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Social Welfare Payments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2022

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

Questions (548)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

548. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports that can be accessed by persons in receipt of illness benefit when they are trying to start a business themselves; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4751/22]

View answer

Written answers

My Department administers the Illness Benefit scheme to those customers who cannot work because they are sick or ill. Customers must be covered by the appropriate class of social insurance (PRSI), satisfy the PRSI conditions and provide a Certificate of Incapacity for Work from a medical practitioner.

Entitlement to Illness Benefit is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability or on the availability of health services, but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.

People on Illness Benefit cannot take up work and keep their payment with the exception of unpaid light work; work undertaken as part of medical treatment where earnings are not more than €50 per week; or work for a charity where earnings are not more than €50 per week.

If a person has been on Illness Benefit for six months or more, and they wish to take up paid employment or self-employment, the person can apply to transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB).

The PCB scheme allows a person who has been in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks), and who may not have full capacity for work, to enter or return to employment or self-employment and to continue to receive a partial or full payment.

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, either Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit. 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 do not qualify for PCB.

PCB has been designed so there are no restrictions or limits on earnings from employment or on the number of hours a person can work under the scheme.

Self-employed persons with a disability might also be eligible to apply for the Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant. A person can apply for this grant if they are about to become self-employed and require adaptations to their working premises or equipment to create a more accessible workplace. Applications for this grant can be done through local Intreo Offices.

The person on Illness Benefit might be eligible to apply for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) as the period on Illness Benefit can count towards the qualifying period for the purpose of accessing the BTWEA. This is payable for 2 years while self-employed. Customers will receive 100% allowance in year one and 75% allowance in year two.

My Department regularly reviews its supports and payment schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

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