Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
646. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if clarification will be provided regarding the situation of persons in receipt of the disability allowance and their entitlement to work reduced hours without impacting on their disability payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14984/22]
View answerDisability allowance (DA) is a means tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. The applicant must be suffering from an injury, disease, congenital deformity or physical or mental illness or defect, which has lasted for one year or is expected to last for one year and as a result of which, they are substantially restricted in undertaking work which would otherwise be suitable having regard to the person’s age, experience and qualifications. The person must also satisfy a means test and be habitually resident in the State.
The DA scheme is structured to encourage recipients to avail of opportunities to engage in either insurable employment or self-employment. When an individual engages in either, they can avail of an income disregard of 100% of the first €140 earned per week, and 50% of earnings between €140 and €350 are also disregarded, for the purpose of the means test. The upper earnings disregard figure is increasing to €375 in June 2022. Any amounts over the upper disregard figure are assessed in full. This disregard is available to all DA recipients who engage in employment and there are no restrictions on the hours worked each week.
Under the make work pay (MWP) initiative where a DA recipient is assessed as having means in excess of the threshold after the disregard is applied to their earnings, they are entitled to retain their free travel (FT) pass for five years. My Department has also put in place a system for the fast-track reinstatement of DA to people with disabilities who have taken up or returned to an employment which subsequently did not work out within 12 months.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
