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Social Welfare Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2021

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Questions (139, 140)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

139. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider including disability allowance and blind pension as qualifying payments for the partial capacity benefit in order to support those with a disability in seeking and gaining employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62259/21]

View answer

Claire Kerrane

Question:

140. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider changing the eligibility criteria which restrict applications for partial capacity benefit to those who have been on invalidity pension or illness benefit for a minimum of six months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62260/21]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together.

Both the Disability Allowance (DA) and Blind Pension (BP) schemes are age related, means tested social assistance based schemes, which are also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residence requirement. Each of these schemes has also been designed to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue their own employment ambitions, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When an individual, in receipt of DA or BP, commences employment, they can avail of an income disregard of €140 per week. In addition, a 50% taper on earnings between €140 and €350 is also applied, i.e., 50% of earnings in this band are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. Earnings above €350 are assessed at 100% i.e. for every euro earned above €350 a euro reduction is applied.

Budget 2022 saw the introduction of measures to further support persons in receipt of DA or BP to enter or return to employment, these included:

- An increase in the earnings threshold above which means is fully assessed - by €25 from €350 to €375 per week - for DA (and BP. This will take effect from June 2022.

- An increase in the general weekly means disregard entry point for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60. Currently the first €2.50 of weekly means is disregarded for Disability Allowance. The effect of this measure will be to increase the weekly rate of payment by up to €5.10 per week for Disability Allowance recipients who have means. The change also aligns the DA general disregard with that for BP at €7.60 per week. This will take effect from June 2022.

Illness benefit is a short term scheme, where a person cannot work due to illness - the maximum duration a person can be in receipt of this payment is 624 payment days. Invalidity Pension is payment made to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability. Entitlement to these payments is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the schemes.

The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme is designed for people who are in receipt of Illness Benefit, for at least 26 week, or Invalidity Pension and who have retained some capacity for work and wish to return to or enter employment. If awarded, PCB will allow them to continue to receive, in addition to their earnings from employment, a percentage of their Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment while working.

The personal rate of payment of PCB is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work and whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension (i.e. their existing rate of payment). After the medical assessment, if a person's restriction on their capacity for work is assessed as moderate, severe or profound their payment continues at 50, 75 or 100 per cent of their existing rate, respectively. If assessed as ‘mild’ they will not qualify for PCB.

The duration a person can be in receipt of PCB is linked to the payment they moved from, subject to a maximum of 156 weeks. In the case of Illness Benefit, the maximum duration of the payment is 624 payment days (104 weeks) and this applies for PCB (less the 26 weeks required to be eligible for the scheme). In the case of Invalidity Pension the maximum duration of 156 weeks applies.

Where a person completes their allowed period on PCB, a new application can be made. The application must meet all the eligibility criteria including, in the case of persons in receipt of Illness Benefit, the requirement to have completed 26 weeks in receipt of the payment.

I have no plans at this stage to change the qualifying and eligibility criteria for PCB. The Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any proposed changes have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

Question No. 140 answered with Question No. 139.
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