Niamh Smyth
Question:66. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the current procedure to avail of enhanced illness benefit for Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14822/22]
View answerTuesday, 22 March 2022
Questions (66)
Written answers
Enhanced Illness Benefit for Covid-19 is a scheme that was introduced in March 2020, to support people who are incapable of work or who are required to self-isolate, as a result of a COVID diagnosis or being a probable source of infection. It is paid at a rate of €350 per week and is paid for a maximum of 7 days where a person is self-isolating due to being a probable source of infection, and for a maximum of 10 weeks if a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In order to qualify for this payment, a person must be absent from work and confined to their home or a medical facility. They must be self-isolating or restricting their movements on the instruction of a doctor, in line with public health guidance, due to being symptomatic and a probable source of COVID-19 infection or diagnosed with COVID-19.
A person must be under pensionable age on the day for which the benefit is claimed. For employed workers, they must have a contract of employment and have at least 1 paid qualifying social insurance contribution in the 4 weeks immediately before claiming the payment. For self-employed workers, they must have worked immediately before applying for the enhanced payment and have reckonable income in the current contribution year.
Applications for Enhanced Illness Benefit can be submitted online through MyWelfare.ie or they can be submitted by post.
Applicants must also submit medical evidence to support their claim. For those self-isolating due to being a probable source of infection, they must submit medical certification from their doctor indicating that they have symptoms of COVID-19 and are a probable source of infection.
For those who have been diagnosed as a positive case of Covid-19, they can submit either confirmation from the HSE that they have tested positive for COVID-19 either through a RT-PCR test or having registered a positive antigen test or they can submit medical certification from their doctor that they have tested positive for Covid-19.
I trust this clarifies the procedure for the Deputy.