is not a qualifying payment for the purposes of the fuel allowance.
The Department also provides supports under its Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, including a heat supplement, which may be awarded in cases where a person has exceptional essential heating costs due to ill health or infirmity and who cannot provide for such costs from within his or her own resources. Where a person wishes to apply for a heat supplement, s/he should contact their local Intreo Centre.
The Department continues to keep the range of supports available under review. Any proposed change would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
